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If I were a betting man I would be putting a few bob on Donegal to reach the All Ireland final. They are the team of the championship so far. border Gael (Monaghan) - Posts: 894 - 15/11/2020 23:37:41 2309734 Link 1 |
It was obvious he meant to say "superior" . He was a bit excited after the game
s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5518 - 16/11/2020 01:02:10 2309747 Link 0 |
I fear for us big time. Donegal are better than last year and we are worse. that is the ttruth. s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5518 - 16/11/2020 01:16:11 2309749 Link 1 |
my only concern is the injuries we have at the back now, I will be surprised if McMenamin takes any further part in the championship, Paddy McGrath is injured and of course McFadden-ferry is unavailable. We are strting to look a bit thin with both McCole and O'Baoill (who should be pushing for starts) seemingly out of form. We should be too strong for Cavan but games are not won on paper, and we need to treat them with respect. totalrecall (Leitrim) - Posts: 922 - 16/11/2020 08:22:03 2309774 Link 1 |
This game will be a lot closer than people expect. Cavan played the occasion last year and game was over by half time. Armagh completely underperformed v donegal and I dont think cavan will although they could have done with a weekend off ahead of this one. Cavan have a good bunch of players at the right age and experience playing with a lot of confidence and a lot of them have won underage ulsters so the ambition will be there to land the Anglo celt. Big question for them is coming up with a way to contain the donegal attack which is v impressive with so many different options . Also donegal may take their eye off the ball here maybe looking further ahead to dublin. seanie08 (Monaghan) - Posts: 1803 - 16/11/2020 09:55:22 2309805 Link 0 |
They could well do , an extremely talented and focused team, we will know soon enough !!
superbluedub (Dublin) - Posts: 2837 - 16/11/2020 09:56:55 2309807 Link 0 |
Donegal looking very strong so far it has to be said. Cavan have done well to dig themselves out of a hole against both Monaghan and Down but I can't see Donegal wilting under pressure. Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 16/11/2020 10:10:45 2309815 Link 2 |
They probably will - but with the year that is in it, I have a sneaky feeling it will be Mayo's year. How typical would that be, with no fans there to see it... Donegal are flying it though and look very formidable. Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 3738 - 16/11/2020 10:38:25 2309841 Link 0 |
Too much fascination with league. Championship is all that matters. With amatuer players, to expect to be 100% for league and 100% for championship 3 months later is nonsense. Cork division 3 just beat division 1 champions. Cavan division 3 beat Monaghan division 1. Mayo, relegated for the first time, just won their first Connacht in 5 years, beating 2 division 1 teams and are favourites to make the all Ireland final. Whilst being in division 1 is obviously ideal, so you play top teams, the smart teams do enough to stay there but concentrate on the championship. Otherwise Dublin would have 5 in a row leagues. That being said, I feel the final of Ulster was probably in the first round when Donegal beat Tyrone. I'd expect Donegal to win. But you never know in a final. BaldyBadger (Cork) - Posts: 311 - 16/11/2020 10:40:28 2309846 Link 0 |
Donegal look very focused this year. I noticed watching on Saturday Rochford seemed to do a lot of the talking and I thought appeared to be dictating things from the line. I'm sure Bonner is important in the set up but not for the first time I observed Rochford being very vocal and focused; also Donegal are starting to play like his Mayo teams did and look a serious outfit. sam1884 (UK) - Posts: 999 - 16/11/2020 10:48:11 2309857 Link 2 |
Donegal currently at 4/1 You can get Mayo at 3/1 But odds likely to change again. Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 3738 - 16/11/2020 10:51:33 2309863 Link 0 |
Rochford and Bonner won't stand back and allow their goalie to hit the ball down the throat of mc Kiernan and galligan when the going gets tough and that will be the difference. monaghanmad (Monaghan) - Posts: 380 - 16/11/2020 10:53:36 2309867 Link 2 |
One of the best things about Bonner is how humble he is, it takes a man with little to no ego to bring in a big name like Rochford as your number 2 and with all the chatter that comes with it that Rochford is "the brains" etc. I hear a lot of disrespectful stuff about Bonner in all honesty (not in your post to clarify!) but nothing seems to phase Bonner and that calmness is a great asset in my view. Rochford is very vocal on the line without a doubt although I think that has been compounded in the two games so far because he has been walking the sideline where the TV microphones are in both matches! On to Sunday, I have to say that I thought Armagh would put it up to us and we'd be more flat after the big big performance against Tyrone. That didn't happen, we were very focussed and that gives me great confidence going in to Sunday. Cavan are dangerous and will definitely post up a decent score however I don't think they have improved enough from last year. The big worry for us is the fitness of McMenamin, if he is out then I think you'll see Cavan get plenty of success with a long ball in to our full back line and we will be exposed. However possession is what it's all about and I think we will secure more than enough of our own kickout to get the scores needed. Jim McGuinness was right on Sky though to just sound a note of caution. 3 in a row doesn't happen in Ulster easily, we caught Tyrone in 2011, we were caught ourselves in 2013. Cavan have a great tradition and plenty of these players broke Donegal hearts at underage level. That's the note of caution and people may think it's a Donegal version of yerra (arra?) but it's true - we don't have a hole heap of Ulster championships so maybe the traditional winning mentality hasn't filtered down to all the supporters yet, myself definitely included. The reality is we are in a golden period for Donegal football, we've had as many Ulster championships since 2011 as we had in the previous 130 years. So the nerves will always be there going in to an Ulster final no matter who we're facing. But I think this group are laser focussed and will do us proud on Sunday. JoeSoap (Donegal) - Posts: 1432 - 16/11/2020 11:29:43 2309908 Link 1 |
I am a betting man and I won't be rushing in personally speaking. While Donegal have been impressive we have been here before. The media hyping up our chances deflecting away from the other protagonists including Dublin. Dublin scored 2-23 yesterday after not looking completely convincing in the opening salvos. That is just incredible scoring and with them been far from full strength. I am sure it will suit them fine reading and hearing about the Donegal hype.
panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2782 - 16/11/2020 11:53:10 2309938 Link 1 |
Spot on Joe. I completely agree that Bonner does deserve huge credit for the job he has done. The experience he has had with the underage teams has probably taught him that we were too reliant on one particular style of play which got exposed not just with our senior side but also some of our talented underage teams in recent years. It took an open mind and attitude to bring in someone like Rochford who could present a different view from outside the province which was badly needed. The points about Rochford been clearly vocal is as you say him been on the side of the pitch where the microphones are. You could clearly see Bonner and some of the management team given vocal instruction and encouragement from their side also. It is a team effort between Bonner, Rochford, Lacey, McGonagle and the rest of the backroom team. Agree with the point regarding McMenamin whom I doubt we will see at the weekend and must be touch and go if we go beyond that. While we might manage without him at the weekend it will be a tough ask beyond that if it comes to it. To lose him and McFadden Ferry really takes away or best 2 dogged physical man markers along with Neil McGee whom has had his own injury issues along with Paddy McGrath. For these reasons I certainly won't be getting sucked into the hyperbole that seems to be building. As for the weekend I would have no worries about focus or looking ahead. Some of these lads have lost to Cavan teams at underage and certainly won't forget that. Plus as you say Joe winning 3 Ulster titles in a row is not often done. panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2782 - 16/11/2020 12:11:21 2309961 Link 2 |
If anything on the short side for Donegal especially if getting over Dublin and then potentially face Mayo. To already be down McFadden Ferry and potentially McMenamin for the remainder of the championship leaves us down 2 of our best dogged man markers who are equally adept at putting the opposition on the back foot is massive. Add to this Conor Morrison who had looked to potentially be also in that bracket with the development and improvements he had shown prior to his serious injury during the club championship. There are also ongoing doubts regarding Paddy McGrath and Neil McGee regarding their niggles and injuries. Plus with players like O'Baoill and Ward struggling for form it leaves Donegal very vulnerable on the defensive side especially when trying to cope with the physical powerful running Dublin or Mayo would present.
panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2782 - 16/11/2020 12:28:44 2309981 Link 1 |
I cant wait for this match-up. Donegal look to me to be the best team to challenge the Dubs for the title this year. They were very dogged against Armagh. I was amazed at their level of dominance. A very good side. I have to admit on a personal level that I find it hard to back them and the supporters give off a vibe I cant get jiggy with, but I appreciate a good side when I see it. Young_gael (Meath) - Posts: 589 - 16/11/2020 12:40:51 2309993 Link 3 |
Is McMenamin definitely gone now.?
Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 3738 - 16/11/2020 12:58:05 2310011 Link 0 |
Yeah I have to say I've found some of the comments about us quite funny over the past week, I think pundits are scrambling for a challenger to Dublin now Kerry are knocked out. We are the same group of players that lost in Castlebar last year when the going got tough and the media have given us no credit for other performances because of that one result. Now that a narrative is needed for the All-Ireland series we are suddenly a serious outfit that will put it up to the Dubs. The reality is we won't know a thing about how close or far we are to the Dubs unless we get past Cavan and actually get to play Dublin in championship again. Where are the Tyrone boys, they always let us know that we're no good outside the province - it'd be nice to get that balance at the minute! ;-) JoeSoap (Donegal) - Posts: 1432 - 16/11/2020 12:59:59 2310012 Link 1 |
For them to get to final they have to beat Dublin first. Now they are the one team capable of it.
CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 3680 - 16/11/2020 13:04:05 2310017 Link 0 |