Was McAneaney really that bad?
Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 1:30 pm
I just finished reading the post about the Jacks and the impression I got off it was that Pat McAneaney in the Dublin Meath game had a bad day out in Croker. Now I wasn't at the game but he looked like he did what he always does. He gave the benefit of doubt to the team in possession.
Many, many times a Dublin player got a free in a one on one contest whereas Meathmen rarely had the luxury of the same. For me this can be explained by the difference in style of the two teams. Meath have always been a kick and catch team and played to their strength (Geraghty) yesterday, whereas Dublin survive on possession. Some would say that has to be the game plan of a team with limited football skills. Dublin are the fittest team in Ireland because they have to be. Dublin played three men inside the 40 but Meath isolated Geraghty on Henry (half an Offaly man btw) and pumped it high and long into him.
The point is that Dublin, by the very fact that they had more time with the ball in hand, were bound to get more frees from a referee who gives the overwhelming majority of frees to the team in possession of the football. I don't know how astute Caffrey is but he did end up playing two notable freetakers in Vaughan and Quinn and when Magee came on he didn't look injured to me.
Now can anybody tell me what sort of referee Michael Collins is? I remember pulled up socks and a Roberto Benini lookalike but I might be wrong.
Many, many times a Dublin player got a free in a one on one contest whereas Meathmen rarely had the luxury of the same. For me this can be explained by the difference in style of the two teams. Meath have always been a kick and catch team and played to their strength (Geraghty) yesterday, whereas Dublin survive on possession. Some would say that has to be the game plan of a team with limited football skills. Dublin are the fittest team in Ireland because they have to be. Dublin played three men inside the 40 but Meath isolated Geraghty on Henry (half an Offaly man btw) and pumped it high and long into him.
The point is that Dublin, by the very fact that they had more time with the ball in hand, were bound to get more frees from a referee who gives the overwhelming majority of frees to the team in possession of the football. I don't know how astute Caffrey is but he did end up playing two notable freetakers in Vaughan and Quinn and when Magee came on he didn't look injured to me.
Now can anybody tell me what sort of referee Michael Collins is? I remember pulled up socks and a Roberto Benini lookalike but I might be wrong.