2007 Football - A year in Review

[ballymanabroad]

We'll start with Gaelic Football..


The Good, the Bad and the Kingdom


1. Pat O'Shea

It's hard being Kerry manager in any era. It's harder still being Kerry manager in your first year when they are All-Ireland champions, with two of the previous three titles under their belt, Seamus Moynihan gone and a team whose appetite was presumed sated. But O'Shea overcame all that and their All-Ireland success was just as impressive as it had been in 2006.

2. Sligo

Everything is relative and despite their pronouncement that their aim was an All-Ireland title no one will quibble with just a Connacht title, only a third ever and their first since 1975.

3. The O Se brothers

For the first time ever three brothers made the same All-Star team and one of them walked away with all the major individual awards. The contributions of Darragh, Tomas and "Footballer of the Year" Marc O Se to Kerry's latest All-Ireland triumph have never been greater.

4. Wicklow

They didn't win a championship game but they played more championship games than Armagh, Down and Roscommon in 2007. Their trilogy against Louth and subsequent Tommy Murphy Cup victory marked serious progress in Mick O'Dwyer's first year.

5. AFL clubs

The GAA is now a vast area of rich pickings for AFL clubs offering 'a dream.' The numbers of Irish has doubled in 12 months and more are set to follow.

Five big losers

1. Billy Morgan

Morgan's service to Cork is undisputed, a matter of record. But this year, his last of four as it transpired, was riddled with disciplinary issues. Cork lost Munster and All-Ireland finals to Kerry and for Morgan it can't get much worse in football.

2. Offaly

For such a proud county to end up in Division 4 of the NFL next season and have to peddle their wares in the Tommy Murphy Cup 2007 has to be classed as a disaster.

3. Paidi O Se

If he could airbrush his brief dalliance with Clare football he would. Some days Paidi must ask himself, whatever was he doing there? After success with Kerry and Westmeath, presiding over a Munster championship loss to Waterford was a harrowing experience.

4. Armagh

Armagh people have come to expect more from their summers than just two championship outings. They lost twice, by just a point, before Joe Kernan stepped down, bringing an end to their greatest era.

5. GAA disciplinary bodies

Repeatedly, they found their judgments and suspensions turned over and tossed out by the relevant appeals bodies and the DRA. A culture of 'beating the rap' has set in during 2007 more than ever, it seems.

Five best games

1. Kerry v Dublin (All-Ireland semi-final)

Lived up to its billing and crackled with excitement and good football from first minute to last.

2. Dublin v Meath (Leinster quarter-final)

When these rivals go at it they rarely disappoint. This was as good as anything they have produced in the past as they finished level.

3. Dublin v Tyrone (NFL first round)

Croke Park's first game under lights was a great occasion, matched by a thrilling game as Dublin coughed up another big lead.

4. Donegal v Leitrim (round one qualifier)

The light was fading in Carrick-on-Shannon when Donegal finally put Leitrim to the sword after extra time.

5. Meath v Tyrone (All-Ireland quarter-final)

Meath announced their return to the big time, relying on a traditional template of long, fast delivery into their inside forwards that has always served them well.

Five worst games

1. Cork v Sligo (All-Ireland quarter-final)

A game that quickly fades from the memory. Cork were terrible but still they won well.

2. Kerry v Cork (All-Ireland final)

All-Ireland finals shouldn't be won by double figure margins, yet Kerry have managed to do it in successive years now.

3. Donegal v Armagh

One of the championship's lowest scoring games may have been an astute tactical battle in the eyes of the performers but it was an ugly spectacle.

4. Dublin v Offaly (Leinster semi-final)

After the highs of their two games against Meath, Dublin came crashing to a low against Offaly. Even some 77,000 plus couldn't generate an atmosphere.

5. Fermanagh v Wexford (round three qualifier)

Wexford had no interest travelling to Clones for a second successive qualifier against Fermanagh, and it showed in their dismal performance against Fermanagh.

Five big surprises

1. Back to back All-Ireland titles

In hindsight it might not seem such a surprise, but when it hadn't happened for 17 years Kerry's achievement goes against the grain.

2. Sligo

They weren't mapped to win Connacht this year but came from off the radar.

3.Monaghan

Monaghan haven't had a championship like it for 19 years. They came within inches of landing an Ulster title, recovered quickly to reach an All-Ireland quarter-final and gave Kerry their toughest game of the campaign. It gives them a strong bedrock for 2008.

4. Waterford beat Clare

A surprise to the rest of the country, but not to those who knew how badly Clare were going and how well John "Jackson" Kiely was instilling belief in his Waterford side.

5. Donegal's swift decline

When they won the league Donegal were being tipped for much greater things but despite beating Armagh they collapsed against Tyrone and the Monaghan in the qualifiers.

Five disappointments

1. All-Ireland final

For the 82,126 crowd and huge TV audience it was a let down, save for Colm Cooper's sheer genius.

2. Goading and gamesmanship

A steep increase in 2007. Dublin were the main culprits but Monaghan and Tyrone players weren't blameless either.

3. Mayo and Galway

Mayo moved mountains to get John O'Mahony in as manager but after a promising start they fizzled out badly under his stewardship. Galway continue to under-perform despite a wealth of talent.

4. Absence of International Rules

It was missed from the calendar, whether you like it or loath it. In its absence the GAA has become a talking shop between September and December as club activity with much less profile takes over.

5. Grants furore

The bitter divide over the vexed issue of paying Government grants to players continues to widen.

Five things that shouldn't have happened

1. Cork's collapse against Kerry

Alan Quirke shouldered the blame but there were other big contributors, Ger Spillane and Michael Shields and a collapsing midfield.

2. Tommy Murphy Cup

Denying eight counties a proper 'second chance' and re-routing them to the Tommy Murphy Cup compressed the calendar but it was wrong.

3. Longford drawing Westmeath in the qualifiers

Longford were on a hiding to nothing here after beating Westmeath in a Leinster championship tie two months earlier.

4. Kieran McGeeney's acrimonious Armagh retirement.

The former Armagh captain signed off a glorious career spitting fire over Armagh's handling of the appointment of Joe Kernan's successor.

5. Munster's seeded draw

Kerry and Cork have guaranteed themselves participation in next year's Munster final with the return of this convenient arrangement.

Five lucky breaks

1. Wicklow

Wicklow's late goal from Tommy Gill to win the Tommy Murphy Cup shattered Antrim.

2. Cork

After losing to Kerry, Cork avoided hardship by drawing Louth and Sligo in their next two games.

3. Penalty claim

Tomas O Se's push on Derek Kavanagh near the end of the Munster final should have been a penalty.

4 Paddy Bradley's suspension confusion

Bradley was originally suspended for seven weeks for allegedly pushing a referee in a club game, but the DRA sent the case back to Derry on a technicality. Derry never pressed the case again and Bradley was free to play five weeks earlier. How Paddy Crozier's team benefitted.

5. Noel O'Leary

Noel O'Leary should have been sent off for punching Graham Geraghty early in the All-Ireland semi-final. Cork romped home.

Five unlucky breaks

1. Anthony Lynch

Lynch sustained a broken bone in his hand the week before the All-Ireland final.

2. Brian McGuigan

Once again Tyrone and football was robbed of one of its supreme artists because of a career threatening eye injury.

3. Leitrim

What do they have to do for a coveted championship win? Another narrow qualifier defeat, this time to Donegal, piled on the misery for a very competitive team.

4. Kieran Donaghy's foul on Shane Ryan.

A calculated effort by Donaghy but if advantage was allowed Ryan had an open shot on goal at a crucial time in their All-Ireland semi-final. A free for Mark Vaughan was poor compensation.

5. The goal that wasn't

Graham Geraghty's disallowed goal for an alleged push against Dublin in the drawn game was a marginal call that cost dearly at the end.

Five great goals

1. Eamonn O'Hara (SLIGO v Galway)

A wonderful creation as David Kelly's lay off from Michael McNamara's precise clearance sent O'Hara spinning away to decide the Connacht final.

2. Zac Tuohy (LAOIS minors v Derry)

A stunning shot from the half-back through a forest of bodies forced an All-Ireland semi-final replay at the death.

3. Raymond Mulgrew (TYRONE v Donegal)

For awareness, telepathy and slide rule passing the build-up to Mulgrew's goal was just as good as the finish.

4. Sean Cavanagh (TYRONE v Meath)

Cavanagh galloped 60m away from the chasing Mark Ward to slam an unstoppable shot past Brendan Murphy.

5. Bernard Brogan (DUBLIN v Laois)

For simplicity Bernard Brogan's goal against Laois ranks high as Jason Sherlock's deft pass and Conal Keaney's quick hands carved the opening.

[turk]

Good article - one point

4. Kieran Donaghy's foul on Shane Ryan.

A calculated effort by Donaghy but if advantage was allowed Ryan had an open shot on goal at a crucial time in their All-Ireland semi-final. A free for Mark Vaughan was poor compensation.

Jasus i'd take the free anyday rather then let Ryan hit the corner flag from 10 yards out

[ballymanabroad]

Jaysus, I didn't write that. I lifted it straight off another site. I think it might have origninally come from the Examiner. Just getting back to work is enough effort at the moment.

[Bord na Mona man]

Good article - one point

4. Kieran Donaghy's foul on Shane Ryan.

A calculated effort by Donaghy but if advantage was allowed Ryan had an open shot on goal at a crucial time in their All-Ireland semi-final. A free for Mark Vaughan was poor compensation.

Jasus i'd take the free anyday rather then let Ryan hit the corner flag from 10 yards out

Good point.
It's amazing how bad some players are in front of goals.
I've seen loads of fellas who can do anything with a ball outfield, but put them through on a yawning goal and they nearly always fluff it. Corner flag shots, scuff the ground, drive it at the keeper, hit the crossbar, fall over, turn and pass it to someone 20 yards outfield.
Out they field they could thread a 60 yard pass through a needle, but put them near a net and they turn to jelly.