GAA All Ireland Football Finals 2012, Páirc an Chrócaigh

Thought I'd create a match-day thread for any comments and score updates anyone wants to add. Hopefully the weather's not as bad in Dublin as it is here, or the football finals will be a wash out. Back later for the matches...

MINOR FINAL from 1:15pm
Ref: Barry Cassidy (Derry)


DUBLIN: TBC...can't find a list at the moment!

MEATH: R Burlingham; R O Coileáin, B Power, S Gallagher; D Smyth, P Harnan, S Lavin; S McEntee, A Flanagan; C O'Sullivan, J Daly, J McEntee; B Dardis, F Ward, S Coogan.

In a repeat of the Leinster final that the Dubs won with ease, the two sides meet again are chasing their first All-Ireland title in the grade since 1984, while Meath haven’t had success at this level since 1992. Dublin will be hoping to make amends for last year’s heartbreaking All-Ireland final defeat to Tipperary, when a late Colman Kennedy goal denied Dessie Farrell’s side. Meath’s last final appearance came back in 2002, when they lost to Derry.


SENIOR FINAL from 3:30pm.

DONEGAL: Paul Durcan; Paddy McGrath, Neil McGee, Frank McGlynn; Eamon McGee, Karl Lacey, Anthony Thompson; Neil Gallagher, Rory Kavanagh; Ryan Bradley, Leo McLoone, Mark McHugh; Paddy McBrearty, Michael Murphy, Colm McFadden.

MAYO: D Clarke, K Keane, G Cafferkey, K Higgins, L Keegan, D Vaughan, C Boyle, B Moran, A O'Shea, K McLoughlin, J Doherty, A Dillon, E Varley, C O'Connor, M Conroy.

Donegal and Mayo have never met in the September showpiece before, and they clash in the championship for the first time since the 1992 All-Ireland semi-final, when Donegal won out before claiming their first and only All-Ireland title. Mayo’s wait for ‘Sam’ has been considerably longer, the Westerners’ last All-Ireland title coming exactly 61 years ago, on September 23, 1951.

Unfortunately I can't find a live stream showing the minor's final, but I'm following it on RTÉ Radio One.

Meath open the scores after a free. Apparently, they've had the better start.

Someone give this commentator some throat lozenges! His voice is going...not good for radio sport.

0-01 to 0-01 after five minutes.

Dublin 0-03 to Meath 0-01 The Dubs playing better so far.

Dublin 0-05 Meath 0-02 after 17 minutes or so.

Still no more scores after 26 minutes.

HT 0 -07 to 0-02. Hopefully the Dubs can maintain the lead. They're making too many wides though.

Apparently, not a great game for neutrals, and something of a flat atmosphere. Also it's very windy a Croker, so that will affect the seniors too.

Dublin in control at the start of the second half, but still making wides. Frustrating.

Dublin 0-08 Meath 0-03.

Meath on the attack now...

0-08 to 0-04.

A penalty gives Meath the first goal. 0-08 to 1-04

Dublin are throwing this away. So many chances have ended up in wides. Meath are on the up now too...

0-09 to 1-04 GAME ON!!

Come on the Dubs!!! 0-10 to 1-04.

22 minutes into the second half.

0-11 to 1-04.

26 minutes into the second.

0-13 to 1-04

3 minutes of extra time.

0-14 to 1-04

Donegal by 4.

UP THE DUBS!!!

Minor Champions!!!

FT 0-14 to 1-04

Back later for the Grown Ups...

Donegal off to a flying start (sorry I missed the beginning).

It's 2-01 to nil for Donegal!!

This game is over already.

Don'n't say that Thom. Mayo need a few scores. Mustn't panic.

No this game was over after Donegal went a goal up. They don't surrender big leads. Donegal deserving winners of the AI. It could have been Cork......



(if we had a decent coach)

Mayo just need to calm down a bit and take their frees carefully. They'll have a hell of a job coming back now though. They need goals.

2-03 to 0-03.

Good grief, Mayo missed a perfect goal opportunity there...

2-03 to 0-05 after another free for Mayo.

wooop! They're edging back!! Suddenly we have a game!

2-03 to 0-06.

Mayo no.6 shoulder charges a Donegal player for some reason. Donegal will get a free and that's a fourth yellow for Mayo. Cool heads lads...

2-04 to 0-07 at HT.

After 62 minutes it's 2-10 to 0-10.

I said this game was over ,it was done after 11 minutes congrats Donegal

Mayo have been made to look awful...unless they are.

Good grief...Mayo fluffed another brilliant goal opportunity...they won't get that again.

Some peed off Mayo players there in extra time. Another yellow for them. They've lost three finals in the last seven years. No wonder they're fed up.

Congratulations Donegal

2-11 0-13 FT

congratulations donegal sam is back in ulster

Well done Donegal..................superb team that might just get better.
When you have forwards like McBrearty, Murphy and McFadden, that's half the battle..................

Just a quick point about the GAA Presidents speech............100% in Irish.............IMO showing huge disrespect the the millions of GAA Followers at the game and watching on TV/Radio............80% of whom didn't understand a word,

About time this elitism ended in the GAA.....................

patrick91 wrote:congratulations donegal sam is back in ulster

At least it's on the right side of the border.

Cari wrote:Some peed off Mayo players there in extra time. Another yellow for them. They've lost three finals in the last seven years. No wonder they're fed up.

And the curse continues.

An awful lot of hype about this game. Mayo are a poor team and Donegal would have won by more if they let loose.

Aka,

Agree with you there........don't think Mayo in Top 4 teams in the country, but "poor" is a bit harsh................they are Kildare/Meath standard

John
Yes poor was a bit strong but they were not very impressive. Absolutely no options up front when they were chasing the game.

In more important football news...

http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/independent-woman/celebrity-news-gossip/bernard-brogan-and-model-girlfriend-go-their-separate-ways-3236623.html

You watch, the improvement in his play will be threefold...

bluemoda wrote:

patrick91 wrote:congratulations donegal sam is back in ulster

At least it's on the right side of the border.

there is no border in gaa terms so .....

Ach well, at least it was a day out for the Mayo folk.

Another poor display in a final but at the end of the day the 3 finals they've lost in the last few years, they haven't been favourites so the choke artists tag doesn't sit with me.

Donegal were far and away the better team with quality all over the field who all showed up on the day.