I have already tipped Donegal, Monaghan and Meath to be at the fore of the Division 2 promotion fight this year.

Donegal never really got a proper chance to build momentum in 2013, as they were constantly crippled with Injuries and their summer was congested with Club fixtures too. That would have been ok under normal circumstances, but they couldnt get men back and fit in time before losing more key men.

My thoughts after Donegal beat Laois was "They have men back, but they need to build fitness, stamina AND momentum before they play a Dublin or Mayo". Later that day the AI QF draw was made, I said to my brother "Donegal are fecked, they are in no shape to play Mayo".
It wasn't about "The System", It wasn't about "Donegal lacking quality players".

It was logic, as Donegal simply had too many men not 100% fit and their play wasn't fully flowing. Mayo were practically at full strength and everybody knew they would be pumped to get revenge against Donegal. They were on a roll, having won Connaught with a fierce determination. Even with everybody fully fit, I suspected a high risk that Donegal would still lose to a very hungry Mayo.

Are Donegal finished? No way. Will they take Division 2 seriously and attempt to get promoted? Yes, Very seriously.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 04/01/2014 19:28:07    1527744

Tyrone were well off the pace when playing division 1 teams in the championship after playing in the division 2 in 2011 and 2012.

MichaelO (Tyrone) - Posts: 820 - 04/01/2014 21:23:49    1527785

Will Div 2 take Meath seriously? :D

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8592 - 04/01/2014 21:44:20    1527798

Be afraid be very afraid.
They haven't gone away you know.

ruanua (Donegal) - Posts: 4966 - 02/02/2014 17:56:52    1540090

It was a good performance rua But in all honesty Laois were very poor.

New players played well & I look forward to next week against Galway which will be a big step up.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 02/02/2014 18:29:20    1540121

MuckrossHead
County: Donegal
Posts: 2028

1540121
It was a good performance rua But in all honesty Laois were very poor.

New players played well & I look forward to next week against Galway which will be a big step up.
----
Yes but ignoring the score - for first time since the cork game in 2012 /mcglynn/ Thompson and co. were
getting forward with pace. Christy Toye had his best day in 5 years, there are signs that McBrearty may take some of the burden off Murphy and Colm Anthony.
Feedback is that there is some serious fitness work being put in on dunfanaghy sand dunes compared to 12 months ago when they were shaking off jet lag from second holiday
I am very optimistic that there is one more big wag in this dog's tail.

ruanua (Donegal) - Posts: 4966 - 02/02/2014 19:16:00    1540162

I tell you one county that won't be afraid :)
3-18 and 15 wides. I suspect a royal rumble in the hills of Donegal.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 02/02/2014 19:29:18    1540178

Up and down the side of slieve league again are they lads?! ;)

TheGateKeeper (Tyrone) - Posts: 2843 - 02/02/2014 19:31:03    1540180

Me too Rua, me too.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 02/02/2014 19:39:29    1540191

Seems like they are wha!

Jimmy's big yellow machine is rolling again.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13710 - 02/02/2014 19:49:38    1540200

TheGateKeeper
County: Tyrone
Posts: 2449

1540180
Up and down the side of slieve league again are they lads?! ;)
----
No the heavy lifting is over - the dunes between dunfanaghy and tramore as it happens - stamina work 4 minute miles in hunter Wellys

ruanua (Donegal) - Posts: 4966 - 02/02/2014 19:50:16    1540202

They were always going take it seriously this year...

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 02/02/2014 20:14:17    1540229

ruanua
County: Donegal
Posts: 4572


No the heavy lifting is over - the dunes between dunfanaghy and tramore as it happens - stamina work 4 minute miles in hunter Wellys



Pulling tractor tires as well no doubt! ;)

TheGateKeeper (Tyrone) - Posts: 2843 - 02/02/2014 20:22:20    1540242

I was at the game this afternoon, and thought we played very well. The fitness level is up on last year in a big way. Once we started to win the breaking ball, there was no looking back .I thought that Christy Toye had a mighty game, as did all the lads, even our midfield seemed to play better than normal. Laois have a hell of a lot of work to do. I think they are not organized at all, and need to get going in a more serious way or they will go down for sure. As for next week, I will go to Galway and expect a better match, I hope the game will show more as a spectacle.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 02/02/2014 21:13:18    1540289

Wouldn't get too excited about today's result, but if DONEGAL are going to play anywhere near 2012 level NO team in Div 2 will touch them. It would be lovely to win in Galway next Sunday and it would set US up nicely for the visit of the team who usually win an ULSTER once every 25 years. Then I think we have Meath or as the reporter in the paper called them::: Robin hoods after that infamous Leinster final win against Louth. No disrespect to any of these teams but I think DONEGAL have far better players,I should think better team work GOOD MANAGER and WE still have the SYSTEM. People can say what the like BUT DONEGAL and Tyrone proved over THEIR meetings in 2011,2012 and 2013 that a system like the blanket defence can be very hard to break down. I was at all those Games and they were real tough games and even though DONEGAL won them all Tyrone lost nothing in defeat.
So DONEGAL in good form and a bit of luck DIV 1 next year and a good battle on for second and would not rule Down out.

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 02/02/2014 21:13:51    1540291

Sam I think Meath performance yesterday would suggest that we might get near Donegal no matter what form their in. Meath were sublime at time and very bad at other times particularly defense. However if Donegal try the attack game v Meath we will win I feel. 3-18 scored 16 wides countless goal opportunities missed 14 different scorers and galway didn't play that bad. If we get the whole thing right we will be hard to stop , Donegal will have to be at their very best.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 03/02/2014 09:53:12    1540378

Excellent away result for Donegal, against a Laois side who arguably know the Jim McGuinness era Donegal team better than anybody else.Also the return of Christy Toye is massive bonus for Jim McGuinness, as is Karl Lacey and Mark McHugh.

In a way, I reckon the black card will actually benefit Donegal this season and make them very difficult to combat. Last season many people said if you stop Donegal's running game, they have no plan B.
This baffled me, as Donegal were missing the fully fit Influence of their main runners of Karl Lacey, Frank McGlynn, Anthony Thompson and Mark McHugh. However the theory of blocking their running game did become apparant in the Ulster final, were Monaghan managed it in a effective manner.

They have a tricky away game against Galway now, which won't be an easy game. Galway have pace and more attacking power than Laois.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 03/02/2014 10:09:07    1540392

Goid show from Donegal yesterday. They'll cruise through div 2 with their closest rivals Meath at home. Anyone who thinks Donegal will be run close by Galway would want to guess again. Galway are a third tier team in reality and they'll struggle to stay in division 2.

pdempsey (Mayo) - Posts: 1313 - 03/02/2014 10:18:43    1540398

You have to question the appointment of O'Flaharta as Laois manager, had a brutal record at Galway and how he convinced the County Board that he was the man to bring them forward is puzzling. They have gone backwards by all accounts. Good win for Donegal, I expected them to get a real hard time in Portlaoise but obviously not.

Salmanneile (Longford) - Posts: 113 - 03/02/2014 10:19:50    1540399

Galway have dangerous forwards alright but Donegal's defensive unti should be able to stifle them sufficiently. Galway at the back however are a bit of a mess and I think with the scoring threat we carry we should have enough to take the points.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9136 - 03/02/2014 10:43:35    1540416