WOW! AS YOU know, we’re not prone to hyperbole around here… but that was the greatest weekend of Gaelic football ever, right?
Where last year the hurling championship adorned the Irish summer, at last the football competition has kicked up a gear this season and captured the imagination.
Jim Gavin too may have thought — like most of us — that Dublin would begin their All-Ireland final preparations this morning. Instead the Blues boss will turn his attentions to a break, no doubt, and then perhaps look to next summer. 2012 champions Donegal outfought and outplayed the 2013 kingpins in another enthralling battle at HQ yesterday.
Jimmy’s still winning matches you know. Darragh Maloney described yesterday’s win as the Donegal manager’s masterpiece; and it’s hard to disagree. Remarkably, the Ulster side came into Sunday’s last-four tie as 10-1 outsiders. That seems ridiculous now. So the title will be going to the Hills or the Kingdom? Who do you fancy to take it?
Blue bloods
James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
“A number of times over the past two seasons, Jim Gavin’s Dublin have found themselves on the back foot and facing questions. They trailed Meath at half-time in the 2013 Leinster final, Kerry at half-time in the 2013 All-Ireland semi, and Cork at half-time in this year’s Division 1 semi-final.
“On all three occasions they responded to win emphatically and Gavin has regularly saluted his side for their patience under fire. Yesterday, when they needed it most, their composure deserted them.
“Even after McHugh’s second goal shortly after the restart, Dublin cut the margin to three points with nearly a full half-hour still to play. There was hardly reason to panic but they committed too many men too far forward too soon and were made to pay; they were completely isolated at the back as McFadden swanned through to score.
“Donegal’s third induced a real panic in Dublin as well as backing up the belief which had carried the Ulster champions to that point. As the Dubs tried to chip away at the lead, their nerve deserted them — they shot 12 wides in the second half including a inexcusable spell of five in the final minutes, a sequenced punctuated by a single score from sub Paddy Andrews.”
Does Kevin McStay want the top job in Mayo? It seems so.
“I hope I have the respect of the Mayo GAA public that at least I might get a phone call. Whether it be a long one or a short one I don’t know,” he said when asked about the speculation by Des Cahill last night.
James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
The tone was set by Donegal’s minor stars yesterday as they beat the Dubs in the curtain raiser. Ethan O’Donnell won’t have to buy himself a bottle of Football Special for years to come as he was the late-score hero for the northerners.
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Ice bucket
God knows we’re all well over this viral phenomenon at this stage (right?) but yesterday the #IBC reached Croker. And it was fun.
First Marty togged out in his Banner jersey to give Mark McHugh the second highlight of his day.
Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
As always, the contrast in emotions was stark at GAA HQ. Alan Brogan — with his son Jamie and wife Lydia — was tearful after the final whistle. Does he know he won’t be back again?
Lots of the talk leading up to the weekend may have been about the venue for the Kerry-Mayo venue, but the GAA haven’t been put off.
Director General Páraic Duffy says you might see more All-Ireland semi-finals outside the M50 in the future.
“You get a sense this week that we were asking people to go to Siberia or outer Mongolia,” he said. “Limerick is a great stadium and they staged the game superbly last night. The atmosphere was absolutely fantastic, I’ve rarely experienced it at a football game and never at Croke Park. 35,000 at Croke Park would not have brought about the same atmosphere, it was absolutely unique.”
Rebel Yell
Ken Sutton / INPHO
Ken Sutton / INPHO / INPHO
Cork’s camogie stars made short work of their great rivals Wexford in their All-Ireland semi-final replay at Walsh Park.
And what about that American football game then? Well, Penn State won a thriller with a last-minute punt at goal. But more importantly for us, Donal Óg Cusack was wheeled out at half time to explain hurling to the ESPN2 audience while an exhibition played out behind him.
James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Colm Cooper was a surprise inclusion on the Kerry bench on Saturday. He warmed up with his Kingdom teammates and wore No 28 but didn’t make a return to the fray.
Was it mind games or could the Killarney man line out against Donegal’s famous defence later this month?
Tasty and tempting
There was absolute chaos at the end of the Mayo-Kerry game:
Eamonn Fitzmaurice reckons his new generation of Kerry footballers deserve more recognition throughout the country.
“We have a very strong squad. I think maybe that isn’t nationally recognised because our young guys might not be national names,” he said after the defeat of Mayo. “But we have some guys who weren’t involved in the match today who have trained all summer and they are serious players as well. Nationally, maybe people are starting to realise that we have a strong squad with very good players.”
You hammer the hammer
So where did Kerry win this one? Tomás Ó Sé was in the Sunday Game studio this weekend rather than on the pitch where he’d probably have preferred. But he offered a great insight to the Munster champions’ preparations.
The Gaeltacht man said Eamonn Fitzmaurice will have had his homework done on Mayo since the drawn game and would have targeted their strengths — or ‘you hammer the hammer’, as he put it.
So what’s next?
Just the small matter of the All-Ireland senior hurling final. Old rivals Kilkenny and Tipp meet at Croke Park next Sunday.
Your GAA weekend review
WOW! AS YOU know, we’re not prone to hyperbole around here… but that was the greatest weekend of Gaelic football ever, right?
Where last year the hurling championship adorned the Irish summer, at last the football competition has kicked up a gear this season and captured the imagination.
Here’s how it unfolded.
Talking points
Blue bloods
“A number of times over the past two seasons, Jim Gavin’s Dublin have found themselves on the back foot and facing questions. They trailed Meath at half-time in the 2013 Leinster final, Kerry at half-time in the 2013 All-Ireland semi, and Cork at half-time in this year’s Division 1 semi-final.
“On all three occasions they responded to win emphatically and Gavin has regularly saluted his side for their patience under fire. Yesterday, when they needed it most, their composure deserted them.
“Even after McHugh’s second goal shortly after the restart, Dublin cut the margin to three points with nearly a full half-hour still to play. There was hardly reason to panic but they committed too many men too far forward too soon and were made to pay; they were completely isolated at the back as McFadden swanned through to score.
“Donegal’s third induced a real panic in Dublin as well as backing up the belief which had carried the Ulster champions to that point. As the Dubs tried to chip away at the lead, their nerve deserted them — they shot 12 wides in the second half including a inexcusable spell of five in the final minutes, a sequenced punctuated by a single score from sub Paddy Andrews.”
Read more of Niall Kelly’s thoughts from Croke Park here.
Next man up?
Does Kevin McStay want the top job in Mayo? It seems so.
“I hope I have the respect of the Mayo GAA public that at least I might get a phone call. Whether it be a long one or a short one I don’t know,” he said when asked about the speculation by Des Cahill last night.
Divine intervention
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This is how Twitter reacted to yesterday’s drama
Minor miracles
The tone was set by Donegal’s minor stars yesterday as they beat the Dubs in the curtain raiser. Ethan O’Donnell won’t have to buy himself a bottle of Football Special for years to come as he was the late-score hero for the northerners.
Ice bucket
God knows we’re all well over this viral phenomenon at this stage (right?) but yesterday the #IBC reached Croker. And it was fun.
First Marty togged out in his Banner jersey to give Mark McHugh the second highlight of his day.
Then Kieran McGeeney played out a personal fantasy of mine with the three Sunday Game football panellists.
Emotional
As always, the contrast in emotions was stark at GAA HQ. Alan Brogan — with his son Jamie and wife Lydia — was tearful after the final whistle. Does he know he won’t be back again?
While Jim McGuinness, his staff and the Ulster side’s fans were revelling in their unlikely win.
Lucky charm
It’s not like this all the time, son:
On the road again?
Lots of the talk leading up to the weekend may have been about the venue for the Kerry-Mayo venue, but the GAA haven’t been put off.
Director General Páraic Duffy says you might see more All-Ireland semi-finals outside the M50 in the future.
“You get a sense this week that we were asking people to go to Siberia or outer Mongolia,” he said. “Limerick is a great stadium and they staged the game superbly last night. The atmosphere was absolutely fantastic, I’ve rarely experienced it at a football game and never at Croke Park. 35,000 at Croke Park would not have brought about the same atmosphere, it was absolutely unique.”
Rebel Yell
Cork’s camogie stars made short work of their great rivals Wexford in their All-Ireland semi-final replay at Walsh Park.
The Leesiders will now face Kilkenny in the championship decider after a 1-15 to eight points victory.
U-S-A!
And what about that American football game then? Well, Penn State won a thriller with a last-minute punt at goal. But more importantly for us, Donal Óg Cusack was wheeled out at half time to explain hurling to the ESPN2 audience while an exhibition played out behind him.
The watching public in the States liked what they saw.
Return of the king?
Colm Cooper was a surprise inclusion on the Kerry bench on Saturday. He warmed up with his Kingdom teammates and wore No 28 but didn’t make a return to the fray.
Was it mind games or could the Killarney man line out against Donegal’s famous defence later this month?
Tasty and tempting
There was absolute chaos at the end of the Mayo-Kerry game:
And then we got this update from Limerick:
Just a bit of respect
Eamonn Fitzmaurice reckons his new generation of Kerry footballers deserve more recognition throughout the country.
You hammer the hammer
So where did Kerry win this one? Tomás Ó Sé was in the Sunday Game studio this weekend rather than on the pitch where he’d probably have preferred. But he offered a great insight to the Munster champions’ preparations.
The Gaeltacht man said Eamonn Fitzmaurice will have had his homework done on Mayo since the drawn game and would have targeted their strengths — or ‘you hammer the hammer’, as he put it.
So what’s next?
Just the small matter of the All-Ireland senior hurling final. Old rivals Kilkenny and Tipp meet at Croke Park next Sunday.
GAA may consider semi-final replays outside Dublin again – Páraic Duffy
‘Hunch down and drive up through your marker’- Vinny Murphy on the art of the perfect shoulder
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Comp:All-Ireland Senior Football Championship GAA Jim McGuinness Donegal Celtic Dublin Kerry Mayo