How about the constant running down of Donegal and to a lesser extent Tyrone .

We know we have went way back : go to our own forum where I am critically myself . You love a pop at Donegal for no reason .

TheRightStuff (Donegal) - Posts: 1688 - 11/04/2016 20:11:00    1844443

Watched Donegal before the game doing full out sprints,with Gallagher in the middle of them , I was getting tired looking at them, Players didn't exactly look extraction doing them. Dublin lads were kicking around footballs.
10 min's into second half Donegal lads had hands on their hips and looked shattered. Murphy got a hard time from James mc Carthy and looked frustrated, I was very suprised how easy it was for us yesterday.
Either.
(1) Donegal have gone back a lot more than I thought
(2) Players aren't buying into Gallaghers tactics and have enough of just running for the sake of it.
(3) Everything is geared for the Ulster championship. Yesterday was a run around and just fulfilling a fixture, (If that the case , Donegal fans should of being told , so they could of saved their money) and a fit Donegal will be a different proposition in Ulster.

AthCliath (Dublin) - Posts: 4347 - 11/04/2016 20:21:53    1844447

The simple truth is that donegal don't care one bit about the league. Their main objective was to retain division 1 status and they accomplished that with ease.

Terrorist (Donegal) - Posts:78 - 11/04/2016 20:10:21

This is repeated ad nauseum but I have to question why are we so enthusiastic about retaining Div 1 status if we don't care about the league, it doesn't make sense.

If we are going to make no effort of any description why not just use the league as a proving ground for young players & if that leads to relegation then so be it.

Tyrone have spent the year in Div 2 but have come up refreshed with momentum, a batch of new young players blooded & people talking about them as being on the way back as contenders. Compare that with Donegal's year & I know which I would rather be coming into the summer with.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 11/04/2016 20:29:50    1844450

I think there is always a poor level of accurate and unbiased analysis here on HS, and yesterday was no different. Give actual statistical analysis, not just for this game, but every game and we will start to see a bit more with the stats. I want to see proper stats listed at the top of this type of thread, which can contribute to more proper analysis and debate. Otherwise we just get the constant Joe Brolly type drama driven statements.

We all know what Dublin are capable of, and we all know what would have likely happened had Dublin scored a goal either side of half time in the 2014 All Ireland SF. Yes, Donegal would have got absolutely tanked that day, and the death of Donegal as a football team would have been declared on here within an hour. When in all likelihood most of the other sides would likely struggle in the exact same way against Dublin.

Dublin outscored Donegal by 1 goal and 7 points, and could have scored a lot more. But is it fair to say if closely studying the game tactically, that Donegal's kick-outs killed them. Dublin appeared to win over half of Donegal's long kick-outs, which put Donegal under severe pressure as each one generally ended in a Dublin score. Another major chink in the Donegal armour, was how loose their general marking was in most half back line positions and also with Paddy McGrath, who was only loosely marking.

Combine that with poor shooting, which Dublin deserve credit for keeping space tightly marshalled, and we see precisely why Donegal lost in such a manner. Kick-outs and poor defending are ultimately what sank them, which I thought would be understandable when facing a team with Dublin's attacking ability. Donegal have been declared finished every year since the game against Dublin in 2011, which seems to ignore the fact that they are producing some serious talent at U16, U17, Minor and U21.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 11/04/2016 20:55:58    1844461

Gary there may well be very talented U-16s in Donegal, I don't think anyone is suggesting football in Donegal is finished. The suggestion is that this current Donegal team have maybe come to the end of the line and though you say they have very talented U-21's, the fact that a clearly unfit Colm McFadden was brought on yesterday suggests that Rory Gallagher doesn't see many options ready to come through. Colm McFadden was an outstanding footballer but even last year it looked like time had caught up with him, its hard to see him being able to make much of a contribution against sides like Mayo, Kerry or Dublin in Croke Park when things get serious.

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 11/04/2016 21:20:38    1844467

I'd agree Gary , this rush by some to proclaim the death of Donegal is laughable, but look Kerry were deemed finished after Cork beat them in league in early 2014 by a few on here also.
Although Donegal supporters themselves do seem unhappy , but again prior to 2014 semifinal Donegal hadn't exactly set the world on fire and supporters weren't too optimistic,
Yesterday was the first time I watched Dublin against a top team and felt after 20 mins that there was no way we could lose,I felt we were too dominant in every area.
Now I don't know if that's a sign that Dublin are getting better and faster or Donegal really just didn't show up and went through the motions.
Gallagher gave the team the week off, Ran them like mad before kick off. If i didnt know better Id swear he had ulterior motives.
One thing is for sure , their fitness levels are well off , now maybe this is timed to peak for Ulster, but I find it very strange.

AthCliath (Dublin) - Posts: 4347 - 11/04/2016 21:46:21    1844480

Gallagher gave the team the week off, Ran them like mad before kick off. If i didnt know better Id swear he had ulterior motives.
One thing is for sure , their fitness levels are well off , now maybe this is timed to peak for Ulster, but I find it very strange.

AthCliath (Dublin) - Posts:4126 - 11/04/2016 21:46:21

That's the point Ath Cliath, we are totally mystified as to what Gallagher is thinking. If he is trying to get everyone to write Donegal off then he is succeeding but is in danger of over egging the pudding to the extent that his own players are affected.

There were senior players out in Croke Park on Sunday who were palpably in no fit state to be there. Why?

If the league is of no interest then why not let the young pups have the run of the place for 70 mins, it couldn't have looked any worse at least they were fit. It was as if they had no intention of having a serious go at all. Fine players like Murphy, McNiallias and others seem to have completely lost their form & confidence & I can't see what magic wand is going to be waved over the next nine weeks.

All I can say is that in 45 odd years following Donegal I have never seen anything like it.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 12/04/2016 10:11:52    1844523

I can't understand people being perplexed by Donegals loss.What's the big issue in Gallagher giving the team a week off before the game?He knew the team were going to be run ragged for 70 minutes,so keeping them fresh was worth a try.We're talking about fit men here.I would have been more worried if i heard Gallagher ran the legs off his team in the week leading up to game.
Maybe a couple of the players were overweight as muckross said.Must admit,i did not notice this myself.
I think using the Ulster championship as an excuse is silly.Eight full weeks before they play Antrim/Fermanagh.Plenty of time to recover and prepare.
Many thought Donegal would put 15 behind the ball again and cover HQ in the dreaded blanket.They didn't ; they had a go,but came up well short.
There is no big mystery here.Dublin are stronger,more mobile and have far more options all over the field.Once Dublin get on top they have the ability to squeeze the life out of the opposition and eventually their enthusiasm wanes.Could it be that Dublin are just a far better team and Donegal,while having some excellent footballers,are a long way off?

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 12/04/2016 10:47:07    1844557

Cuede,
Maybe you are right, maybe they will burst on the scene in July raring to go & laying waste all round them. It's just that they seem so far away from their best at the moment that it is hard to see it.

I am under no illusions but that Dublin & Kerry are better than Donegal, it's just that I could add a considerable number of other counties to that list at the moment & I am struggling to see a bright side to it all.

Time to get the beads out.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 12/04/2016 11:28:07    1844585

Bright,shiny beads (:

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 12/04/2016 11:36:39    1844595

Its simple Dublin and Kerry ahead of everyone. Donegal are still favourites for ulster and both Monaghan and Tyrone will struggle to beat them there.

As for later in the year, if you make it to a semi in croker you have a shot. Tyrone aren't as good as everyone thinks but It hink if we make it to croke park our young guns will be a challenger for anyone. Serious pace but still lack the forwards.

redhanddefender (Tyrone) - Posts: 913 - 12/04/2016 11:37:49    1844596

It's only natural that Donegal weren't going to be the same force when the man that built that force every step of the way suddenly departs. How many teams do you know just carry on as was after a journey like that? I'm not saying they're finished but they have definitely lost that organisation and assurance they had under McGuinness.

SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2386 - 12/04/2016 11:41:18    1844602

Reading the above post, I would say that dublin are indeed a far better team at the moment than any other team in the country, bar kerry. Kerry are nearly as good as the dubs, but still a bit off them. The big test of this will be the league final, which kerry are going for in a big way as they are not going to get a test this year at all from cork.

I would say that looking back on this decade, you will see, bar cork and donegal, a very predictable template for years and years to come. No other team will be at the races unless something freakish happens on and off the field. It is not a good thing for the game to have 2 teams cornering the market, but I am at a loss as to how this is going to change in the foreseeable future.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 12/04/2016 13:07:55    1844676

I have to agree with muckross, a few of the Donegal lads looked like they were taking full advantage of those meal deal vouchers which McDonald's regularly dole out to all and sundry, so maybe they're gearing themselves up now for the championship and will be fresh as a daisy for their first outing! I think a lot of posters on hs are being a bit premature in their obituaries of this Donegal team and I have no doubt that even though I don't think they'll win any silverware this year they'll still give Dublin,Kerry and Mayo a game should they meet later in the summer! I've never been a fan of the type of game they play but if I was a Donegal supporter I wouldn't give a s#/] what style of football they played so long as they were winning!

DUBJOHN (Dublin) - Posts: 932 - 12/04/2016 13:57:22    1844698

If it wasn't bad enough being slated for playing boring,negative,soul destroying football,now the poor mites are being accused of not being able to drive past a McDonnalds without dropoing in and saying hello to Ronald and his top-end cuisine.Below the stretching belt lads.Baloney.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 12/04/2016 14:13:40    1844709

Donegal received a lot of criticism in the past few years but people will soon realise the genius of Jim McGuinness and their tactics when nobody can get close to Dublin ( and maybe ) Kerry.

Dublin are a class act, plain and simple.

Dublin will win the next 10 Leinsters and Kerry will win the next 4/5 Munsters . And by the way - fair play to them.

TheRightStuff (Donegal) - Posts: 1688 - 12/04/2016 15:00:15    1844745

Cue do you not agree that a few of them looked like they were carrying a bit of timber? Well for this time of year anyway!

DUBJOHN (Dublin) - Posts: 932 - 12/04/2016 15:44:19    1844782

Seriously DubJohn,i watched the full game on tv,and it never crossed my mind that any Donegal lad was carrying timber.It was their eight league game and i never heard this accusation for any of the other seven games they played.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 12/04/2016 15:49:46    1844790

So because Gallagher gave the lads a full week off training they went from chiselled Donegal granite to flabby,out of shape Michellin men.Come on lads.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 12/04/2016 15:56:14    1844799

Muppets......the lot of ye!!! :)

watch this space, Donegal will be in an AI Semi Final and will get there impressively and will give any of Dublin Kerry or Mayo a right rattle.
There arent so many good teams out there that anyone could say will beat Donegal!
Donegal arent gone away ye know.....

This time last year everyone said Kerry were a busted flush after the league.......

Muck, ye might fool the great unwashed, but ye wont fool me!

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 12/04/2016 16:04:40    1844803