Did anyone else think that tonight's Sunday Game was a bit of a shambles. especially towards the end with their multiple awards which were ill thought out and poorly presented by the host and the panel. These endless presentations to Michael Lester aswell were a bit much. The man of the match selection for me was hard to fathom. I mean why was Brian Fenton not on the short list ? and surely either himself or Kilkenny deserved it. The water avalanche at the hotel too was a poor reflection on the hotel and the GAA. Finally to finish the Sunday Game they chose a most inappropriate song " The Sun Is Burning" by Luke Kelly. A wonderful song of course written by Ian Campbell but it was written about the perceived and very real threat of Nuclear war. Al in all a bit bizzarre and As I say a tad shambolic. Congratulations Dublin , you are a fantastic squad of players.

s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5518 - 03/09/2018 00:00:29    2138589

The All Ireland panel has traditionally been made up of all the regular analysts giving their end of year review and picking their moments, last night that was abandoned for some reason and only 4 regular analysts were present, I thought it a bit disorganised alright, the water at the hotel was unreal, for all their money and fame Dublin celebrate in a hotel with "a leak", that won't do the Gibson Hotel much good. Lyster deserves his accolades and it was nice to see him get the plaudits he deserved on the live show and last night, 34 years is a long time and it will be strange not to have him on screen next year.

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3734 - 03/09/2018 09:35:39    2138631

Was strange that current players Michael Murphy and Lee Keegan were part of picking team of the season. would be better if was former players doing this was slightly awkward and takes away from the concept to be honest. Also it is harder for current players to give an honest opinion on things.
Also I'm finding the group think and the consensus on the super 8s a bit concerning. Everyone seems to be talking around the issue and trying to convince themselves that it is a good idea without actually analysing it. Personally I don't like it because it doesn't make sense for a competition to go into a league format when it is 75% complete. The players have been playing and supporters are going to games all summer - once you get to the business end it should be winner takes all. The atmosphere at the Donegal Dublin game this year was like a league in summer before the match while in other years the hair would have been standing on your neck with the atmosphere. The lack of this edge in too many games and the fact that teams get multiple second chances has contributed to the lack of intensity and interest in the championship in my opinion. But nobody seems to want to talk about this. It's easier just to roll out the lines about styles of football being to blame but there is more to it than that.

supporter (Donegal) - Posts: 205 - 03/09/2018 10:10:18    2138651

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13718 - 03/09/2018 10:12:13    2138652

s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5518 - 03/09/2018 11:13:20    2138701

agree completely mesamis. I forgot about that. yes the so-called highlights. I realise it is difficult to condence 70+ minutes in to a highlights programme but the editing is really poor. As you say regarding Paul Mannion for a man who was deemed worthy to be on the shortlist for MOTM all they showed was the penalty. The "awards" were truly awful. "point of year turned out to be goal of the year and the sound didnt match the pictures. they also decided that Damien Comer wasn't actually going for a point. they chose a routine save by Beggan . Armagh v Roscommon didn't feature on the shortlist for match of the year. some awards were just left hanging with no decision made. The League was totally ignored. when the panel were asked about their player of the year everyone agreed on Kilkenny apart from Tomas O' Sé who spent a few minutes putting the case for Cluxton but then decided on Kilkenny because " that's who the'll choose anyway". It seems as long as Sean Cavanagh is involved his brother will be chosen for any award going. I thought both Sludden and Mattie Donnelly had both better seasons than C. Cavanagh ( true they werent as influental in the final but Cavanagh wasn't either).
s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5051 - 03/09/2018 11:13:20

My biggest gripe with the Sunday Game has always been the highlights packages being very poor. I realise, like you said, that a Football match can be hard to show everything in but The Sunday Game team are definitely miles away from getting it right. Loads and loads of replays of innocuous enough action instead of just showing the scores of the game! Like you said, Paul Mannion only popped up during the penalty, they showed nothing else from his performance that they then later laud as good enough to be nominated for MOTM.

The whole awards thing was just cringey stupidity that none of them seemed to know anything about!

There is also no need for the Sunday Game to do a Team of the Year. RTÉ already broadcast the All-Stars later in the year why are they wasting time on the broadcast with this nonsense? Probably because it is easy filler and is a lot less work for their editors and pundits than properly edited highlights and decent analysis.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13718 - 03/09/2018 12:14:50    2138751

The water scene when Jack McCaffrey was awarded MOM was pure farce. It reminded me of the Fr. Ted episode where there was a leak in the parochial roof and they held a raffle for a car donated by Bishop Brennan!

BliainanÁir (Laois) - Posts: 598 - 03/09/2018 13:03:05    2138774

I was looking forward to getting home and watching The Sunday Game last night but have to say the match highlights seemed really poorly edited. They didn't show the black card or Costelloe's goal chance either.

bubba83 (Dublin) - Posts: 333 - 03/09/2018 13:21:16    2138782

The awards section, which was also in the hurling final edition, is just pathetic and unprofessional.
I had McCaffrey backed for MOM at 9/1, but couldnt believe he was in top 3 and nearly choked on my tea when he got the award.
Panels are just too big on final night, would prefer better highlights package and analysis but that would involve a bit more effort from the producers. Current players dont add much to the show.

conordee (Galway) - Posts: 440 - 03/09/2018 13:32:27    2138785

The show is just a microcosm of RTE as a station.
In the majority of cases you have very average passing as the standard.
Average presenters on rediculous money both on Tv and radio.
Finucane, D'arcy, Tubridy O Callaghan to name but a few.
Absolutely ridiculous.

Dubh_linn (Dublin) - Posts: 2312 - 03/09/2018 13:34:43    2138787

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4898 - 03/09/2018 13:38:31    2138791

Show is poor TBH
stopped watching the show this year for the first time ever
I go to a load of inter county league and championship matches, about half of which involve my own county
I love the game and really enjoy most of the matches
Come home at night to look at the highlights
First of all if there are two hurling matches and 8 football matches the programme is split evenly. For example there was a weekend this year where Kildare v Derry got 90 seconds coverage and Waterford had a first win since god know when
But on the Sunday game, feck all highlights followed by analysists telling us the game is not as it used to be etc. This is especially the case with the older ones
Delighted that younger lads are starting to take over
Please tell us why x won the game and what y can improve on
If I want opinions I can go to the pub
Analysts in other codes do not pummel their game like our lads do ours

Maroonedinlongford (Galway) - Posts: 242 - 03/09/2018 18:00:00    2138908

The best thing for me about the Sunday Game last night and daytime programme was the interviews with the Dublin lads.

I know i'll be accused of a love in but i like the cut of the Dublin players jib.

Philly McMahon spoke very well, Cluxton came across as very genuine speaking to Michael Lyster on his retirement. They seem like a sound bunch of lads. There's no arrogance or inflated notions after all the silverware won. Very much in the mould of their manager. I worked with a cousin of Jim Gavin's and know her well and she's a top quality person in every way. Great regard for their gaelic heritage.

BliainanÁir (Laois) - Posts: 598 - 03/09/2018 18:47:06    2138925

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5017 - 03/09/2018 19:25:18    2138934

Dubsfan28 (Dublin) - Posts: 2509 - 03/09/2018 21:07:29    2138963

AHP (Dublin) - Posts: 323 - 03/09/2018 21:19:59    2138976

Id give it to Beggan myself.

I doubt any Dublin player could be bothered about the All Stars.

The real prizes are handed out at the end of a game anything else is only an oul pony show.

Im sure Cluxton would be delighted if Beggan got it.

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 03/09/2018 21:39:24    2138985

neverright (Roscommon) - Posts: 1648 - 03/09/2018 22:54:32    2139003

19616609 (Louth) - Posts: 1596 - 03/09/2018 23:50:07    2139017

Preferred when they had a bigger selection of current county players reflecting on the year and their final. The analysing of the match itself was good during the how the game was won/lost. Save/point of the year segment was not great. Would have been better just showing a montage of the great scores of the championship - points and goals.

On a TV related note. Why no magazine programme previewing the weekend games? Folk tallk about low key build ups to the matches but being our national game, would expect RTE to be able to offer a decent Friday preview show.

poguemahone (Dublin) - Posts: 365 - 04/09/2018 09:34:43    2139050