Mayo will probably start 4 - 5 point favorites for this game but the last 20 mins this evening was vintage Donegal with McFadden back to his best & Murphy on fire.

If Mayo stay true to their pure footballing philosophy the I would give Donegal a real chance in this game.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 01/08/2015 21:49:39    1762218

A real mixed bag from Donegal yesterday but it was McFadden's best game since 2012. And Murphy has probably shown that he needs to be thrown in on the square a lot more! There'll be goals in this game and it's very hard to call!

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5012 - 02/08/2015 09:13:09    1762235

Really good finish from the lads today and I'm delighted with such a comprehensive winning tally. Still feel that the single week turnaround to play Mayo just isn't sufficient to muster a huge performance which is definitely needed to beat the green and red. Also feel that Mayo are a much fresher team in terms of having played a few games less against poorer opposition. Mayo will come into this like they did in 2013, of that I have no doubt. The question is how we will be that day, a bit flat or totally ready? My feeling is Mayo by 6-8 points.

Donegal_abroad (Donegal) - Posts: 1321 - 02/08/2015 09:41:44    1762245

Never had a doubt that Donegal would beat Galway

The analysis that O'Rourke / Spillane gace regarding Donegal after the Ulster final was ridiculous

The Galway game will rejuvenate Donegal

The real stuff starts now and if Donegal find a performance against Mayo

They will be very hard beat... Their style is tailor made for Donegal

Mayo need to look at what Kerry did..

If they don't I can see Donegal causing them huge problems

Well done to Donegal... It was truly laughable the way you were being written off

You must be enjoying this underdog tag... :)

Best of luck...

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20600 - 02/08/2015 09:54:59    1762256

I still haven't heard what pundits backed Galway? Loads of people online giving out about the so called experts backing Galway but who did? I expected Donegal to win comfortably and they did. Still hard to know where they are at but we have no full back and unless we can plug that hole we could be in for a tough afternoon. If we do hold up at the back and get our running game going, we could do serious damage up the middle. It is hard to know what will happen but I am going for Mayo, not biased at all ha?!

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 7891 - 02/08/2015 10:25:15    1762267

MuckrossHead
County: Donegal
Posts: 3632

1762218
Mayo will probably start 4 - 5 point favorites for this game but the last 20 mins this evening was vintage Donegal with McFadden back to his best & Murphy on fire.

If Mayo stay true to their pure footballing philosophy the I would give Donegal a real chance in this game.

If ye play the way ye did for 15 mins either side of half time against a Galway team that was scared to play football Mayo's "pure footballing philosophy" will do what it did in 2013... Can't see Donegal being that inaccurate again though.

roundball (Tipperary) - Posts: 2514 - 02/08/2015 10:42:07    1762280

We are nowhere near as good as we once were. I can't see past Mayo , I think they'll over power us and win by 7-8.

TheRightStuff (Donegal) - Posts: 1688 - 02/08/2015 11:01:28    1762288

Boylesports have mayo at 8/11 and us at 11/8. It is a close call by the bookies and that is fair enough. I dont like using underdog tags going into games, or this under the radar craic. It should be an honest contest, and will not be for the faint hear-ted. I hope that it will be a good game, and am looking forward to it. #one thing that we are going to have to do is to start using more of the long ball, to save our legs. The running game is too static, when galway regrouped we had nothing to offer.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 02/08/2015 11:32:21    1762301

This is going to be another tough game ----- for both teams providing one or the other are not a bit flat on the day.
We could have a mighty game if both teams are really on their game. But you never know in these type of games who will perform and who won't.
Still think we are solid at the back , again just concedes 0-11 and Galway only get four in the second half so we have conceded 1-9 0-8 0-10 0-11 and 0-11 and if we can keep it up we will be there about on next Sat night
I would have my doubts about some of the Mayo forwards, their main threats are COC and AOS Now I thought in a few big games over the last four years some of the Mayo forwards did not perform when needed so keeping the above mentioned two quite is a must for the Donegal back line
So to me it will again depend if Mayo struggle against the blanket and how the Mayo defence cope with Murphy and co. Donegal can win but so can Mayo so very hard to forecast

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 02/08/2015 11:41:04    1762306

I would make Mayo slight favourites entering this game, purely as they have 3 weeks to prepare and might be a little fresher. They also don't lose too many All Ireland QF's.

I genuinely feel the sky is the limit for the winner of this game, with both these sides as capable of any other of winning the All Ireland.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 02/08/2015 11:46:32    1762311

The most difficult 1/4 final to call. I really can't call it but being biased think we may shade it provided we tighten up at the back and possibly play a sweeper. Mayo's gung ho all out attack will not gwt us Sam as Kerry and Dublin have shown you need to adjust to who you are playing. We struggle against blanket defense. How Aiden O Se is handled will be fascinating....it might free up space for other forwards who knows. Galway seemed to get alot of space at times yesterday. Our full back line against Murphy and McFadden have collapsed before so hopefully won't happen again....could be a high scoring game.
I think we need a defensive plan we have not seen before.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11230 - 02/08/2015 11:58:14    1762324

Donegal have played a lot of hard games while Mayo barely broke sweat, Donegal will be confident going into this game and I'd expect to see a Donegal victory

riverboys (Mayo) - Posts: 1389 - 02/08/2015 12:12:45    1762334

There's no doubt about it

Donegal found form when they needed to find it

That shows a great deal about them

Mayo are a fine side but they might just be facing Donegal on an upward curve

Donegal need to send long ball into Murphy

He'll cause havoc in there... And have PMcB feeding off that havoc

AOS will struggle in FF against Donegal.. All rosey against the likes of Sligo, a man mountain...

You can forget that against Donegal

Again though Mayo are a fine side... But there's those on the Donegal panel that would want to put 2013 to bed

They might just do that...

I wouldn't be giving Donegal much of an underdog tag this time around...

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20600 - 02/08/2015 13:02:15    1762365

riverboys
County: Mayo
Posts: 416

1762334
Donegal have played a lot of hard games while Mayo barely broke sweat, Donegal will be confident going into this game and I'd expect to see a Donegal victory

I think Mayo's freshness will be a massive plus for them entering this, and they are certainly scoring more freely than Donegal. This will be a difficult challenge for Donegal, considering they have 7 days to prepare for a team of Mayo's calibre.

In recent years, the Provincial Champions have consistently progressed to the All Ireland Semi final ( Except Monaghan 2013 ). In order to upset this trend, Donegal will need to find a complete performance for 70 mins, anything less would see Mayo run out very comfortable winners.

I think the winner of this game will go to the All Ireland final and would be my favourites for Sam, as this will be a superb battle and test to prime them for the Semi final.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 02/08/2015 13:31:56    1762375

There is a lot of talk about being battle hardened etc, this is all very well but if your players are limping off the field and have to do it again a week later then you are hardly in a strong position. I would hope we are in good shape today and that no one is injured. I believe that Eamonn McGee is definitely touch and go for the next day out. We will be hoping to take most of our chances, and that mayo leave their shooting boots in castlebar to have a good chance. If Mayo click, they are the hardest team in the country to stay with, provided it isnt the final that is.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 02/08/2015 13:51:46    1762385

1 of only 2 games that I've looked forward to watching this year

Hard to call...

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20600 - 02/08/2015 19:41:21    1762698

Really lookin forward to this one, with the household divided it adds to the days crack. A few pints before hand and then let the battle commence, is it Saturday yet!!!!!

Always_Mayo (Mayo) - Posts: 29 - 02/08/2015 20:15:35    1762730

Against Mayo - Donegal can afford to leave three players up - Murphy, McBrearty (if fit) and H McFadden. If those boys can get good ball then we'll win.

squareball_1988 (Donegal) - Posts: 343 - 03/08/2015 11:16:20    1762936

Donegal's fitness has to come into question here... Mayo will try to get that running game going, and there might be tired legs in Donegal with only a 1 week break and a lot of mileage on the clock.
How to deal with AoS will be key, a double sweeper for me, but I'd be interested to see what the consensus is. And if it is a double sweeper, does CoC have a big day?
That said, the Mayo full-back line leaves a lot to be desired and McBrearty, Murphy and co could have a field day!

COYBIB93 (Dublin) - Posts: 2 - 03/08/2015 12:44:57    1763015

Beauty v The Beast such a massive game and the momentum for whoever wins will be huge I see The Beast winning cause I can't see Aidan O Shea doing what he did to Sligo to McGee it's just not going to happen.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 03/08/2015 13:45:07    1763066