Htaem

Donegal may be doing a lot of things but rebuilding is not one of them.

We've had no retirements & Ryan Bradley is the only absentee through emigration.

No, Donegal's task this year is to get their mojo back & stiffen the squad.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 05/02/2014 21:39:04    1542038

waynoI
County: Dublin
Posts: 8408

1541965
I think one side of my mouth is probably going to contradict the other here but anyway, would you really worry more about Tyrone or Meath than say Kerry or Mayo

_________________

I personally would yeah, But i cant speak for everyone. I'd imagine most Dublin fans will shoot me down but its just my belief.

Look, Dont get me wrong, We are All Ireland champions, We have won two of the last 3 all irelands, No matter who Dublin come up against in the summer, I will be confident that Dublin will beat them including Meath and Tyrone.

But Tyrone and Meath are two teams who are up and coming. Meath worry me because theres a good chance we will meet them in Leinster and i reckon if Dublin arent fully on the ball, They can be beaten by an improving Meath team another year further on in their transition. A team who Leinster probably means more to than Dublin.

Tyrone are a team who just, They always make me worry. Cant even explain why, They just do. I don't like going into a Dublin v Tyrone game.

Playing Kerry (who we have beaten in 6 of our previous 7 meetings between league and championship, with most of their senior players another year older and new fellas yet to have proven themselves, And a side unlikely to change their philosophy and their style of play) dont worry me. Mayo, Same story. Feel they had their best chance of winning sam last year and they didnt do it.

Please Htaem, Excuse the following as i know it sounds arrogant but i dont mean it to come across as such, Its just my opinion.

But in my view the only team capable of stopping Dublin, Are Dublin themselves. They have a huge panel, So many luxuries. To think they brought on Rock, O'Gara, Kev Mc, etc in games last year, Then add that to the fact you have guys like Costello and Hudson coming though now aswell, Its scary. If that panel can keep themselves focused and if they approach each game with 5% more determination and hunger than last year, Then they will win the All Ireland. If they dont, They will lose to the eventual winners. If however they lose focus, Their summer could be over before its even begun.

But such as the professionalism of Jim Gavin, His management team and more importantly, The players chomping at the bit in reserve to get in to that team, I cant see us right now taken anything for granted, And if Dublin dont take anything for granted in 2014, Then you will be hard pressed to find anybody elses name on Sam Maguire in September.

LOL! We worship you, we give you thanks. Please split Dublin in 2 so the rest of the country has a chance.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 7902 - 06/02/2014 09:42:15    1542074

WaynoI
And a side unlikely to change their philosophy and their style of play) dont worry me. Mayo, Same story. Feel they had their best chance of winning sam last year and they didnt do it.

That is the thing waynoI. Nobody said the team that beats dublin have to win sam, they just have to beat dublin. You are taking too much for granted here. They could catch dublin and then lose themselves. Like you say, meath could well spring a surprise on dublin. Then its the qualifiers, but you could have donegal, kerry, cork, tyrone or mayo waiting in there. A bad draw and you are in bad form with a massive game a week away. Can those young lads park all the nerves and deliver? There seems to be a growing number of dub posters full sure that they are going to retain sam, you arent one of them but look over the threads, they are stating it is happening in total confidence. That could well be the start of the downfall. Too much confidence, followed by a result you dont expect brings pressure, criticism and nerves. Dublin have a lot of young lads. A quick-fire game on the abck of it and it cant but not have an effect. Personally, I dont think they will retain it. They have the quality, but not the experience to pull it off. Also, you need a big chunk of luck along the way, because nobody plays well on every big day for 2 years.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 06/02/2014 10:58:56    1542116

Waynol
But in my view the only team capable of stopping Dublin, Are Dublin themselves


That could be the game of the season! :)

TheGateKeeper (Tyrone) - Posts: 2843 - 06/02/2014 11:27:28    1542138

Exactly TheGateKeeper, and whos going to get Hill 16 as well, some many questions?

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 06/02/2014 13:09:15    1542186

Not to mention the Dublin dressingroom, who will get that?

Could turn ugly.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 06/02/2014 14:23:40    1542230

loyalroyal15
County: Meath
Posts: 11

1533571
Dublin or mayo are the biggest contenders for sam but their both coming to the end of there dominance.

Mayo dominance???????

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 06/02/2014 14:34:03    1542239

MuckrossHead
County: Donegal
Posts: 2057

1542239
loyalroyal15
County: Meath
Posts: 11

1533571
Dublin or mayo are the biggest contenders for sam but their both coming to the end of there dominance.

Mayo dominance???????

LOL if this is dominance I would hate to imagine what the bad times would be like!!

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 7902 - 06/02/2014 14:43:24    1542250

Donegal, I think they will come through the qualifiers after the shock defeat Derry gives them.

4KHDoneill (Derry) - Posts: 182 - 06/02/2014 18:57:08    1542438

There is no question about it , but Dublin deserve to be favourites at the moment. But how many here would back Dublin at the moment at odds of about 13/8. I for one would not. Taking last years AI final into account Mayo were not very far away. I thought their backs played very well, many the could have marked BBrogan a bit better. Their best forward was not fully fit , he should not have played IMO They were very slow to cop on to Cluxtons kick outs. It's also an area (midfield) where Dublin don't appear too strong. Also I thought on the day that C Kilkenny ,P Mannion and one of their halfbacks(was it McCarthy) had poor enough games. Many Dublin did not perform as well on the day as they had been doing all summer. Of course you could say the same about Mayo and I thought some of their sidelines decisions were poor enough But don't forget we will always get shock results and they usually happen when least expected.
I also don't think Dublins style of play don't suit playing a team with a proper blanket defence system. It's harder to make the runs and also the turnover and counter attack can catch attacking teams out They might win two in a row but my money will be going elsewhere I have to back Donegal plus if I can get better than 5/1 about Mayo then I will save on them. Kerry have to more or less find a good few players and they won't want any injuries Cork are in the same boat and I don't know about Tyrone::::have they got the forwards to win the All Ireland. The two dark horses would be Derry, who if they beat Donegal in the first round would be my team for the Ulster and I fancy Kildare to win the Leinster title I saw a quote of 9/1 Kildare for Leinster which I think is great value plus I rate J Ryan a very good manager. I can see very tough games ahead come next July and August

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 06/02/2014 19:35:23    1542466

If Jim Gavin or Dessie Farrell weren't available I would have gladly given Ryan a shot with Dublin! (If he wanted it)

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8592 - 06/02/2014 19:45:13    1542473

Tyrone to win against Dublin in the Final.

tyroneed (Tyrone) - Posts: 753 - 06/02/2014 19:52:43    1542477

My last four in this years semi-finals would be Dublin,Mayo,Donegal and outside chance of getting to the semi .::::::Kildare. I think Kildare will learne a lot in Div 1this year, should put them in good stead for the championship. Donegal and Mayo have still plenty to offer at the top table ,Kerry and Cork have it all to do with around half of each team new players to the championship or with little championship experience. Tyrone are in a very tight draw in Ulster,they could be going through the back door at an early stage. Mind you any team could end up going through the back door at an early stage. I'd say its as hard to win your semi-final as many win the final So I think you want a fairly experience bunch of players when you get to the later stages plus two good forwards at least. I can't see a shock result this year, by that I mean a team that are 20/1 or more at present in the betting winning Sam But think of Clare last year in the hurling

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 07/02/2014 10:19:31    1542616

4KHDoneill
County: Derry
Posts: 9

1542438
Donegal, I think they will come through the qualifiers after the shock defeat Derry gives them.

A Div 1 team beating a Div 2 team is a shock????

These are indeed strange times we live in

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 07/02/2014 10:34:18    1542630

Wouldn't be a shock at all if Derry beat us in the first round. Derry are playing at a higher standard against better opposition and this will only improve them (unless they lose every game). Celtic Park is a very difficult place to get a result and Mc Ivor is a shrewd manager. Derry will be seeing this as a great opportunity if they get past Donegal to win their first Ulster since 1998!!

Donegal won't only have to overcome pressure from outside the county but they will also have to deal with in-county opposition. The positioning of Paddy Bradley in Donegal management is a big worry with me as he is alongside anti-JMG Cassidy and imo they won't be any help to the Gweedore trio on the Donegal panel. To top it all off we have Mc Eniff stating in his article that Donegal are as good as in an Ulster Final whatever his agenda is we will wait and see!! The fixtures secretary also had a swipe at the county set up prior to his departure from the county board. It would be great if we only had to deal with the pressures from outside the county but it would certainly be all the sweeter to have some sucess this year and rub it into the faces plotting against our county team from inside the county!!

Tir Conaill Abu (Donegal) - Posts: 1671 - 07/02/2014 14:08:21    1542773

@MukrossHead

but the championship is a different ball game, Donegal AI champions 2012, Derry haven't even got to the semi final since 2004

4KHDoneill (Derry) - Posts: 182 - 07/02/2014 14:39:51    1542792

06/02/2014 19:45:13
realdub
County: Dublin
Posts: 2792

1542473
If Jim Gavin or Dessie Farrell weren't available I would have gladly given Ryan a shot with Dublin! (If he wanted it)

Are ya joking, would not let him near the shop.

bluedubstar (Dublin) - Posts: 835 - 07/02/2014 16:22:27    1542855

4KHDoneill
County: Derry
Posts: 10

1542438
Donegal, I think they will come through the qualifiers after the shock defeat Derry gives them.


I think by the time this seasons league campaign is over, Derry may well be favourites to beat Donegal in the Ulster Championship QF.
Home advantage in that game, and facing quality opposition in the leagues top division will certainly do Derry no harm. However it is worth noting that the standard in Division 2 this year is outstanding.

Donegal are playing the likes of Ulster Champions Monaghan, Leinster runners up Meath, Down and Galway etc week after week, and all of those teams could well scalp a few of Division 1's finest come championship time. Division 2 is tough.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 07/02/2014 17:00:04    1542873

No bluedubstar I'm not joking, who would you have went for?

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8592 - 07/02/2014 17:23:16    1542886

Realdud would Jason Ryan not be as good as Pillar and the circus he had around him. Pillar probably led Dublin to some of their worst defeats

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 07/02/2014 20:57:49    1542989