Donegal are playing the best football by far. They should be confident going in against Kerry. There's no history between the sides which makes it hard to pick a winner. I'd be hopeful of a win more so than confident.

Cute_Kerry_Hoor (Kerry) - Posts: 2518 - 30/07/2012 12:41:34    1233383

You are on spot on DownStar29!!!

I dont doubt the effectiveness of Donegals system, but Kerry have the forwards to kick from distance and to draw fouls. Bryan Sheehan will score about 8 points from frees. Kerry wont kick balls into a congested area and will not carry the ball into traffic, Donegal depend on this! Also Donegal have good forwards but their scoring averages are slightly false as Ulster has not been strong over the past few seasons. Declan O'Sullivan, Gooch, Galvan and Sheehan are all excellent point scorers from distance. Kerry will have their homework done. If Donegal are behind by four or five with twenty to go they'll have to come out and Kerry will just pick them off.

JayP (Dublin) - Posts: 1772 - 30/07/2012 13:00:51    1233412

Agreed jayp, and also just to add to that. They have 6 scoring forwards when they all click you cant mark them all out of it. I feel myself Kerry have a dark horse up there jumpers in James O'Donoghue he is a real find for them. He seems to be able to win ball with 3/4 lads hanging off him, has good pace and an eye for a pass....I feel he could be the one to watch out for.

DownStar29 (Down) - Posts: 172 - 30/07/2012 13:13:22    1233430

30/07/2012 12:21:33
Donegalman
County: All
Posts: 373

1233350
Should b a really good game on sunday. As too should the cork kildare game. Its funny reading all the comments from clondalkin dub etc. The reality is that Dublin will not win the all ireland this year. Despite being on the soft side of the draw (yes there is such a thing) they will most likely be meeting kerry in the final. If that is the case, it will b back to the usual trend that we have seen over the past 30 years. Take mcmenimin out of the dublin team and they are very limited indeed

Really? Well you could start by spelling his name correctly. Very immature comment, kinda shows the shows your mentality.

bluedubstar (Dublin) - Posts: 835 - 30/07/2012 13:16:16    1233432

Donegal are going to look Kerry in the eye again and we all know what happens then; Kerry melt like snow off a ditch. They haven't the bottle in the Croker games that count and that doesn't include Cork or Mayo.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9702 - 30/07/2012 13:16:19    1233433

Other Leinster teams mean nothing to me. I couldn't care less how other Leinster teams do. I'll be cheering for Galway if they meet Kilkenny In the hurling final and il be cheering for Cork against Kildare this weekend. I can't stand them and cheats from Kildare .

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 30/07/2012 13:20:30    1233439

Lockjaw
County: Donegal
Posts: 2374

1233362
dubbydave.
County: Dublin
Posts: 2597

1233316 this has to be the game of the year but i think its the end of the road now for donegal imo anyway.kerry always pull the the big out when needed and i think it will be experience that will prevail in this one,donegal definitely look stronger nd fitter from last year but there style hasnt changed and i think this will be there down fall as the championship gets harder and now they face kerry i honestly can see only a kerry victory by a point or 2.but i hope its a cracker of a game all the best to both sides anyway...

Dubbydave, how can you say that their style hasn't changed? Have you been watching a different team than me? We've scored 5-59 in 4 matches. Jeez lads try and think for yourselves instead of regurgitating the old waffle from last year...

JUST MY OPINION have you's really been tested while racking up these scores ???? let the football do the talking see what score you's get against the kerry lads and as for the style no i honestly dont think you's have you's are fitter and stronger but thats about it,it sounds easier said than done but the best way to beat donegal is go toe to toe with them and break them down in the last 15-20mins.look as i said earlier im not knocking donegal i dont think will win but definitely a work in progress..

dubbydave. (Dublin) - Posts: 3927 - 30/07/2012 13:25:30    1233455

We'll let our football do the talking on Sunday, just as we've been doing all summer!!

LetterkennyMan (Donegal) - Posts: 393 - 30/07/2012 13:33:45    1233473

Dave how dare you say anything negative about Donegal, The king pins of Ulster football I'm surprise with with you Dave .

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 30/07/2012 13:40:10    1233486

They are very beatable Letterkenny, don't give them a start and headway. Get right into them from the whistle, hit them very hard and knock them off their stride. Hassle and wind them up at every turn and believe in your forwards a bit more. They know Ulster teams get into their psyche and you are at where Tyrone, Armagh and Down were.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9702 - 30/07/2012 13:44:09    1233494

They are very beatable Letterkenny, don't give them a start and headway. Get right into them from the whistle, hit them very hard and knock them off their stride. Hassle and wind them up at every turn and believe in your forwards a bit more. They know Ulster teams get into their psyche and you are at where Tyrone, Armagh and Down were.

Ulsterman, we Down boys don't play that kind of game, we go out to play football. We have more class than that.

DownStar29 (Down) - Posts: 172 - 30/07/2012 13:52:15    1233502

DownStar29 & JayP - sorry to rain on your parade but are you talking about the same Kerry forwards that could only create 3 scores in the first 45-50 mins of last years AI final?

You boys have some faith in Kerrys scoring capabilities if you believe they will just knock all their scores over from 50 metres out! The word naive comes to mind - I doubt very much if this is Jack O'Conners game plan

Floops (Dublin) - Posts: 1623 - 30/07/2012 13:53:07    1233503

30/07/2012 13:53:07
Floops
County: Dublin
Posts: 945

1233503
DownStar29 & JayP - sorry to rain on your parade but are you talking about the same Kerry forwards that could only create 3 scores in the first 45-50 mins of last years AI final?

You boys have some faith in Kerrys scoring capabilities if you believe they will just knock all their scores over from 50 metres out! The word naive comes to mind - I doubt very much if this is Jack O'Conners game plan

Read it again, I never said a word about 50 metres out, I said they will draw the fouls from 30/40 out and they will kick frees all day long. Also agreed on last year final, but as I said I feel this new player they have found could make the difference. Either way I'm not so sure well get to find out as I feel its a Dublin v. Kerry/Kildare Final

DownStar29 (Down) - Posts: 172 - 30/07/2012 14:01:13    1233519

It's hard to call this one, i was thinking Donegal at first but the more you think about it Kerry are the boys to put this faux gaelic football in it's place .

Jock stein once said about Celtics great victory in europe " ‎. There was not a negative thought in our heads. Inter played right into our hands; it's so sad to see such gifted players shackled by a system that restricts their freedom to think and to act. Our fans would never accept that sort of sterile approach. Our objective is always to try to win with style."


I hope Gaelic football is the winner.

51longago (Mayo) - Posts: 2981 - 30/07/2012 14:08:53    1233533

DownStar29 draw fouls from 30-40 metres? Eh, 30-40 metres from Donegals goal will be like O'connell st. on St. Patricks day! Then to depend on the kindness of the ref? I think Kerry will win but if they do it this way I'll buy you a pint.

Floops (Dublin) - Posts: 1623 - 30/07/2012 14:12:44    1233545

DownStar29 draw fouls from 30-40 metres? Eh, 30-40 metres from Donegals goal will be like O'connell st. on St. Patricks day! Then to depend on the kindness of the ref? I think Kerry will win but if they do it this way I'll buy you a pint.

Exactly the kindness of "Marty Duffy" he is from what I hear the ref. Save the pint for our semi with ye :-) in Sept.

DownStar29 (Down) - Posts: 172 - 30/07/2012 14:22:42    1233573

30/07/2012 13:40:10
clondalkindub
County: Dublin
Posts: 2504

1233486 Dave how dare you say anything negative about Donegal, The king pins of Ulster football I'm surprise with with you Dave .
_________________
His comment is objective and his opinion is supported and validated by analysis and recent facts.
You on the other hand seem to prefer to label counties with one word tabloidisms without any objective analysis, presentation of facts or statistics, reason for your opinion or even any reference to recent history.
Your choice of phrase for Donegal football for e.g is to plagiarise a term used by an analyst when commenting on an entirely different team almost a decade ago. If pressed I presume you will refer to a game played last year involving two sides playing very defensive set-ups and selectively ignore the subsequent 140 minutes of championship football and yards of analysis and media commentary available on same.

In summary the difference is that his post is to stimulate debate on the relative strengths and weaknesses of the respective sides and likely outcome, whereas your oneliners are purely designed to antagonise people purely by virtue of Geography.

ruanua (Donegal) - Posts: 4966 - 30/07/2012 14:26:31    1233583

Really looking forward to Sunday. Minor game at 12, relax and enjoy. Cork v Kildare at 2pm. Nice to get a look at Cork in a physical encounter. I reckon they'll have a little too much for Kildare but Kildare seem to be going through the gears at the minute. Then 4pm for what I hope is the game of the weekend. Seems to be a lot of sentiment floating around about this Kerry team. I hear they've a few handy players. Be nice to get a look at them. :-)

DLGael (Donegal) - Posts: 111 - 30/07/2012 14:40:04    1233617

51longago
County: Mayo
Posts: 1754

1233533 It's hard to call this one, i was thinking Donegal at first but the more you think about it Kerry are the boys to put this faux gaelic football in it's place .

Jock stein once said about Celtics great victory in europe " ‎. There was not a negative thought in our heads. Inter played right into our hands; it's so sad to see such gifted players shackled by a system that restricts their freedom to think and to act. Our fans would never accept that sort of sterile approach. Our objective is always to try to win with style."


I hope Gaelic football is the winner.

Are you serious? Have you actually watched Mayo playing under James Horan? Hardly the equivalent of the 1970 Brazil World Cup team in fairness!

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9133 - 30/07/2012 14:41:12    1233619

What's all the interest in Donegal taking on a written off team from Munster? The All-Ireland champions are playing on Saturday evening, surely that's the game that should be receiving all the focus?

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7842 - 30/07/2012 14:50:22    1233633