Well, what are peoples thoughts on the Dublin v Donegal semi final?

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 07/08/2011 11:30:35    1005443

Going to be a fascinating game.

Two different styles. All the pressure on Dublin, Donegal nothing to lose, and for the first time since 1992 Donegal are playing as a team and the camp seems happy , none of their usual messing.

Tight tight tight, point or two either way but the type of ball Dublin were playing last night (long, fast and to the corners) is the way around Donegal. Can we produce twice in a row??

Donegal will be dogged and come with a huge belief.

Will be a great test for us, and if we are to go on and win and All-Ireland then its winning out in matches like this that will help us.

Heart says Dubs. Head says toss a coin. Stomach says its going to be nerve racking!!!!

witnof (Dublin) - Posts: 1604 - 07/08/2011 14:34:19    1005609

The Dublin Juggernaut now at full steam, playing a brand of football that has the purists and traditionalists salivating. A team that has now clearly buried the perceived soft spots.
Can't close out the game, Can't beat teams outside Leinster, One Man Forward line. All of these myths well and truly dispelled last night.

Their opponents Donegal - The "Wimbledon" of Gaelic Football, playing a brand of football that not even their own mothers could like. A one trick pony outfit that should have had their season ended if it were not for the square glasses of Davin end Officialdom. 30 Counties on this island want a Dublin V Kerry final and its against this tide of opinion that Donegal will be heading down the N2 in Late August.

History has the sides at 1/1/1, a win each and a draw. A league final victory for Dublin in 1993, and a big win in the most recent clash (2002 championship) giving them the edge on the stats board.

Player v Player - Donegal star man Lacey will possibly mark Alan Brogan, Next keyman in defence is McGee who before last night would have marked Bernard but now will more than likely play on Connolly - which leaves Donegal limited Frank MCGlynn against the additional threat from B Brogan, and then donegal start running thin if O Gara is fit. Donegal have been effective in keeping teams outside the 40 but have not played against anything as fast and accurate as we saw from Dublin last night. In addition Dublin and Connolly in particular showed last night that kicking points over the blanket from 40 yards doesn't seem to be a concern. What Donegal may do that Tyrone did not is ensure that someone is there to Clean up any broken ball that comes in long. Mchugh maybe sitting in front of the back three.

Donegal don't have a midfield and Dublin steamrolled Hughes and Cavangh last night
so Dublin will have lots of possession from kickouts.

Up front Murphy is obviously the key man for Donegal - He is the only forward that scores consistently - O Carroll got man of the match on Murphy in the U-21 final last year and it will be certain that that is what the match up will be even if Murphy roams.
McFadden does not have the pace for a fit Dublin back line on a dry August day. It will be a big ask for young McBrearty to keep a cool head in the Cauldron that will be a Packed hill against the dubs. Outside of that Donegal don't have heavy scoring forwards.

In summary Dublin will dominate midfield and will have huge amounts of possession
Whilst the Donegal defence will be much tighter than last night - The quality of ball and ability to kick long points from at least three forwards should be enough to put up a reasonable score. If Carroll keep Murphy quiet can't see where Donegal can score enough to stay in touch.

ruanua (Donegal) - Posts: 4966 - 07/08/2011 15:11:44    1005638

If you play like u did last night the dubs will be in the final.best all round team performance this year.Hopefully not get carried away or over hyped keep a lid on it and i think it could be your year.You should have beatn cork in the semi last year so you are a year wiser and hugrier.

93vintageyear (Derry) - Posts: 301 - 07/08/2011 15:41:25    1005659

I feel the Dubs will edge it but there is no way in hell they're getting the space they got yesterday. Never mind the blanket defence, our defenders will be a lot closer to their men then the likes of McMahon were yesterday, I couldn't believe how much space Connolly and Brogan were getting (obviously their movement and the supply to them was a factor as well).

I think Dublin will have a lot of possession and will execute better than any side we've faced this year, and so will win the match. It will be tight though.

JoeSoap (Donegal) - Posts: 1432 - 07/08/2011 15:56:22    1005666

i wonder what price you would get on bernard brogan not scoring from play? dublin were decent last night but as i hav said, tyrone are no great shapes, and dublin have not beaten any decent team in a decade. i think dublin will lose the plot, donegal will foul 55 yards out, dublin will pump the ball in, it will come straight back out and after 50-60 mins the dubs will lose the plot and i think at least two dubs will get the line with frustration and donegal will pull away, we will then have dubs complaining onhere for the next few weeks about injustice, puke football etc. but everyone knows exactly what donegal are going to do, how dublin react is key. i would like to see dublin in a final as kerry or mayo would run out comfortable winners

liathroidboy (Mayo) - Posts: 4921 - 07/08/2011 16:12:55    1005671

dublin are on amission while donegal are sort of on a little adventure , it was never their plan to win the all ireland while from day 1 of this year all the dublin lads have had in their mind is the all ireland , they will be hard to break down though but i would be far more worried about playing kildare

haz (Dublin) - Posts: 213 - 07/08/2011 16:32:08    1005684

Haha I love them two Mayo fellas 51 and lathroid very funny guys. Dublin by ten donegal have no chance

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 07/08/2011 16:41:16    1005692

At this stage with the game not until the 28th i would say Dublin.... However....

Dublin must stay focused and not get carried away with last night... On reflection Tyrone were very poor so Dublin need to keep that in perspective.

Dublin have some really good footballers that are good on the ball i was mighty impressed last night, But they are still young and what they dont need is the hype machine to go into overdrive but thats beyond there control so the management team around them should ensure that nobody gets too carried away...

Donegal have a system that is effective but i dont think they get enough scores to beat Dublin and that will be the difference.

The one thing in Donegal's favour is that this group of players have never been here before and might not get back again look at Down last year and then this year... Donegal players might know that this is there only shot a all-ireland so you never know...

westkerry (Kerry) - Posts: 1250 - 07/08/2011 16:45:14    1005698

I`m confident the dubs will win. I was at the tyrone match and I was really impressed with the preformence. Alan brogan looks like he could be in for a all star he played great yesterday and connely played his game of the championship. Burnard after having an ok start to his championship he played great when we needed him to .The dubs are serios contenders for sam its likely we could meet kerry if we beat donegal but I wouldnt be surprised if it was mayo

haz (Dublin) - Posts: 213 - 07/08/2011 17:03:00    1005713

If Dublin carry that form into the game, I would suggest they win. Brogan/Connelly were awesome last night - although, they did have the freedom on the park which you know they won't get from Donegal, however - Their scores, from distance in particular with left/right boot means they are a serious threat to the type of game that Donegal play.

Donegal cannot be written off, and they'll be more than happy to take the underdog mantle, but they'll be extremely hard to beat.

Its pretty hard to say who'll win without sounding biased or whatever coming from Tyrone, I don't really follow the county team though but I believe Dublin will win. For the simple reason that I thought Kildare would beat Donegal, and had they a forward like either of the Brogans/Connelly they would have. Donegal are essentially a low scoring high defensive team, I think they average something like 14 points (bar hitting two goals against Cavan) a game thus far this year, going to extra time with Kildare will have boosted that but I think that Dublin can outscore them and thats why I go for them. But I'm making that assumption on the basis that those forwards carry that form forward - If it was next week I'd put money on Dublin no problem, but its not and Donegal have nothing to lose. Its a coin toss. Think you'll get great odds on Donegal though from the bookies for those interested in that.

GetOverTheBar (Tyrone) - Posts: 1388 - 07/08/2011 17:08:56    1005719

dublin will be hyped up and over confident and alot of pressure on them which will give donegal a chance as no one is expecting anything from them so donegal mite scrape it

james062 (Tipperary) - Posts: 9 - 07/08/2011 17:35:02    1005742

james062
County: Tipperary
Posts: 5

1005742 dublin will be hyped up and over confident and alot of pressure on them which will give donegal a chance as no one is expecting anything from them so donegal mite scrape it

_________________________--

Donegal might scrape it. Dublin might scrape it ........ we won't know til the 28th but for the moment we are enjoying our win over Tyrone. On paper we should beat Donegal but in 70 minutes anything can happen. The media might "hype" up the Dubs but Gilroy will keep them firmly grounded.

Dubstar (Dublin) - Posts: 48 - 07/08/2011 17:47:31    1005755

Donegal all the way :)

Thats what my hearts says anyway... but it's gonna be a very good game I think. No way the dubs will get as much space as they got lastnight against us.... but they have good defenders too so we wont get much space either. all I know is its gonna be exciting stuff

up_donegal (Donegal) - Posts: 659 - 07/08/2011 17:51:32    1005763

ha ha this is so funny- getting totally ahead of yourselves yet again, this makes me a rich man every year laying the dubs :)

dublin players keeping their heads, that is laughable they will be running to the media now like every summer and it will all end in tears- thats waht the dubs and their supporters are for- laughing at :D

liathroidboy (Mayo) - Posts: 4921 - 07/08/2011 17:54:35    1005768

God almighty people are really obsessed with the Dubs and 'hype'.

Coylers Elbow (Meath) - Posts: 1075 - 07/08/2011 18:02:31    1005778

liathroidboy
County: Mayo
Posts: 4097

1005768
ha ha this is so funny- getting totally ahead of yourselves yet again

Getting ahead of ourselves talking about a game that is definitely going to happen.

Laughable as always man!

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13704 - 07/08/2011 18:07:51    1005787

Dublin peaked last night , downhill from here on in . Dont have the bottle to get to the final ! .. Donegals negative style will prove too much for them

healy96 (Westmeath) - Posts: 177 - 07/08/2011 18:24:06    1005806

Dublin all day long for me. Just don't know where Donegal will get the scores from, Dublin's forwards are a class above. Both teams play blanket defence, but Dublin can break out much quicker by virtue of the quality long passing into the Brogans and Connolly, where as with Donegal it's more of a running game and a more laborious attack - they'll get few scores against the Dubs. Dublin won't beat them by much, but they will beat them.

artisan (Down) - Posts: 1794 - 07/08/2011 18:25:20    1005808

I cee a Donegal win, Dublin wont score 0-22 against Donegal. Kildare were a high scoring team and only scored 12 points in 90 minutes. The bookies likely will go for an easy dublin win but probably a few points either way and likely to Donegal.

tullyframerover (Down) - Posts: 276 - 07/08/2011 18:31:31    1005814