BROWSING THE NET: Goalscoring in last 10 league & championship games
They say that goals win games, but a few of the teams left in this year's football championship seem acutely aware that goals can also lose you matches (see graph above).
Monaghan have been intent on keeping things tight all year, with the two goals conceded on Saturday to Kildare a strange aberration – prior to that they had conceded just one goal in eight league and championship.
Donegal have been almost as miserly, conceding just eight goals in 10, although those figures would be more impressive were it not for the three goals coughed up to Louth in a league game in Ballyshannon back in March.
If it’s goals you want then Mayo are the team to follow, as they top the charts both for goals scored and conceded over the last 10 games (21-15).
No surprise though as to which team has the balance right – the bookies' favourites Dublin have the best goal difference around, on +8.
MEN IN BLACK: Time to whistle up
As the Cork players surrounded Cormac Reilly at the final whistle yesterday it was hard not to think we reap what we sow in GAA.
Brian Cuthbert and his selectors set the agenda last week when they warned the referee that he would have to be on his game against Mayo; small wonder then that when Cork lost out the players knew exactly where to direct their anger.
It’s irrelevant whether their gripe over the amount of added time had grounds to it or not. Cuthbert isn’t the first manager to try to play the referee, and he won’t be the last, but the practice just further erodes the standing of referees in the game.
We have such a problem with authority that even attempts to tweak the rules of our flawed games falter. The black card is forgotten more and more as the season progresses, and sure hurling is perfect already. Right?
A few years ago I saw a friend send off a player in an under-12 rugby match for dissent. When I expressed astonishment at his action towards a small child, he rolled his eyes at me and GAA folk in general: “Where do you think rugby players learn to respect the referee?”
The referee is the only person on the field whose presence is vital to any game going ahead – they should be protected accordingly by the GAA. It might end with the intercounty elite throwing a strop in Croke Park, but it begins much earlier.
THEY SAID THAT?: Twitter twaddle
The Kerryman @kerryman_ie A new Guinness World Record set in #Kerry this weekend as an Annascaul man reversed a tractor and trailer for 17.5km on the N86
UnOfficialGaa @unofficialgaa Going to be very difficult in Kerry to keep young lads focused on football now that tractor reversing is taking off
Ray Boyne @AnalysisGAA Mayo-Cork, 53%-57% Shot Conversion Rate respectively courtesy of @action81 (represents 7% & 9% improvement on personal average) #respect
Frank McNally @FrankmcnallyIT Monaghan beat Kildare by 2 points, to win a championship match at Croker for the first time since 1930, when they beat Kildare by 2 points.
IN QUOTES
"There were people taking photos of the scoreboard at the end. It was just unreal. I'd say the umpires had cramp from all the flag-waving." - Castlelyons PRO Denis Fenton reflects on his side's draw with Ballinacurra in the Imokilly (Cork) JBHC on the mindboggling scoreline of 4-28 to 8-16 (Castlelyons won the replay, on a more normal scoreline of 3-16 to 1-11)
