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It’s been a long old haul from late September to now, with too much time for all that wound-licking, but if ever evidence were needed that a new year of football action is once again with us it’s got to be with the welcome return of match reports on a Monday morning. They’re back and here they are.
Because it’s only the FBD, there isn’t either the volume or the depth that comes with matches that really matter. Still, beggars can’t be choosers and all that and because we had the two matches this weekend there’s a double dose of match reports.
Starting with Friday night’s opener against NUIG, there are reports on this game in the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Mayo Advertiser and Hogan Stand.
Yesterday’s draw with IT Sligo is reported on in the Mayo Advertiser as well as in today’s Irish Times, Irish Independent and Irish Examiner.
If you want some pictures to go along with the words, then you might want to check out Mayo Mick’s collection of photos from the game (a few of which I used last night in Mike’s match report) and also Inpho’s match gallery.
By the way, I’ve now started the process of collating the year’s results, with links to all available match reports. For now, these will reside in the page that sits behind the ‘2014 Results’ tab but in the fullness of time the page will take its rightful place within the Results Archive. I’ve noticed a few of you scratching your heads in the comments in recent days about past selections (e.g. the extent to which we experimented in last year’s FBD etc.) but, of course, there’s no need to be testing your memories on such matters as all the info you want is there at your fingertips in the archive.
While we’re still on the topic of match reports, I’d like to express my thanks to Mike Kelly for his reports on the weekend’s two matches, both of which landed in my inbox so rapidly I hadn’t even the chance by then to put together line-up and scorer details to go with them. A man could get used to this kind of service – thanks a million Mike.
Finally, also in today’s papers, there’s a piece in today’s Indo with James Horan where he expresses his reservations on the black card, specifically its inconsistent implementation by referees. I’m at one with James on this – as things stand there’s zero consistency in refereeing, not just from one ref to another but also how different teams are reffed. Chucking into this already chaotic situation a requirement for a ref to have to determine the difference between accidental and deliberate fouling is a road that can only end in an utter shambles, which is where we’re undoubtedly heading with this black card business.
A wise referee would only use the black card in the most blatant of cases. Otherwise use the yellow or red.
In it’s favour it does give the ref the means to deal with the compulsively abusive gobshite who has no respect for any official.
Other than that I don’t think it will improve the game that much.
Cheers for the reports WJ. Would have to disagree on the black card. It was brought in to eliminate tackles like Sean Cavanaghs v Monaghan last year, Kevin mc menamin against us in the final, and indeed a couple of our own players tackles against Dublin in 2012. People tend to be resistant to change but I don’t think anyone can argue that top teams were exploiting an anomaly in the rules that allowed you to tackle like crazy in order to defend a big lead. The problem is that the black card does not go far enough. I would have preferred a sin bin system similar to rugby to deal with an issue that had become a scourge of the game in recent seasons.
Decent analysis from Enda McNulty here:
http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/football/2014/0113/497567-desperately-seeking-sam-the-case-for-mayo/
No card would deter Sean Kavanagh from doing what he did (or in many peoples mind what he had to do) in order to prevent a certain goal. The only fix for that would be to award a goal AND a red card. I agree the sin bin was a better idea.
Did anyone read Eugene McGee’s piece on why youngsters are not playing for the GAA? An excellent, relevant observation!!!
I’m afraid that the problem with the black card will be inconsistency by referees. The card given to Kevin McLoughlin should not have been a black card, yellow possibly but not black but I didn’t think any card was warranted. [I didn’t see the Keane card incident].
The Indo report on Rosc V GMIT has a Rosc player getting a black card for a late tackle. A late tackle is not a black card offence. Yellow or red but it is not one of the listed black card offences.
An afterthought on black cards and Sunday’s match – why no black card when Darren Coen was pulled down for the penalty? Did the ref decide a penalty was punishment enough?
My own opinion is a the black card is a load of bollix. As far as im aware its not just the Sean Cavanagh type of incidents but also for checking players off the ball .If im wrong please someone correct me.But they might have being able to make it more straightforward.Will have to wait and see how it will play out in league.I came across an interesting piece on rte.ie. Suppose its had to disagree with the Armagh man.
http://m.rte.ie/sport/touch/gaa/football/2014/0113/497567-desperately-seeking-sam-the-case-for-mayo/
I posted the same link.i hadn’t seen your post digits.
Good cop DIgits – excellent piece of analysis by McNulty.
Yes his focus on tactics is interesting. No doubt about it, Dublin blew Mayo out of the water tactically, even though they too made mistakes. Everyone talked about Dublin’s weak back line. Remember Liam McHale’s, Dublin doomed if Ger Brennan plays forecast!
Mayo, it strikes me are capable of reinventing themselves, but we have to remember that the better we do, the more others pay us the compliment of really analysing us and striking at our strong points. We have to be able to second guess; maybe JH was trying that with Mickey C and it didn’t quite come off. But it’s a worry and we could be caught much earlier this year with the Evans’s, Mulholland et al really working on the videos at the moment.
It does apply for checking a player off the ball but surely not for a collision of two players in search of the ball. I agree with the idea but it needs to be implemented properly. Part of the problem I believe is that the current referees supremo, Pat McEneaney, was himself inclined to have his own interpretation of the rules – supposedly according to many media people it was the application of common sense and letting the play flow. That meant that many fouls were ignored and if you knew Pat’s form well enough you could get away with a lot. The same applies to many referees, There is something wrong with the game when coaching involves coaching to play according to the referees rules rather than the rules as written and this is one of players most common complaints.
To a large extent true and I have been saying it in posts here over the last while about players being asked to serve too many masters, college, U21 and Senior, county and club. Playing with multiple teams is commonplace in the GAA but there is a limit and there needs to be coordination and trust between managers and trainers of the various teams. No player should be asked to play matches on successive days or train without proper rest periods.
The trouble with many managers of underage teams where this is a problem is that they are more interested in their own profile as a manager than the development of the individual young player.
Agree 100% about mcenaney.
This black card business is obviously generating a lot of discussion among GAA people at the moment – no bad thing one might say, especially at this time of year when even the snowdrops haven’t awoken from their slumber. My own opinion for what’s it’s worth is, it’s an unnecessary burden placed on referees and will only add to the confusion and the already very difficult job they have to do. The biggest issue here will be with the inconsistency of referees interpretations of it’s use. This in turn will no doubt cause a lot of frustration among players and indeed supporters and heckling the ref could become common place.
All that said, it’s here now and all involved have to make the best of it. How it will effect games is to early to say but by the end of the League, everyone will know it’s true worth. Who knows, we might all be singing it’s praises by then – on the other hand the GAA hierarchy might be forced to do a u-turn – or at the very least modify it bit. Either way, we haven’t heard the last of it, as I’ve no doubt over the coming months it will be discussed ad nauseam where ever GAA people meet…..
I agree Mayo McHale.it really just adds to confusion and as you said the refs interpretation.will we ever have consistency when we have to rely on a referees subjectivity / interpretation?
I see another Dublin player is being accused of biting during the O’Byrne Cup at the weekend. Interesting to see if the Leinster Council act this time out. This is the third such incident involving a Dublin player over the last year or so.
Forget the black cards – the ref will soon be flashing a menu at these fellas!
You’re dead right , some of those lads would eat you alive.
They mustn’t be feeding them enough. If a dog is hungry he will bite!!!
Interesting analysis on the nature of short and long kickouts, particularly the table at the bottom which tells us that Mayo had the biggest % of short kickouts last year at 38%, well ahead of even Dublin at 26%.
http://www.livegaelic.com/features/art-kick/
Why when we gave 2 big lads at centre field? As in why not rotate the kick outs more often? Dublin had the homework done on us that’s for sure our back line being the attackers.Surely the tactics will have to change tactics from last year.Everyone is saying for Mayo not to peak till late September but in saying that last year in the League Dublin looked like a team who had peaked.As for tactics to me dublin they kept same tactics throughout out the year and in fact forced other teams to play they wanted them to play.So i don’t know .