1. Tight Pitch
A tight pitch is always a tough place to go. There's no space to play and the opposition fans are right on top of you. It's generally cited as a factor for the underdog having a chance.
Two examples include St. Conleth's Park in Newbridge.
and Nowlan Park in Kilkenny.
2. Wide Opens Spaces
The underdog fears the wide open spaces of Croke park.
and Semple.
3. The umpire took up a good position.
An umpire doesn't have many places to stand when a game is being played. So it's always amusing to hear a commentator complimenting an umpire on his positional sense.
A handy guide to umpire positioning:
4. Flying in training
When it comes to Championship football and hurling there is often little evidence regarding the form of teams. So hearing that a team is going well in training is often highly regarded information.
5. He took the sensible option
Alan Dillon doesn't blaze the ball over the bar here as he attempts to burst the back of the net.
No, he takes 'the sensible option'.
6. He was a great minor but then the drink got him
7. When is the underdogs chance?
An underdog has only one opportunity to win and that's in the first game. If it goes to a replay, then they don't stand a chance.
8. Gone to the well
When it comes to crunch time in the Championship you don't just dig deep, you go to the well.
No team has gone to the well more down the years than Brian Cody and Kilkenny.
9. Close the gates
Generally uttered at club games when one local rival is hammering another. Usually followed by the words "...and make them watch".
10. How's he on the county panel? Sure he's shite.
Often heard at a local game when there's a much heralded county player on the pitch.
11. Only watching the minor game because you're related to a player.
12. What does John Mullane owe Waterford?
13. It'll be a tight game because...
14. Bend your back
Usually heard at underage games when there's a new player on the team who has played a lot of soccer but not much GAA and has a tendency to dribble the ball 'soccer style'.
15. Like hitting the ball off a stone wall
Don't aim the ball at Tommy Walsh. It's just going to come straight back at you.
16. Under the radar
Generally heard around the All-Ireland quarter-finals stage regarding a team which has progressed through the Championship but hasn't had much press coverage.
17. A wide is as good as a point at this stage
The most ridiculous, bullshit GAA cliche of all time.
18. It'll be grand, sure we'll get tickets outside Quinns
19. Where are the underdogs?
Similar to Under The Radar but heard in the build up to a game when a team is possibly being underrated. Most often uttered by Cyril Farrell.
20. Watching the game on TV with local radio commentary
21. Wristy hurler
22. He's good but the brother is better
How often did we hear this about Alan and Bernard Brogan?
23. What's that Ger?
24. Handbags
25. Schemozzle
26. Melee
27. Shameful scenes
28. Ah here ref...
29. No need to worry
30. GAA, the only place where this word is used
Heard on new bulletins across the country following news that a manager has been appointed. Paul Grimley looks absolutely ratified in this picture.
31. Dirty ball
Dirty is usually seen around the middle of the field and must be less than a foot off the ground. Usually won by the Richie McCaws of the team.
32. Putting in the hard yards
A player putting in the hard yards
A player not putting in the hard yards
33. The O'Sheas and the Cavanaghs. A classic...
34. Save a few of those for the game
You've only got so many points in your locker at the end of the day and you can't be wasting them on training.
35. The System
Jim McGuinness invented The System. Donegal play The System.
Many have tried to implement The System.
Many pundits call it The System because they're not quite sure what it is.
36. They'll have that pinned on the dressing room wall
Any slight against a team in the build up to a game is ripe to be pinned to the dressing room and used as fuel to push a team towards victory. It is unknown if a team has every actually done this.
37. Heard anytime Joe Canning takes to the pitch
He'll do no damage out there
or there.
38. Tough places to go
39. A ridiculous assertion
Another cliche that means absolutely nothing, it got bandied around a lot when Tipperary lost to Kilkenny in the 2009 final but then beat them in the 2010 final. It'll probably get thrown out again if Galway win an All-Ireland in the next few years.
40. A great excuse for not playing well
41. The GAA love a draw
42. Why were they on in the first place?
43. Ah come on...
44. For the love of God, would ya...
Generally heard at local games where there's lots of...
45. Persistent short hand-passing
46. League and Championship have totally different rules
Mostly heard in local games when the ref gives a soft free which would have been OK in the league but not in the Championship. The set of rules used for championship is totally different to those used for the league.
47. Don't worry if you're not in the starting 15...
48. You never know...
49. Leitrim, Wicklow, Carlow, Longford...
50. Soccer style
You'll hear commentators say this anytime the ball isn't kicked from the hands or punched into the net. Also used anytime someone decides to do some 'soccer style' dribbling.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8ymsQwl20M
