I was asked by Roscommon fans to come back after the game after I predicted a 8 or 9 point win. Backed Kerry to win by 10 so happy days. Rossies were an embarrassment today and game was over in 10 minutes. Game was no good to either team. Men against boys in every area of the field. Roscommon not a Division 1 team and will be out of championship in late July. Ciarraí Abú

kingdomfan (Kerry) - Posts:372 - 10/04/2016 15:36:59

Fair dues for predicting the result but a bit of humilty wounldnt go amiss. Roscommon showed during the league that they fully deserved to be in the last four. Things didnt go there way today but in fairness they kept plugging away in the second half when the game was over.

Im sure you wouldnt like Mayo or dubs fans to be gloating if they manage to beat us this year. Bad winner is much worse then a bad loser.

KY4SAM2015 (Kerry) - Posts: 898 - 10/04/2016 17:39:43    1843954

Credit to Dublin their workrate and quality of tackling really is on a different planet,possibly fitness too.But you get the feeling that Donegal may struggle to win Ulster this year.

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 10/04/2016 17:41:19    1843955

I replied to one of Liam's threads last week about if it mattered if Kerry beat Dublin in the league final this year.
My same opinion stands...
Today's semi were dire. Kerry looked class but Roscommon never got out of the starting blocks. But Roscommon showed their true worth during the league campaign. Today's hammering wont matter an ounce of salt to Roscommon nor Donegal for that matter.
Kerry and Dublin are going to meet in the final. Both will try their damnest to win but at the end of the day if one loses, the players on the losing side wont give a hoot about losing come the Monday morning.
The league is about making the semis and avoiding relegation...what happens after that is only a bonus.

woops (Kerry) - Posts: 2073 - 10/04/2016 17:41:59    1843956

woops

four defeats in a row will be a huge concern for Donegal.Monaghan,Tyrone and even Cavan would fancy their chances against them..

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 10/04/2016 17:46:41    1843960

I thought muckross was very unfair on Longford last summer when Dublin beat them out the Croke Park gate.A team like Longford "having a go" against Dublin is easier said than done.The gulf in class is massive.Dublin could put 30 points on lower league teams.Maybe 40 points.I felt sorry for Longford that day and said as much at the time.Muck saw it differently.I think a good team like Donegal now know how difficult it can be to compete with Dublin in Croke Park.As soon as Dublin get a strangle hold on a game and start to dominate it is nearly visible to see the oppositions shoulders dropping.I thought Donegal were outclassed and outfought today and as soon as Brogans scored his goal the game was over.It is slightly worrying to see one of Dublin's main rivals being so vastly beaten in two games in quick succession.Even as a Dub i didn't particularly enjoy watching it.Fortress Croke Park,facing this Dublin team,is a daunting place for many,many teams.Most are beaten before they leave the dressing room.Kerry will have no such problems in this regards and we welcome the challenge.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 10/04/2016 17:56:47    1843961

Very one sided SFs. Irrelevant debating justification of free kicks in the Dub-Donegal game as there was a massive gulf in class out there today. Still expect Donegal to be tough opponents come the championship but today their key players were out performed. To be honest all SFs tend to be poor if they are one sided. Expect better atmosphere in the final with a decent crowd as they are dong the GAA/1916 event as well on the same day.

poguemahone (Dublin) - Posts: 365 - 10/04/2016 17:57:51    1843962

2 poor games with zero intensity.
Dublin &, Kerry a long way ahead at the moment but I was shocked at the condition of some of the Donegal players. Both McFadden & McGlynn are carrying visible weight &, I have to wonder what in the name of God is going on.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 10/04/2016 18:00:22    1843963

Hard to know how committed Donegal were today. Something tells me they wanted to be elsewhere. Eyes on the championship, I would imagine.

ZeitChrist (UK) - Posts: 154 - 10/04/2016 18:04:43    1843966

The Blue Juggernaut roll on to 21 unbeaten.

I think it's fair to say they were only in 2nd gear (made a lot of sloppy and unforced errors) and it felt like watching them on TV as if they were playing on fast-forward mode such was the gulf in athleticism and speed in contrast to the other 3 teams playing in Croke Pk today. A total mismatch from start to finish.

re:1st game A big game in Croker probably came too soon for the Rossies they clearly suffered stage fright and yet should have been a lot closer (missed a good few handy scores). The 2nd half they played a lot better and outplayed us which is a huge concern considering the blue tidal wave we are facing in 2 weeks. Hopefully wont experience a heavy defeat which would be very damaging to morale for the year ahead

KYTitletown (Kerry) - Posts: 816 - 10/04/2016 18:13:00    1843968

Donegal are not out in the Ulster championship for two full months so i don't accept that as an excuse for five losses in a row and two heavy beatings from Dublin.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 10/04/2016 18:16:02    1843969

It was always going to be a mighty task for any manager to come in and keep Donegal at the level they were at with Jimmy, almost impossible I'd say. I think last year there was enough left in the squad to remain effective and too much for most teams but there are a lot of players who have been through the trenches for years now and the wear and tear looks as though its catching up. I believe Ulster is wide open this year but I'd fancy Tyrone to be the last Ulster team standing.

SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2386 - 10/04/2016 18:32:30    1843974

Kerry and Dublin both looked very good and well ahead of the others. Kerry's midfield options quite something.

Donegal more dependent on Michael Murphy now that Mc Fadden ain't an additional threat. They have been very good but I think they are on the slide now.

Matches with 30,000 attendance shouldn't be played in Croke Park as no atmosphere.

As a Neutral I'd have to say both referees were poor particularly blowing up almost every tackle in the first match.

tyroneed (Tyrone) - Posts: 753 - 10/04/2016 18:33:16    1843975

Watching todays semi finals this is my take on it Rossies not ready
yet to dine at the top table once other teams caught up to them in
fitness they were not up to it i think maybe in 2 years they will be
ready .Donegal are going downhill fast Murphy not the player he was
maybe with better players around him they could leave him at the edge
of the square Mcguinness got the max out of the team it will be a long
time before they will win Ulster .Tyrone and Cavan will be ruling Ulster
for a while

wfkerry (USA) - Posts: 933 - 10/04/2016 18:41:27    1843980

Two poor enough semifinals I thought.
Roscommon fought gallantly but ultimately were outclassed by Kerry who when at semi final and final stage will want to win and had the know-how to get the job done.
Dublin likewise had too much firepower and ability for what looked like a Donegal side that are a fair bit off their standard of a couple of years ago. Maybe they will make up the ground between now and Championship but I'd be a bit concerned if I was a Donegal supporter.
Kerry will definetly be up for this final and I'd imagine they will be trying their damdest to pull one over us.
Should be a good game and will certainly be a close affair. Dublin by 2 for me.

Dubh_linn (Dublin) - Posts: 2312 - 10/04/2016 18:42:00    1843981

Roscommon/Kerry - I think Roscommon found out what it will take to make the next step into the top 4/6 teams today. Kerry did field a very strong team and they looked very at ease but menacing at every opportunity. Roscommon need to sort out their full back lines and Midfield they were very poor today and thats realistically where they lost it. Couple of Roscommon fans near us were very disappointed but I think they will learn from this and should now have a bigger target of being better than the top teams rather than competing at the top level. I know i was slating Aidan O Mahony at the start of the year and definitely after his antics against Donegal I didnt have much time for him but in fairness he looked very capable on the ball today and was involved in a lot of the good kerry plays. Ref was a bit hard on Roscommon.

Donegal/Dublin - Outworked and outclassed. Looking at the game today and I'm not taking away from Dublin's hard work and excellent tackling but Donegal didnt seem to want this at all. No fire or passion, no tempers flying which we have come to expect when these teams clash. Quite a few Donegal players were going through the motions, clearly there is something wrong. I know people say ah sure look its only the league but in the last 5 games (all of which we lost) we seemed to be just plodding along with no real urgency or desire to stamp our authority. I would not be concerned if you could point the finger and say well 2 or 3 of our guys had a tough day but I'm looking at our big players/leaders and there is definitely a lack of confidence. Murphy, McBrearty MacNiallais, McHugh, Kavanagh, McLoone, Lacey, McGlynn....so many players that usually stand up and be counted just arent going for the throat anymore and it is very demoralising. Our wide count today was quite shocking, well over 10 wides which was our end deficit. Compared to Dublin I have to say I was very impressed with their accuracy and efficiency in front of goals and to make it more impressive a lot of these scores were outside the scoring zone. I was impressed with Stephen McBrearty today if his older brother showed a bit more enthusiasm and fight throughout the league I wouldnt be as worried about our poor scoring return from play in the last few games. A good number of our younger players got a run which was good but I dont know how good that game could be for their confidence. Its been said on the Donegal forum and I'm starting to believe it myself that the current management arent getting the best out of this group of players and I think the Dubs will probably agree that today was easy but also quite disappointing because donegal were such pushovers. Well done Dublin great display of skill in both defence and attack, cant see kerry stopping the unbeaten run but I do hope they get closer than us.

SamT2012 (Donegal) - Posts: 66 - 10/04/2016 19:15:47    1844009

I was disappointed with Roscommon and Donegal. I thought they would scrap till the bitter end. Matches were over at half time. Should these games be played in Thurles I wonder?
Anyway I hope Roscommon learn from this and also Donegal. I dont think though either will be in the Championship for too long.

galwayford (Galway) - Posts: 2522 - 10/04/2016 19:32:53    1844016

Never any doubt about results, two best teams in Ireland won at their ease, Roscommon have a fair bit to go to match either, but its early days for them. Donegal look like a team in decline, championship will tell all. Thought ref was a bit whistle happy in first game

seadog54 (Meath) - Posts: 2151 - 10/04/2016 19:37:46    1844018

Had a fiver on Dublin to win -10 ... Ragin :(

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13650 - 10/04/2016 19:46:02    1844023

Anyone know what the story is with Connolly? Is he injured? Wasn't at the game so don't know if he took part in the warm up.

CroiGorm (Dublin) - Posts: 1547 - 10/04/2016 19:50:11    1844028

Ros simply out of our depth today. Outclassed by a Kerry team who were at their ease and in total control.
Reality is Ros have no midfield and a very leaky backline. We are miles behind the top teams physically.We caught a few teams on the hop early with our extra fitness but now we are being found out in cruel fashion.
Great to stay up but unless we find two decent midfielders and a few tough backs we are going nowhere.Leitrim and Sligo will be convinced now that they can get to a provincial final.

salvador (Roscommon) - Posts: 439 - 10/04/2016 20:40:18    1844063