Kildare v Donegal

Very frustrating again its like groundhog day . Done a lot of things well again shooting v poor in first half.  I thought it was noticeable that Donegal were prepared to use the wind and shoot from distance where we tried to work it in closer. I'd imagine playing on that pitch regularly is advantageous.  On the disallowed goal looking at the highlights it looked like Dan Flynn stopped at the line before the ball was played to him.
On a positive note Peter Kelly has astonished me lately I wud have left him off the panel this year fair play to him. Also thought Kevin Flynn looked superb like to see him get another chance

Would be good if we had a keeper who could play that way, Bird, Beggan does it very well for Monaghan. Not sure we do, though.

Just playing devil's advocate on one aspect of the gumshield thing lads - was O'Neill telling the truth when he said Doyle's was wearing one but it got knocked out by a challenge? Seems a bit far-fetched.

If it was knocked out in a challenge why didn’t he pick it up and put it back in??

Maybe he was too busy defending rather than go scouring the pitch for a shield? Can you imagine the abuse on here if Donegal waltzed through our defence with Doyler down on all fours in the grass.

Doubt it happened that way tbh. Modern gumshields don’t get knocked out easy

Announced this morning that Oliver Stone is making a movie about the whole affair. Andrew Garfield to play Doyle; Gough insisting that he's played by Brad Pitt.

Seemly Kevin Feely got booked after 5 Minutes for no gumshield according to Irish Independent

Whether he lost it or not, he was heading to the sideline to get another as other players were asked without getting booked. The ball came his way and like any footballer worth his salt he caught the ball. All it took was Gough to ask for the kick out to be retaken after Doyle had received the new gumshield. Common sense, nothing major, no controversy and the game would proceed 10 seconds later.
The problem was Gough was trying too be to smart for his own good by booking him, having forgot he was already on a yellow. All he did was make himself look ridiculous.
I notice he's not down to ref this week.

If that is true fone how the hell were Donegal players running around with gumshields hanging out of their mouths and nothing said.  Pure shite from Gough.

Eoin Doyle has never worn a Gum Shield. He didn't even have one knocked out. Was he going to the side line for his spare one? No player ever has a spare gumshield on the side line. Cian O'Neill has made a fool of himself with his arrogance on the matter

All that very true Rex - Gough I'm afraid is a ref who's happy to be the centre of attention. Also if you look up the online ref's handbook, it would appear the stopping the play is at the ref's discretion. The Doyle situation is unacceptable under any circumstance but it's particularly galling when you consider that Gough didn't stop play to instruct Donegal players to put in gumshields. In particular, the McLoone incident is genuinely shocking given what had gone before. Both sides were not treated equally on Saturday and it's probably cost us our Div 1 status. Totally outrageous. Colm Parkinson, fair play to him, broke it down well on The GAA Hour. Hilariously, Cian Ward tried to defend Gough!! Meath lads circling the wagons on this one which is just sad to see.

O'Neill has been excellent on this matter. If you actually look at the rule book, Gough has been totally inconsistent and wrong in his approach.

Question for everyone – if according to rule book, stopping play is at ref's discretion, why NOT stop it for Doyle incident? As Rex says, commonsense, controversy avoided. And if does stop it, why doesn't he stop to instruct McLoone to leave field? Or if he's being really consistent, send him off?

The conclusion I'm afraid is that Gough has arbitrarily done us. But of course that couldn't be the case given the overall impeccable standard of football refereeing. And yes, that last point is ironic - it is a strong contender for the worst officiated sport I've ever seen.

Be v interesting if Kildare appeal red – think you could honestly drive a coach and four through Gough's interpretation of rules on Sun.

Think new nickname "David Gaffe" might stick.

I’m on Doyle and O’Neill’s side, but I’m not sure he’s handled it well, particularly the bit about it being knocked out, which doesn’t ring true to me.

As Colm Parkinson points out, doesn't matter if Doyle fibbed about not having gumshield. Gough still wrong in his decision.

Still haven't heard anyone explain why (A) play not stopped and (B) if it wasn't, why McLoone among other Donegal players not sent off.

Incidentally, I don't think anyone should have been sent off. But Gough needs to be consistent.

Now that all this is in the public about the gumshields will the refs from now on be going around looking at players to see if they have them in or not?

How the hell do you police this?! Unless they check each player's mouth before the game and also at start of the second half!

No one can answer me as to why Gough was supposed to not apply the rules? Again you might not like the rule - I actually do - but either way is he supposed to flout the rule because it's Kildare or something? And stopping play is at the referee's description but why should he stop it because a player was breaking a rule, we give enough advantages to the fouling team in football.

Oh yeah apply the rules - just do it fairly for both teams. Tommy why weren't Donegal players sent off when CLEARLY not wearing mouthguards? Visible to people IN THE STAND!!

I'm with Tommy on this one.

In Kildare we always look for someone else to blame. And now our manager is at the same thing. He has had a go at the ref after every league game this year.

Doyle fucked up. The rule is there and he knows it. O'Neill knows it and we all know it. It doesn't matter a fuck how many Donegal players Gough booked.

As someone said above maybe if we started looked inwards instead of looking for excuses the whole time it might change the mindset. Leaking soft goals, taking the ball into contact and managing to have a goal disallowed for a square ball like on Sunday are some of the reasons we should be looking inside the camp.

We always seem to be the victims. We're a soft touch - simple as that. No balls or no killer instinct. Whether we like it or not.

No - it does matter how many Donegal players weren't sent off because it had a massive influence on the game. O'Neill I'm afraid is totally right; if there is one set of rules for one team, and another for the other side, it has to be called out. Arguments from Tommy and Hawker very weak I have to say.

To explain, again:

1. It makes no sense that Gough let play go on in those circumstances.

2. He did not inform the linesman and goalkeeper of what was happening.

3. Having made this wrong decision, he then at least should remain consistent by sending off multiple Donegal players.

The idea that the ref not applying the rules correctly is "looking for excuses" is laughable. It was an egregious mistake that will likely have a massive bearing on Kildare's season.

Incidentally, I'm arguing based off the rulebook - everyone against me seems to be arguing based on what they "feel" is right.

HauntedGraffiti wrote:

As Colm Parkinson points out, doesn't matter if Doyle fibbed about not having gumshield. Gough still wrong in his decision.

Still haven't heard anyone explain why (A) play not stopped and (B) if it wasn't, why McLoone among other Donegal players not sent off.

Incidentally, I don't think anyone should have been sent off. But Gough needs to be consistent.  

Colm Keys has an article on it today in the indo. Head of referees circling wagons fully supported by Keys.  Re McLoone if you follow the logic, he should have first ordered him to get one (he didn’t) & only then yellow carded him if he refused (which presumably is what Feely apparently did). Amazing that I could see McLoone’s gumshield dangling from behind the goals and Ger/Peter in the commentary box which is miles from the pitch and high up could see it. But Gough, not 10 yards away, manages to not see it??  Or is having it dangling from the side of one’s mouth sufficient to avoid any insurance or rule issues?
It all leaves a pretty sour taste in the, er.. mouth.

Let’s move on though. There’s bound to be more drama on Sunday with kikdare and Mayo both on the field.

Yeah I'm moving on but I just want to make it clear that this was, by any measure, an utterly ludicrous and outrageous refereeing decision. Colm Keys btw is also from Meath.

I honestly don't want to envisage what might happen on Sunday with these two counties on the field. Within just the past two years, Mayo have drawn an All Ireland final they should have won by scoring two own goals (unprecedented in history of game, never-mind All Ireland finals); we meanwhile have lost an effective relegation play-off by having our captain sent off for not wearing a gum-shield.

Sunday the footballing equivalent of Bermuda triangle.

HauntedGraffiti wrote:

No - it does matter how many Donegal players weren't sent off because it had a massive influence on the game. O'Neill I'm afraid is totally right; if there is one set of rules for one team, and another for the other side, it has to be called out. Arguments from Tommy and Hawker very weak I have to say.

To explain, again:

1. It makes no sense that Gough let play go on in those circumstances.

2. He did not inform the linesman and goalkeeper of what was happening.

3. Having made this wrong decision, he then at least should remain consistent by sending off multiple Donegal players.

The idea that the ref not applying the rules correctly is "looking for excuses" is laughable. It was an egregious mistake that will likely have a massive bearing on Kildare's season.

Were multiple Donegal player booked?

We're always the victims.

Following Gough's logic, several should have been sent off. Again – would advise to consult the RULE BOOK.