well done, Donegal, it was hard going, but we done it, minor and senior, boy s we are proud of yous, well done Declan, Jim and everyone got to do with both team s, best of luck to Monaghan, Armagh for the rest of the summer.

mchugh11 (Donegal) - Posts: 242 - 21/07/2014 09:29:22    1622511

I have to say I am very impressed with the attitude & class of the Monaghan posters on here. It was the same at the game yesterday where there was great banter all around us & handshakes at the end. They were disappointed but took in in good stead knowing that they will still have a big say in this year's championship.

Posters from a number of other counties, whose teams wouldn't kick snow off a rope, should take note.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 21/07/2014 10:07:48    1622542

Congrats Donegal better team on the day poor ball into full forward line plus e lennon probably cost us

prideof85 (Monaghan) - Posts: 851 - 21/07/2014 10:19:54    1622553

Congrats to Donegal, they controlled the match form start to finish.. Hopefully we will meet again, Good luck against Meath\Armagh

Farney (Monaghan) - Posts: 801 - 21/07/2014 10:30:24    1622569

Posters from a number of other counties, whose teams wouldn't kick snow off a rope, should take note.

Muckrosshead it does appear that Monaghan were certainly good sports yesterday and their posters despite a bit of banter before the game are well prepared to take it on the chin and congratulate the opposition when the game is done but being from a weaker county I do question the relevance of correlating county team strength against opinion of poster from said county.

Does coming from a county whose team is at the lower end make the opinions of individuals from that County less valid? Surely it is possible that even the players of these lower end counties are of a higher quality than guys from the like of Dublin, Kerry or Donegal who are on here posting?

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 21/07/2014 10:33:56    1622577

Agreed. Kudos to the Monaghan supporters. Very gracious in defeat. It was good hard physical game yesterday and both teams gave it their all. Donegal were just that wee bit more efficient in picking off scores at the right times and maybe got more of those wee breaks that are vital in close matches. I hope Monaghan can lift themselves for the Kildare match now. I think they can beat them if they get the heads right. They should not want for motivation. The prize on offer is a chance to test themselves against the Dubs in a packed Croke Park.

For ourselves it was great to get to the top of the pile in Ulster once more. You only had to see what it meant to the players. Boys like MacNíallais, Ryan McHugh and Jigger got their first medals at senior level and they were delighted. But for the older men it was just as satisfying - in Leo McLoone's interview on BBC his smile would have to have been surgically removed. Great to see.

People may complain about the type of game it was. But it was horses for courses. In Ulster you know what you're going to get, especially against Monaghan. If you're not prepared for the attritional, physical stuff then you may forget about it. You also need players with composure who can efficiently pick off scores when chances present themselves. We had that yesterday in MacNíallais and McBrearty whereas Monaghan were slightly lacking (although McGuinness's goal was superbly taken). I also think we possibly had the betetr options coming off the bench - McBrearty, Kavanagh, McElhinney etc

Going forward into the All-Ireland series I think it will be Armagh who we're likely to face. Just how demoralised Meath will be after yesterday's tanking is anyone's guess. Armagh have the tails up now after a couple of good away wins in the qualifiers. I'd give them a hesitant nod to progress. People seem to be getting a wee bit ahead of themselves and are predicting a Dublin Donegal semi final. There's a fair bit of football to be played yet before that can happen.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9149 - 21/07/2014 10:35:31    1622578

Interesting hearing Kevin McStay's analysis of Monaghan ( He wasn't only talking about yesterday's match, he was talking about their preparation in general ), he must have spoke with player's from Mayo, Meath or somebody else who played them last year. I say that, as I only remember them playing Ulster teams last year in Championship but played Mayo in challenge and Meath in Div 3 league final.

Basically he commended Donegal on overcoming such a foe, and said that Monaghan are a team that know how to get inside your head mentally on the pitch and also dominate you physically. His gestures suggested he had heard first hand from players about playing Monaghan. He said Monaghan would have tested every tactical area of Donegal physically and mentally yesterday, with the exception of pace which he didn't feel they have.

I don't think he meant this in a derogatory way, nor would I take it as a derogatory comment. If anything, It is a compliment to how strong Monaghan really are. Not sure about them lacking pace though, they look quick enough to me.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 21/07/2014 10:40:47    1622586

Naysayer
Totally agree. Its like people from a junior club area being sneered at by those from senior club areas. Some of the best GAA people come from clubs or counties have had little success.
Congratulations to our lads yesterday, it's a great time for Donegal football and only for a crazy last ten minutes in the U21 final we should have all three titles in the county. It's a credit to the work been done with underage on the county over the past decade.
Fair play to the Monaghan posters. You never know how yous would react to this defeat but I just think yous were out thought and out fought yesterday much like we were last year and hope yous can lift it again for the next day. A big championship win in Croke Park would be a big lift for the development of your team. Best of luck for the rest of the season.
From our point of view, I hate all this talk already begun about us v Dublin. One game at a time.

Tir Conaill Abu (Donegal) - Posts: 1671 - 21/07/2014 10:47:32    1622602

Congratulations to Donegal minor and senior champs, deserved both wins, some of the points they scored yesterday were right out of the top draw, Murphys point from the free near the end from distance was something special.
Hopefully we can regroup in time for the Kildare game.
Best of luck for the rest of the championship, as always Donegal supporters were a pleasure yesterday.

Pukefootball (Monaghan) - Posts: 377 - 21/07/2014 10:52:19    1622613

Naysayer
County: Antrim
Posts: 746

1622577
Posters from a number of other counties, whose teams wouldn't kick snow off a rope, should take note.

Muckrosshead it does appear that Monaghan were certainly good sports yesterday and their posters despite a bit of banter before the game are well prepared to take it on the chin and congratulate the opposition when the game is done but being from a weaker county I do question the relevance of correlating county team strength against opinion of poster from said county.

Does coming from a county whose team is at the lower end make the opinions of individuals from that County less valid? Surely it is possible that even the players of these lower end counties are of a higher quality than guys from the like of Dublin, Kerry or Donegal who are on here

Not the point I was making naysayer & I wasn't getting at you.

What I was referring to are the posters who are snide & derogatory in their posts, not those who have valid points to make even if those points are critical. I have no problem at all with criticism, it's the hateful, cynical stuff I don't like.

There are a few on here who lose no opportunity to be negative about Ulster football in general & Donegal in particular, while their own counties perform abysmally. The words pot, kettle & black do spring to mind.

Again, this was not pointed at you & apologies if I wasn't clear enough.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 21/07/2014 11:00:51    1622624

DUBLIN V DONEGAL

Anybody listening to Newstalk yesterday evening, or even watching The Sunday game will sense that there is a level of Intrigue over this game potentially happening.

Personally I think this would be the biggest game to take place for years, not since Tyrone v Kerry has the been a game to capture the Imagination of the whole country.

THE ATTACK vs THE SYSTEM

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 21/07/2014 11:36:48    1622675

MuckrossHead not a bother - I posted earlier saying as much and that I agreed with a lot of you sentiment when you explained it - I must have been a bit too harsh on a broadcaster in my response as it has not been posted.

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 21/07/2014 11:51:34    1622703

One thing that did annoy me yesterday was the way politics was allowed to intrude on the day.

Between a protest in support of the Palestinians on the way to the pitch, leaflets promoting a United Ireland poll, & another Palestinian protest, which caused a traffic delay, on the way home, I see a trend which I don't like. Namely the GAA being hijcked by well funded political groups to promote their cause.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 21/07/2014 12:51:29    1622815

MuckrossHead
County: Donegal
Posts: 2891

1622815
One thing that did annoy me yesterday was the way politics was allowed to intrude on the day.

Between a protest in support of the Palestinians on the way to the pitch, leaflets promoting a United Ireland poll, & another Palestinian protest, which caused a traffic delay, on the way home, I see a trend which I don't like. Namely the GAA being hijcked by well funded political groups to promote their cause


I agree that it is tricky business when it comes to politics and the gaa, and the 2 should be kept apart as much as possible. But the palestinian issue is a humanitarian crisis, and it is much more important to us than a meaningless republican poll re a united ireland. As much as being delayed on the road can annoy people, we all should consider the plight of the people who are in dire straights in other parts of the world. I also think that the GAA had no involvement in either demonstration yesterday. Yes there were campaigns, but how do you stop them, the same way that you cant control the casual trading that goes on around the grounds before the game.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 21/07/2014 14:46:42    1622990

Donegalman
County: All
Posts: 14


I agree that it is tricky business when it comes to politics and the gaa, and the 2 should be kept apart as much as possible. But the palestinian issue is a humanitarian crisis, and it is much more important to us than a meaningless republican poll re a united ireland. As much as being delayed on the road can annoy people, we all should consider the plight of the people who are in dire straights in other parts of the world. I also think that the GAA had no involvement in either demonstration yesterday. Yes there were campaigns, but how do you stop them, the same way that you cant control the casual trading that goes on around the grounds before the game.

donegalman, If I thought for one minute that the people protesting yesterday gave a rat's ass about the Palestinian people then I would say fair enough, but I have been around long enough to recognise events yesterday for what they were. Namely a terrible situation being hijacked by others for political reasons. How yesterday's demos will help the Palestinians in any shape or form is beyond me. If they had collected a few quid for them it would have been something but just standing there with posters & flags achieved nothing of any benefit for the people at the sharp end of it.
I agree that there is not much the GAA can do, I just don't like it.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 21/07/2014 15:14:18    1623041

Well done Donegal, looking a bit like your old selves, we could be on a collision course!

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8596 - 21/07/2014 15:31:59    1623071

Donegal certainly back, will be very hard beaten. Hope Meath at least get a chance to play you. But big hurdle ahead in Armagh

seadog54 (Meath) - Posts: 2149 - 21/07/2014 15:51:40    1623098

realdub
County: Dublin
Posts: 3649

1623071
Well done Donegal, looking a bit like your old selves, we could be on a collision course!

Would love to get a crack at ye realdub.

With regards to us being "a bit like our old selves" I think myself that in some respects we are a lot better than in 2012.

1 Durkan's kickouts were superb yesterday & he didn't have that in 2012.
2 The bench is a lot stronger with new young blood.
3 McLoone, Toye & McGrath are playing better now than in 2012 & McBrearty was superb yesterday.
4 We now have more points of attack with the likes of Neil McGee making strong runs from deep to go with McGlynn & Lacey
5 Collectively they have more experience & nous than in 2012.

Granted McFadden's form is not great but as defences loosen a bit outside Ulster I think he will come good & yes, Mark McHugh is a miss. But overall Donegal are in a really good place at the moment.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 21/07/2014 16:16:54    1623127

Yep Muckrosshead, would expect an almighty battle if we both get there!

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8596 - 21/07/2014 16:58:56    1623191

Congrats Donegal. Three Ulster titles in four year, fantastic achievement. Hard luck Monaghan, no doubt will be better in the qualifier.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11236 - 21/07/2014 17:02:10    1623196