I say Jim McGuinness cant believe his luck, after a hangover year last year Donegal, are refreshed, Ulster champions again and looking as good as ever yet nobody is mentioning them as contenders. Surely they fancy their chances of going all the way. If Donegal do meet Dublin I actually fancy Donegal, just due to the way they set up! In 2012 Donegal suprised a strong Cork team in the semis because Cork kept trying to run up through the middle and kept getting swallowed up by the Donegal defence. I can see the same happening to Dublin this year if the two meet. Time will tell.

as_ky (Kerry) - Posts: 535 - 27/07/2014 21:53:04    1626924

They were 20/1 a few weeks back & the MuckrossHead millions are now "resting" in a Paddy Power account.

Who knows what the next few weeks will bring us. Dublin are favourites & rightly so. They are a fabulous team & if Donegal don't win it I hope they do.

However Donegal are in with a chance & I even sense a trace of nervousness among some of the more belicose on seeing the big yellow bus in the distance.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 28/07/2014 09:02:31    1626958

Same here Muck, got stuck into them at 20/1, won't be spending the money just yet though as there is a seriously long way to go yet, but they are shaping up well no doubt and I'm starting to get the feelings I got in 2012 at this juncture.......

ben1977 (Donegal) - Posts: 364 - 28/07/2014 11:03:41    1627078

Yep, nailed on :)

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13650 - 28/07/2014 11:05:17    1627084

MuckrossHead
County: Donegal
Posts: 2942


However Donegal are in with a chance & I even sense a trace of nervousness among some of the more belicose on seeing the big yellow bus in the distance

Don't mention the war.

decky (Roscommon) - Posts: 384 - 28/07/2014 11:18:27    1627103

Dead cert... put your shirt on it..

Donegal will fly past Armagh/Meath, crush the Dubs/Monaghan and batter Mayo/Cork/Kerry...

Physical power and ultra defensive strategy to prevail..

Jimmy's winning matches, Jimmy's winning SAM.... :o)

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 3724 - 28/07/2014 11:19:59    1627107

Decky, Roscommon.

the big yellow bus in the distance

Don't mention the war.

Nice one. Some Rossie bus it has to be said though.. Fair play to ye... :o)

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 3724 - 28/07/2014 11:25:29    1627112

There will be green and gold ribbons on Sam when the final whistle is blown on the 3rd weekend in Sept.
Whether they are for Kerry or Donegal remains to be seen! ;)

GAAHattrick (Dublin) - Posts: 278 - 28/07/2014 11:38:38    1627132

The team I've been most impressed with thus far. I remember going up to Clones in 2012 to see them beat Tyrone and leaving that day I knew I'd seen that year's All-Ireland Champs. Called it on here too.

Now this year I'm yet to see them in the flesh but it is looking likely again. If they come through Dublin, likely semi-final opponent, then nothing on the other side of the draw can beat in full flow imo.

The Dubs might stop Jimmy's Big Yellow Machine but no one else will.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13704 - 28/07/2014 11:56:46    1627144

Dont score enough to beat the dubs. Barely create any goal chances in tight games. The only way you have a chance to beat Dublin is to score 5 goals IMO. The defensive system is great against teams with 1 or 2 scoring forwards. It has no chance against a team like Dublin with 8 or 9 scoring forwards.

realman2 (Kildare) - Posts: 464 - 28/07/2014 12:02:03    1627149

Kerry have the easy run again this year and will make the final of course.

SLLY (Dublin) - Posts: 463 - 28/07/2014 12:08:47    1627155

Cannot for the life of me understand this overwhelming fear of Donegal. The won an ulster final against a monaghan team with maybe two decent forwards. They should have conceded a penalty and their goalkeeper should have been sent off in the same incident. The game was still in the melting pot in the last few minutes but monaghan should no initiative or cuteness. Yes Donegal deserve respect as all-ireland winners in 2012 and with a game plan that is to stifle teams. I am still not even convinced that the winners of meath and armagh wouldn't beat them. They are not going to annihilate meath like Dublin did because I know for a fact that the royals and armagh would not fear them. Dublin and them would be a huge contrast in styles and that is what makes gaelic football. Don't forget that Dublin got through it in 2011 by 8 points to 6 points. Are Donegal improved since then as a defensive unit and are Dublin improved as an offensive unit. The answer these two questions will decide the game and I firmly believe if they meet that dublin will once again get through it. There is a huge amount of ball to be played over the next two weekends and who knows if this game will even happen. I admire Donegal for their achievements but as a football supporter and a Dublin fan I really don't want to see them win the al-ireland again as their style id horrible but if they do what can you say but congratulate them.

Adamski (Dublin) - Posts: 339 - 28/07/2014 12:09:18    1627156

Fionn
County: Dublin
Posts: 1715


Nice one. Some Rossie bus it has to be said though.. Fair play to ye... :o)

To be fair its a good job all right. Can't understand all the hoo-ha about it, begrudgery is rife, and that's inside the county!

On-topic, like everyone else seems to be, I'm really hoping Donegal and Dublin meet to see how it goes. Reckon the winner of that would have one hand on Sam!

decky (Roscommon) - Posts: 384 - 28/07/2014 12:13:10    1627164

Donegal have a fair chance but I fail to see why this thread is started (by a Kerry man) and I think this thread regarding Kerry would be more appropriate. They are clearly motoring well and excelling without their big injured player. Donegal to be fair did well to win Ulster, huge result against Derry and it was all about the result that day, Antrim easily accounted for expectedly and again a huge result against a tough Monaghan team. We played well fair enough but we are not at our peak yet and maybe that's a good thing. Not all our players are firing on all cylinders and I feel our full forward line aren't guaranteed to have their say like they normally would. We rely on being clinical from less scoring opportunities! As I say, things are lining up nicely but we still need a few things to fall into place and there's no guarantee they will. No one should be written off yet!

81DLSAM (Donegal) - Posts: 281 - 28/07/2014 12:15:35    1627169

Donegal v Monaghan semi final

shaggylegend (Monaghan) - Posts: 1928 - 28/07/2014 12:16:14    1627170

When you see these threads popping up, you know the Kerry lads are starting to fancy their chances

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 28/07/2014 12:19:09    1627176

The reason I fancy donegal is because they can stick to their game plan but dublin will have to alter theirs!

as_ky (Kerry) - Posts: 535 - 28/07/2014 12:24:37    1627182

The Master, I meant to say that about Kerry. Their confidence is starting to get very high as they obviously fancy their chances to deal with their quarter and semi final opponents on that side of the draw. I think if mayo get over cork that it is time for them to bury the kerry hoodoo. Would be some all-ireland for you to win, beating cork, kerry and dublin. Hope it doesn't happen but you never know maybe that is the way the gods have set it up after all the years of hurt. Still think it will be a repeat of last year's final with a bit of luck.

Adamski (Dublin) - Posts: 339 - 28/07/2014 12:34:05    1627188

81DLSAM
County: Donegal
Posts: 261

1627169
Donegal have a fair chance but I fail to see why this thread is started (by a Kerry man).

81 my old friend, we are dealing with levels of cute hoorism here that us simple Donegal folk cannot begin to comprehend.

As birds fly in the air & fish swim in the sea, cute hoorism in second nature to Kerry men.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 28/07/2014 12:36:16    1627191

They aren't as good as they were in 2012

Ulster quality has to be really examined...

Monaghan caused them trouble with 2 scoring forwards - only a score in it at the end and Monaghan had their chances

Much easier to play a defensive system on tighter pitches

The open spaces in Croke Park against better forwards will be Donegal's true test

Yet they are still perfectly capable of beating anyone

A serious outfit.

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20600 - 28/07/2014 12:54:51    1627221