FOUR CRUCIAL FOOTBALL matches and countless controversial comments and opinions on All-Ireland SFC quarter final weekend. This is the pick of the bunch:
Tyrone v Monaghan
Colm O’Rourke [at half-time]: It’s a strange decision to put Dick Clerkin on Sean Cavanagh. I wouldn’t think Dick would have the legs to keep up with Sean.
Pat Spillane: This is the fourth match in a row that Tyrone have won by two points… that’s character. They never ever panic. They’ve been on the rack a number of times in the last few weeks but have never panicked.
Joe Brolly: I can’t believe somebody gave Sean Cavanagh a man-of-the-match award… it’s not within the rules, you’re not allowed rugby tackle a player to the ground… He’s a brilliant footballer but you can forget about Sean Cavanagh as a man.
Dublin v Cork
Colm O’Rourke: Cork must be the most unloved team in the whole country. Their own supporters won’t even come up to Croke Park.
Joe Brolly: Bernard Brogan is struggling too much to be starting for the Dubs at the moment… he kicked two frees straight into the ‘keeper’s hands… Dublin [at half-time] should be leading by seven or eight points.
Joe Brolly: [In response to Pat Spillane's comments the match was like a chess match] … It is, only you wouldn’t see Kasparov taking Karpov and dragging him across the table and down to the turf as he was about to check-mate him.
Pat Spillane [at full-time]: They had seven goalscoring chances [that they missed], converted only 17 from 35 scoring chances and, at this stage of the championship, their joint top scorer is their goalkeeper.
Colm O’Rourke: [Dublin] play as if it’s a game of joy whereas you look at Tyrone and they look like they are men in a labour camp… For me, this was a five-point annihilation.
Kerry v Cavan
Liam Hayes: There was no Plan B evident for Cavan in the first half.
Liam Hayes: Mickey Harte has been talking for years about people buying mirrors and looking at themselves. He needs to buy a big, long mirror himself and take a look at himself and his team.
Darragh O’Sé: Most of those [Kerry] guys have All Ireland medals in their pockets. They know what they have to do to win and they’ll know that wasn’t good enough today. Those guys will know they performed badly.
Donegal v Mayo
Liam Hayes: For [Mayo manager] to talk about this not being a game in which to get revenge, it’s absolute poppycock. It’s all about revenge.
David Brady [at half-time]: Mayo are absolutely tearing Donegal apart up the middle… Realistically, Mayo should be 20 points ahead. It’s a fantastic performance but it didn’t come out of nowhere.
David Brady [at full-time]: I don’t know what the flight schedule is like but I can see James Horan flying over to [Glasgow] Rangers.
David Brady: It’s impossible to give 110% unless you are to give up your job and leave your wife.
What was your favourite quote or comment from a GAA pundit this weekend?
