Kerry may as well stay home on the 21st. if half of ye posters are correct They beat nobody to get to the final, says another poster., Tell me who are the top 8 teams in the country?? Would Mayo and maybe Cork be among them? Wise up ye fools who mock rather than honestly analyze. And Galway are a rebuilding team of the future as well. Be weary of this Kerry side, they may end up giving many of ye naysayers nightmares for quite a while to come. Although I do feel this more mature Donegal team may just nick them this time around. Come on Leinster!!!

lostintime (USA) - Posts: 533 - 13/09/2014 20:33:53    1651719

Lost in time,
Relax there man. youll find its the Kerry boys who are putting down their counties chances the most. Its a very difficult game to call and like everything on this forum the winner will be eulogised and their flaws forgotten and the loser disected to death by people who will tell you they knew it would happen and that it didnt suprise them. Basically a lot of bluffers and people wise after the event.

AthCliath (Dublin) - Posts: 4347 - 13/09/2014 20:48:46    1651725

AthCliath
County: Dublin
Posts: 3398

1651725
Lost in time,
Relax there man. youll find its the Kerry boys who are putting down their counties chances the most. Its a very difficult game to call and like everything on this forum the winner will be eulogised and their flaws forgotten and the loser disected to death by people who will tell you they knew it would happen and that it didnt suprise them. Basically a lot of bluffers and people wise after the event.


It is very close to call. And a very well put point.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 13/09/2014 21:32:56    1651761

As long as the referee doesn't have a shocker, I'll be happy enough. I must admit that I thought Kerry were sunk the first day against Mayo. My apologies to EF, Star & Co. If both teams show up, it doesn't get too physical and It's close enough with ten to go... it may be a corker. I hope so!

plike (Kerry) - Posts: 569 - 14/09/2014 17:11:15    1651921

DUBJOHN
County: Dublin
Posts: 217

1651450
Tut tut tut! Mucky you really need to pay attention! i actually replied to your post last week on the dublin v donegal thread (page 33) and i repeat i haven't gone anywhere!

Good man DJ, Glad you're still about!!

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 14/09/2014 18:37:02    1651944

Check out the Kerry & Donegal Homepage for a chance to win Premium Level Tickets to the Final:

http://hoganstand.com/Kerry/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=224114
http://hoganstand.com/donegal/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=224114

wicklowrunner (Wicklow) - Posts: 637 - 15/09/2014 09:41:01    1652049

I'm starting to feel uneasy about this game.

The closer we get to it & the more I think about it the less I can see how Donegal will lose & that is not a position I am either accustomed to or like before a big game.

Yes, Kerry have winning All Irelands in their DNA, yes there are great players peppered throughout the team, &, as a man said to me last week, "never bet against either Kilkenny or Kerry in an All Ireland Final. I get all that & what's more I agree with it.

But when I look at the experience of the Donegal team as a unit, their belief & faith in themselves, their teammates, their management & the way they play I just can't see a relatively inexperienced team, even if it is Kerry, beating them.

Every single championship game this year I have felt nervous before the off, wondering if this would finally be the day it all ends. But after the performance against Dublin & the sheer relentlessness of them, even when things weren't going well, I have total faith that they will not be beaten.

Why am I uneasy? Simple. The last time I felt this confident before a game was the Ulster final 2013 against Monaghan & look how that turned out!!

Donegal by 6.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 15/09/2014 18:12:49    1652350

Muckross,that is an old adage i always adhere to.You never get rich backing against Kerry or Kilkenny!The 2 KYs.You can beat them every so often,but in the long run,they will always win more than they lose.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 15/09/2014 18:29:44    1652357

WOW,Muckross- Donegal by 6!That is a brave call my friend.I admire your honesty.All we can do is call it as we see it.How do u see the senior game going?(:

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 15/09/2014 18:33:40    1652358

It's just that Kerry depended so much on Donaghy against Mayo, he was the difference between the two teams.

Yet, the big discussion at the moment is whether Kerry will even start him. How can you not start your marquee player? What does it say about Kerry that they worry about starting him?

The other factor is that quite a number of the Kerry team have not played against Donegal's defence in full championship fettle. It will be a whole new experience & how they deal with it will decide the outcome.

Up to the full forward line, Donegal 2014 are a much better team than 2012. Even in the full forward line McFadded showed signs of a return to form & McBrearty played well when he came on as a sub.

I don't see Kerry rattling off scores like Dublin did, that's not the sort of team they are, but if they don't Donegal will just wear them down.

I see a tight first half with Donegal's experience & craft pulling them away in the second

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 15/09/2014 19:06:26    1652368

Kerry will win on Sunday.

We have a very good defence, the best in the league over the last 2 years I believe.

we won't leave gaping holes like Dublin did which made Donegal's attack look better than it is in my opinion.

Eamon will get his match's up correct and we have a decent bench.

Last nights SG preview of the final was like a dedication to Donegal's system and team.
very little about Kerry which is fine in my book.

finally the question last night and consistently being mentioned here is how will Kerry cope with Donegal's blanket defence?
The question I have is how will Donegal cope if we have 12 behind the ball?
when the game eventually opens up who has the better forwards? I know who I'm backing.

Up Kerry.

westkerry (Kerry) - Posts: 1250 - 15/09/2014 19:30:14    1652375

Westkerry,to be fair McStay could hardly get a word in last night,with Brolly eulogising Donegals inpenetrable system.He did however,give Kerry the nod,when asked to call it.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 15/09/2014 20:09:43    1652390

I'd be worried that Ryan Mc Hugh will get clattered in the first 10mins of this game, taghd Kennelly style.........

ben1977 (Donegal) - Posts: 364 - 15/09/2014 20:33:36    1652406

Westkerry
Would not know much about Kerry's blanket defence but I would guess it's nowhere near Donegal's system. I think we will cope fine if you put 12 men behind the ball but will ye carry it out over the seventy odd minutes or better still have Kerry the discipline to operate that system all day. Plus will it not affect your attack as after all Donegal usually minds the house ?? Look back at the Monaghan game ( Ulster final) with Monaghan leaving in a two man full forward line and their star men were well held.
Now the kind of game you are talking about ( 12 men behind the ball ) is old hat to Donegal. Over the last few years time and time again Donegal have met teams in the Ulster championship who played similar to what you are talking about::::: result ::: one defeat to Monaghan last year. So we are well accustomed to that type of game.
As regards Kerry having the best forwards I dunno about that. What about the half forward line Geaney, Buckley and Walsh :: are they score getters.

If you had to chose one and only one from MMurphy or J O Donohue who would you pick and who would leave out. I'd pick M Murphy as he would be capable of winning more dirty ball than JoD. Plus his free talking and above all having watched him over the years ::His vision and he is so unselfish

Now Muckross I am going to agree with you. I really fancy this Donegal team. Now before I go any further I also know Kerry could win but I don't think they will. The element of suprise with K Donaghy is gone ,the management and Donegal defenders know what JoD can do if he gets the space like he did against Cork. Also down to discipline :::I really thought Donegalwere fantastic against Dublin, gave away very little frees in the scoring area. Now I could question the discipline of a couple of the Kerry players v Mayo also how many penalty so were in the two games. Can't see Donegal doing that.
To me it's down to how Kerry adapts to the choking system of Donegal plus Donegal's running game::: how wil Kerry's defence cope. Now this is a game that could catch out Eamonn Fitzmaurice. Will he tamper too much with Kerry's tactics as a host of managers have done over the last few years against Donegal trying yo out fox the SUPREME LEADER. E F might be better to let Kerry play their normal game as they might be better served by it and not be lured into a trap which there will be no getting out of Donegal by anything from 5 points to 10 points. Sam and Tom for the HILLS.

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 15/09/2014 21:22:29    1652436

Jaysus, most Kerry lads seriously talking their team down; most Donegal lads talking theirs up. I an amused to see the Kerry Half forwards and full back line written off. I'd say the half backs are, if anything, the weak link. McHugh will be shackled. Donegal will have drilled for Star. Kerry will have poured over the Dublin exemplum of how not to do it. All in all, it seems to me, an armchair bound summer fan, that Kerry will score more points, Donegal may score more goals... and... the ref could easily be the key factor.

plike (Kerry) - Posts: 569 - 16/09/2014 13:42:34    1652654

It's still only Tuesday! FFS!!!

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9153 - 16/09/2014 14:48:21    1652692

This game could a see a result that will send a seismic shock-wave through the GAA world. Indeed, I would not be in the least bit surprised if Donegal handed Kerry their biggest ever defeat in an All Ireland Final and cement their own status as a great team.

My gut feeling is we're about to see the equivalent of Brazil (Kerry) vs Germany (Donegal) in the World Cup. No one will ever forget what happened in that fixture! The Germans handed out a master class in tactical planning and execution with a display of total teamwork and supreme efficiency against the games traditional great stylist leaving their reputation in tatters.

JamesH (Mayo) - Posts: 465 - 16/09/2014 15:36:35    1652725

This game could a see a result that will send a seismic shock-wave through the GAA world. Indeed, I would not be in the least bit surprised if Donegal handed Kerry their biggest ever defeat in an All Ireland Final and cement their own status as a great team.

My gut feeling is we're about to see the equivalent of Brazil (Kerry) vs Germany (Donegal) in the World Cup. No one will ever forget what happened in that fixture! The Germans handed out a master class in tactical planning and execution with a display of total teamwork and supreme efficiency against the games traditional great stylist leaving their reputation in tatters.

JamesH (Mayo) - Posts: 465 - 16/09/2014 15:52:00    1652738

Mc Hugh won't have the same impact on this game as he did in the semi and will get some additional attention.

Donegal will need to perform like they did against Dublin but if they don't get going like in the Armagh game we could be in for a very bad afternoon. We have struggled to grind out wins in the past few years against Tyrone, Monaghan and Armagh and the reason was that they were all set up defensively. This won't have gone un-noticed in Kerry and will expect them to set up like they did against Cork. They problem for Donegal is that Kerry are the best kick passing team we have ever played against under Mc Guinness so if they set up defensively and turn the ball over they will use a fast long ball to counterattack before we get back. Giving the ball away just won't do on Sunday.

The problem for Kerry is that if they can't get that counterattack going they won't be getting enough scores to win the game and if they have to push on it will play into Donegal's hands.

This game could really go any way. Goals won the the semi for Donegal and I think goals will win the final. Who will get them?

Tir Conaill Abu (Donegal) - Posts: 1671 - 16/09/2014 15:55:41    1652744

Wow, a lot to get through here. Are some posters preparing articles for their local paper or what?!

@ MuckrossHead - Letting aside all the blarney of some playing down their county's chances, the closer to the game the more one is aware of who is coming into the game in better shape, better performances and better consistency. Donegal unfortunately tick the boxes there. It's easier to mention how ye'll be a difficult opponent rather than go into the detail that Fitz can deal with in the run up to the game.

Donegal have great reason to be confident. As you rightly point out, it is an inexperienced team that we are sending into Croke Park. The most inexperienced since the '97 final.

You've another fair point there regards our forwards not coming up against the Donegal defence. It's part of the reason many of us have said the final appears a year early in the teams development. Naturally as we are there, we want to win it. We all are naturally optimistic afterall when it comes to our own county. Limerick and Waterford turned up to finals against Kilkenny being optimistic.

@ SamOnErrigal - you're speaking a bit more sense here than in some other threads. Good to see you focus on the game itself here than blarney.

There's no doubts that Donegal have the defensive system. The way the marker marks his man and two players zone in is impressive, unless you're the opponent or next opponent in line. Donegal as you rightly point out are used to coming up against defensive minded teams. When Donegal have the ball then, ye're lethal in attack.

Donegal are in a great place going into the final. They have their defence and attack both working very fluidly. There are unknowns about Kerry going into the final. That uncertainty is reflected in the odds for the final. I have a preference for certainty but sure look we have to accept where we are in terms of our progression.

Anyways, I'm naturally optimistic for my county. Ciarrai abu!

@ JamesH - The replay final of '72 was our worst defeat in a final. The same crowd returned to haunt us in '82. When we won in '09, our provincial semi-final was the biggest defeat that a side has had to come back from to win an All-Ireland.

@ Tir Conaill Abu - The question there will be answered on Sunday. ;) Ciarrai abu!

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7868 - 16/09/2014 17:11:48    1652784