Looking forward to this one, should be another cracker, with great intensity. Hopefully we (Monaghan) can come through & get to a 4th consecutive final.

Monaghan Exile (Monaghan) - Posts: 442 - 20/06/2016 17:25:14    1869810

I agree, it could be a great game. But our last 2 championship games have been poor. I am not sure donegal or monaghan bring out the best in each other, and both days were perfect for football. If we can get our mid field sorted out for the game we have a chance.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 20/06/2016 17:43:45    1869820

Monaghan will be entering this game as favourites, with Donegal missing Neil McGee and seemingly struggling with their own kick-outs. While Monaghan have so far shown exceptional accuracy in kick-out's, and in shot/score success so far, which statistically puts them in the driving seat entering this game. Monaghan playing for a place in their 4th Ulster final in a row, while Donegal playing for a place in their 6th Ulster final in a row.

These games don't tend to provide goal opportunities, but have watched both sides this year and their increased attacking focus, I think we will see a goal or two in this game. Overall it should still be another war of attrition, both sides have the quality to win this game.

After watching Cavan v Tyrone yesterday, I don't think either of those teams are as efficient as Monaghan or Donegal, and the winner of this game will be my favourite to win Ulster.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 20/06/2016 17:51:25    1869824

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 20/06/2016 19:59:26    1869885

Extremely annoyed it's only on Sky..... Same as the Mayo vs Galway game. I personally don't have Sky and you can't watch it on gaa go because I'm from the North....I would actually pay the 10 euro to watch it!!!!

Think Donegal will win. McGee will be a lose but I think the younger players like McHugh and Oran MacN will play a big part. Also Murphy and Gallagher will be closer to full fitness. Will be tight though.

The_Fridge (Tyrone) - Posts: 2088 - 20/06/2016 20:19:28    1869891

If memory serves me right I think that there was just the one goal scored in our last three meetings and that was in 2014 when Monaghan got the goal. I am almost sure we scored no goal against them in those three finals (13/14/15)
Now most people think it will be similar sort of game as to the ones past but it might not work that way. Could we have one team winning easily?? I doubt it but sport can be funny.
I hope Donegal win so I can have my trip back home for the final.
But I expect Monaghan to be a tough nut to crack and Donegal will have to be on top of thei r game to come out on top.
Also my condolences to the family of the Tyrone supporter killed yesterday going to the game. RIP
so safe journey to all Donegal/Monaghan fans next Sat night

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 20/06/2016 20:41:27    1869898

This is a hard game to call and I can't see there being much of a winning margin. The main worries for Donegal is a lack of discipline and kick outs. I hope Donegal will push up on Monaghan as I feel that is our best chance of winning. Hopefully Neil Gallagher will be on te bench for this game.

Green_Gold (Donegal) - Posts: 1874 - 20/06/2016 20:56:26    1869907

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 20/06/2016 20:56:42    1869908

Monaghan Exile (Monaghan) - Posts: 442 - 20/06/2016 22:17:35    1869951

Should be a tight, tough game but I think Monaghan will shade it. It will be interesting to see what tactics Monaghan will adopt. Fermanagh put two high balls in on top of Quigley, one led to a penalty the other to a 14m free. I wouldn't be surprised to see some high balls being tossed into the square, from out the field as the full forward is a very good fielder and of course McManus is very sharp on the breaking ball. Don't know if Donegal have a big defender to replace Neil McGee.

neverright (Roscommon) - Posts: 1648 - 20/06/2016 23:23:59    1869982

Time for Rory Gallagher to deliver on Saturday.

Monaghan got the better of us last year and once you lose an Ulster Final, with the imbalance and unfairness inherent in the fixture scheduling and championship format overall... you're pretty much finished for the season. So we we plenty of incentive to get one over on them. We have been the two big teams in the north these past 4 years and something has to give this weekend.

Monaghan are clear favourites for me. I say it not out of cute hoorism or anything like that. Calling it that way simply on what I have seen. Donegal lack discipline which is a reflection of what's coming from the top-down. Under McGuinness, we never choked up soft frees on the scale we do now. Our tackling in key scoring areas is naive and hasty and if we give McManus frees, he will kick those all day long.

Additionally, I think we lack structure in defence on the level we had before. There are loads of bodies back, but runners are not being tracked satisfactorily, and man-marking and 'doubling up' isn't as effective.

In attack, as others have remarked before, we look smart and dynamic at times and at other times we play laterally and don't transition into scoring positions quickly enough.

I wonder about Murphy's fitness. and Neil Gallagher's. No Neil McGee is a big miss.

Was 13 days enough to prepare for this game? We will see.

Monaghan had a huge variety of scorers against Down. They are solving their former over-reliance on Conor McManus. They have a manager who I feel executes Monaghan's game-plan in such a way that their strengths are to the absolute fore. I'm not so sure I can say the same, from what I've seen so far, of Gallagher's regime.

I just feel there are too many issues to point towards a Donegal victory. I would absolutely love to be wrong. What's annoying is that I think Donegal should be at a better level but I feel they're not being geared sufficiently. For me, it will be a Monaghan win by 3/4 points.

Donegal_abroad (Donegal) - Posts: 1321 - 21/06/2016 08:45:27    1870011

Tyrone v monaghan last year in croke park .I will leave rest up to you to figure out if Tyrone are not good enough
Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts:14828 - 20/06/2016 19:59:26 1

It isn't a question of whether or not Tyrone are good enough, as most people can agree that they are good enough. But Last year was last year, and teams move on and work on their mistakes. Monaghan have shown desire to succeed as past few years, and I can already see this year that they have been working on their mistakes from last summer.

Tyrone's movement both on and off the ball yesterday was nowhere near as good as what we have seen from Monaghan and Donegal so far, they constantly ran into the Cavan tackle, and their off the ball movement was lacklustre. When a Tyrone players was in possession and moving forward, I constantly noticed the positioning of his support runners was way off, and I was surprised by this. Even in poor conditions, I would have expected player positioning to be better.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 21/06/2016 09:07:03    1870016

Neil will be a big loss for sure. I'm open to correction on this but I don't think Donegal have started a Championship match without him for the guts of a decade. His presence and organisational skills are vital to us at the back, especially with a new goalkeeper as well. It remains to be seen who picks up McManus but hopefully there is a contingency plan in place. Kieran Hughes is another man who'll need close watching. He was very good against Down and has also troubled us in the past, most notably in the 2013 final.

We'll need to squeeze up on Monaghan I feel and take our chances with winning kickouts out around the middle. Monaghan have shown in the past that they have the patience to build slowly from the back against us, passing laterally up the field until they reach half way or just beyond. Then it's usually an accurate cross field pass to yield a bit of room to a raiding wing back/forward and an equally accurate shot at the posts. If we sit back and allow them the same opportunities this weekend then I think Monaghan will have the experience and confidence to do a number on us again.

Vinny Corey has done a great job shackling Murphy in the past, and I think if we continue playing Murphy out the field this Saturday then we could see the same. I mentioned on the Donegal forum that I think it's time Rory put the cat among the pigeons a wee bit and stationed Murphy at the edge of the square for the majority of this game. It would force Monaghan into a rethink and undoubtedly increase our goal scoring threat, which could the key to the winning this game for us. Our point scoring tallies in tight games have reduced somewhat in recent years, and we now rely on taking goals to win games.

I'll give us a hesitant nod to win this 2-9 - 0-13

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9136 - 21/06/2016 09:55:24    1870031

No doubt, Mansy & the Hughes Bros are top players for Monaghan, but watch out for Karl O'Connell, in my book , not alone is he possibly the "fastest" player in the country, but his improvement in the last 18 months has been massive for us.

Any definite word on Neil Gallagher? ..... Now that along with Neil Magee would be a big blow for Donegal. Even still, it will be a tight game.

Monaghan Exile (Monaghan) - Posts: 442 - 21/06/2016 11:46:10    1870098

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9136 - 21/06/2016 12:04:52    1870114

If Neil Gallagher plays fit then Donegal should win. Monaghan have progressed but still have no replacement for Eoin Lennon, who always had the measure of Gallagher. The Latton man controlled the middle in the 2013 final. He was missing in 2014 and Gallagher cleaned them out. Lennon was back for 2015 and Monaghan were flying until he was substituted.
Murphy doesn't look fit or interested this year. Maybe the chance to finally shake off Corey will get him going.

MadgeKing (Cavan) - Posts: 493 - 21/06/2016 12:31:08    1870139

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2404 - 21/06/2016 13:17:35    1870175

Tyrone v monaghan last year in croke park .I will leave rest up to you to figure out if Tyrone are not good enough
Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - 20/06/2016 19:59:26

Ah I think there is very little between ourselves, Donegal, Tyrone and Cavan at the moment. The triangle of Monaghan/Tyrone/Donegal is interesting though. Its a mental block that seems to stand in our way v Tyrone, same Donegal v Monaghan and Tyrone v Donegal.

One thing we can still say is our championship still looks to be in good health after an initial scare.

I think we are looking at another very tight game on Saturday. 3 points max margin and I cannot call it....tempted to say draw!

seanfinn (Monaghan) - Posts: 360 - 21/06/2016 13:21:44    1870178

Neil will be a big loss for sure. I'm open to correction on this but I don't think Donegal have started a Championship match without him for the guts of a decade. His presence and organisational skills are vital to us at the back, especially with a new goalkeeper as well. It remains to be seen who picks up McManus but hopefully there is a contingency plan in place. Kieran Hughes is another man who'll need close watching. He was very good against Down and has also troubled us in the past, most notably in the 2013 final.

We'll need to squeeze up on Monaghan I feel and take our chances with winning kickouts out around the middle. Monaghan have shown in the past that they have the patience to build slowly from the back against us, passing laterally up the field until they reach half way or just beyond. Then it's usually an accurate cross field pass to yield a bit of room to a raiding wing back/forward and an equally accurate shot at the posts. If we sit back and allow them the same opportunities this weekend then I think Monaghan will have the experience and confidence to do a number on us again.

Vinny Corey has done a great job shackling Murphy in the past, and I think if we continue playing Murphy out the field this Saturday then we could see the same. I mentioned on the Donegal forum that I think it's time Rory put the cat among the pigeons a wee bit and stationed Murphy at the edge of the square for the majority of this game. It would force Monaghan into a rethink and undoubtedly increase our goal scoring threat, which could the key to the winning this game for us. Our point scoring tallies in tight games have reduced somewhat in recent years, and we now rely on taking goals to win games.

I'll give us a hesitant nod to win this 2-9 - 0-13

Lockjaw (Donegal)

Would't argue with any of this except the scoreline, would be disappointed and surprised if we concede two goals (especially if Murphy is out the field). I expect McManus will score 8 or 9 points (including frees), Beggan a couple and the rest of the team should take us up to around 1-15. I think we are better than last year both defensively and in attack (won't mention the middle sector). Will Donegal reach that score? I am hoping not, they have the ability, but as I said our defence has improved and if Murphy is out the field, well...
I don't get the same sense of urgency with this Donegal team as was evident before and if it were a case of "groundhog day" again with 20 minutes to go could they just let the game peter out as they did in the league? Sunday will answer a lot of questions about both teams, if it is a good close game, then losing will not be the end of the world for either team. It would be no disgrace to lose this match.
Weather is forecast for good on Saturday evening so hopefully both teams contribute to a great game

mhunicean_abu (Monaghan) - Posts: 1044 - 21/06/2016 13:53:33    1870205

Donegal pulling up

eunans4ever (Donegal) - Posts: 1595 - 21/06/2016 13:57:58    1870214