doublehop
Both teams had 19 scoring opportunities. Donegal converted 12, Down 9. For me that is the story of the game.

If you feel Donegal were far more proficient in the 'dark arts' than Down today then thats fine. I dont believe its true but its your opinion. I firmly believe both sides tackled hard, both committed cynical fouls, both put their bodies on the line. There were no real dirty tackles or late hits on men (some of Callum Kings challenges were slightly 'over-zealous'). I cant for the life of me see how anyone could think that one team were more advanced at 'dark arts' than the other. If you think from all the many turnovers there were that Downs were all perfectly legal but Donegals were sly I just dont see it myself.

I dont think there was anything in that game except for the long-range accuracy of McFadden.

benjyyy (Donegal) - Posts: 1428 - 23/06/2013 22:00:53    1413845

garycool
County: Mayo
Posts: 26

1413794 As like the Tyrone game Donegal are starting to play on the edge and beyond to nullify opposing teams attacking options.
Time after time today the half backs or half forwards either pulled, slapped, tripped or fouled a Down player. The ref of course did not dish enough yellows cards which would have meant 1 or 2 players getting 2 yellows. And the line
If you watch the last 2 games you might notice that there is a pattern of different players committing fouls one after another with the ref probably finding it hard to keep tabs on the main culprits !

What game were you watching today? I must have missed most of those fouls, I thought the Laois referee was a bit too trigger happy with those yellows he did dish out.
Ulster Championship matches are traditionally a bit physical.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3026 - 23/06/2013 22:01:28    1413847

Look it was a horrendous game, down have shown in the past that they can actually play football and they didn't bother today. The only hope I hold is that when donegal get out of Ulster that their game will open up against the likes of kerry, cork and mayo. They will be forced to play football, they proved last year that they can play football too.
So hears hoping

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 24/06/2013 08:30:56    1413852

Hi guys

Video analysis of what Down did in defence and transitioning into attack now up
http://action81.com/blog/?p=7356

Thanks,
Emmet

emmetryan (Dublin) - Posts: 154 - 24/06/2013 09:03:44    1413865

Pat Spillane and Liam McStay last night didn't seem to have any big problem with the game. And we all know that if anyone is going to have a dig at Ulster football it's good old Pat! So that says plenty. I think a lot of people need to wake up. Most of the provincial championships this year have been so uncompetitive, with the exception of Ulster. A lot of the mud-slinging going on on this forum seems to be people detracting from their own provincial and indeed, in some cases, counties' inadeqaucies. The Donegal v Down game yesterday which I was at myself, was riveting. From start to finish. No quarter given or asked. Some exceptional score taking from Donegal. Down we're supremely fit and organised. They will go a good bit further this year. Was it the perfect game? No. There was a lot of niggly stuff. Ulster Championship has always been ultra physical though. I doubt that will change just because someone in Meath or Galway just doesn't feel it is their acquired taste of play! The intensity of this game never let up. Both teams planned to win and went for the win. So many of provincial games I've watched on tv so far from Connaught, Munster and Leinster have been woeful contests. Why did Westmeath, a division one team of next season, lose by a cricket score to Dublin? Why did the powerhouses of Connaught, Galway and Roscommon lose by crazy amounts in their games? These games were over after 15 minutes. Isn't this more of an issue than a typically tight Ulster game? The big issue in Gaelic Football right now I feel would appear to be the way in which 5 or 6 counties seem to have moved miles away from the rest of the teams. Games are becoming boring because the result is obvious inside the first half. So fair play to Down for having the audacity to get their act together and make one hell of a game of it with Donegal, which could have gone either way. It's a shame other teams can't get to a level remotely capable of competing in other provinces. Then we might actually have other things to talk about other than picking holes in Ulster matches. This mud-slinging is for the want of discussion on the quality of football elsewhere this year so far. As a Donegal and Ulster man, I'm proud that our province dishes out real contests and long may it remain that way.

Donegal_abroad (Donegal) - Posts: 1403 - 24/06/2013 09:46:43    1413897

I have to agree with the above. Ulster is by far the most competitive province and the excitement in most matches to date for a neutral has been great. I just want to see entertaining & exciting matches unless Dublin are playing & then I really don't care if everybody bar Brogan parks the bus if we win. Win at all cost fairly!! And that's what Donegal are doing. It may be frustrating to some but I say fair play and I admire their team for sticking to the gameplan. It's up to all other teams to evolve in a way that suits their own team & in a way that makes Donegal HAVE to revert to their plan B, IF they have one and I'm sure Jim does. Donegal, like every other team in Ireland, are beatable.

Jackeen (Dublin) - Posts: 4097 - 24/06/2013 10:03:47    1413913

Down unfortunately tried to out-Donegal Donegal which was a tactical error, Donegal have mastered their game plan and you will not beat them by trying to match their style, teams need to be innovative in playing Donegal with things like pace, long kicking and physical strength being part of that innovation, Down done plenty of turnovers on Donegal yesterday but never had enough support up front to tag on the necessary scores, Donegal were there for the taking yesterday and Down missed a glorious opportunity and Donegal may never present such an opportunity again this year

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3747 - 24/06/2013 10:20:31    1413933

Donegal_abroad well said. Yesterdays match was extremely tense, my heart was in my mouth for the full 70 minutes, it certainly was riveting stuff. It's hard to say I enjoyed it because Down were beat and I still feel sickened. But, I certainly was pleased that for 70 minutes we equaled the All-Ireland Champions intensity, hard-rate and organisation. People are saying Donegal weren't in full gear and they were under-power, but I believe this wasn't the case, Down's intensity of tackling and hassling took yous by surprise. Tyrone didn't have the legs for the full 70 minutes, they lasted 60 minutes and died off. Yesterday proved that some teams are catching up with yous in terms of tactics and fitness. Last year yous destroyed us in the last 15 minutes, yesterday we really should've beaten yous had we took our chances. We certainly learnt from our mistakes in the Ulster Final, and I hope we can learn from the mistakes of yesterday and put a run together in the Qualifiers. Donegal had fantastic support yesterday, and I got chatting to a few Donegal ones who wished us luck in the rest of the championship, they were very impressed by our performance and reckoned we could go far this year. But we'll need to keep our work rate at the same level as yesterday, if we do not many teams will live with us. Best of luck to Donegal too, they showed yesterday why they are champions, they didn't let us get any closer than 2 points and scored vital points when it mattered most, but they just couldn't shake us off.

MourneArmy (Down) - Posts: 1787 - 24/06/2013 10:37:12    1413957

Richieq
County: Meath
Posts: 1187

1413933
Down unfortunately tried to out-Donegal Donegal which was a tactical error, Donegal have mastered their game plan and you will not beat them by trying to match their style, teams need to be innovative in playing Donegal with things like pace, long kicking and physical strength being part of that innovation, Down done plenty of turnovers on Donegal yesterday but never had enough support up front to tag on the necessary scores, Donegal were there for the taking yesterday and Down missed a glorious opportunity and Donegal may never present such an opportunity again this year



This is a bit inaccurate, in that it was the first time in almost 2 years that a team could have at least drawn with us, I would say that Down got their tactics spot on today.

The one thing they did not do was take their chances, they spurned 2 gilt edge chances in the second half, dropping the ball short on one instance, and the first attack of the second half was mysteriously wide when a point was an almost certainty.

They out tackled us in many periods of play. I wonder can they up this level for the remainder of the summer, or is that it? If they can keep their heads up they will beat most teams in the country on yesterdays performance. It was gutsy.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3846 - 24/06/2013 10:48:00    1413973

Horses for courses lads.

Yes the game was a poor spectacle not helped by the tactics and fouls employed by BOTH sides. What did people expect though? For Down to take to the field like last year and get destroyed again? For Donegal to suddenly change WINNING tactics just to appease the neutrals? Like it or not the modern game is all about winning. Donegal may have cultivated the dark arts to a fine degree at this stage but anyone suggesting to me that other teams don't seek to gain every advantage going aswell is talking out of their arse.

It was really nip and tuck the whole way through unlike the turkey shoots we've seen elsewhere in the other provinces. Down really stood up to the Donegal physical challenge, defended well and but for the lack of a cutting edge up front could have been advancing to the final. Colm McFadden and Michael Murphy on the other hand really stood up when it mattered. They landed some monster scores at times when they were crucially needed. Anthony Thompson was superb aswell. He got through a power of work.

Down will be a dangerous opponent for anyone in the qualifiers. They always have the footballers and they're a lot stronger and fitter than they were last year. O'Hare is unerring in the free-taking duties and if they can just get the balance right between their new-found steeliness at the back with a bit more of a potent threat up top they'll be a tough nut to crack. Not to annoy Down fans, but can you imagine if they got Gordon, Hughes, the lads in Oz plus the American deserters back? They'd be one formidable team.

For ourselves it's on to the final and a great chance to land an unprecedented three-in-a-row. I think Cavan will come through against Monaghan and that they'll play very similarly to Down. Men behind the ball, frustrate Donegal and then counter attack at speed hoping to get Dunne at the end of things to finish. I just think that Donegal might be just too powerful in the physical stakes and have that bit of crucuial experience that Cavan don't have. But that's all for another day.

For now I'll just enjoy the fact that we have another final to look forward to and to hell with the begrudgers!

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9746 - 24/06/2013 10:48:20    1413974

Did anyone catch joe brolly's cynical foul count for this game?

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 24/06/2013 10:50:08    1413979

Richieq
County: Meath
Posts: 1187

1413933
Down unfortunately tried to out-Donegal Donegal which was a tactical error, Donegal have mastered their game plan and you will not beat them by trying to match their style, teams need to be innovative in playing Donegal with things like pace, long kicking and physical strength being part of that innovation, Down done plenty of turnovers on Donegal yesterday but never had enough support up front to tag on the necessary scores, Donegal were there for the taking yesterday and Down missed a glorious opportunity and Donegal may never present such an opportunity again this year



This is a bit inaccurate, in that it was the first time in almost 2 years that a team could have at least drawn with us, I would say that Down got their tactics spot on today.

The one thing they did not do was take their chances, they spurned 2 gilt edge chances in the second half, dropping the ball short on one instance, and the first attack of the second half was mysteriously wide when a point was an almost certainty.

They out tackled us in many periods of play. I wonder can they up this level for the remainder of the summer, or is that it? If they can keep their heads up they will beat most teams in the country on yesterdays performance. It was gutsy.

I accept your point but as Pat Spillane, like him or not, said last night the right tactics are the ones that win you games. James McCartan and his team went to win that game yesterday but weren't able to as despite their possession, great tackling and work rate, turnover ball and defensive work the had no go to man up front, against Derry they kicked long and took some great long range points and worked goals and should have tried that' at least for a time yesterday, their forward play was badly structured and the final decision and shot selection let them down. Donegal are masters at their game,that's why their champions and that's way they are going to be very hard to dislodge his year, Down had the most possession and most turnovers any team has had against Donegal in two years yet a lack of invention up front cost them he game, for them that's a pity but Donegal will benefit from yesterday an will not be caught on possession so easy for he rest of the year I'm sure

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3747 - 24/06/2013 11:03:38    1413989

Another thing I'd say is that I pity the Donegal lads at their next training session. Jim ran them ragged after the Tyrone game!

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9746 - 24/06/2013 11:15:19    1414006

Jackeen
County: Dublin
Posts: 2288

1413913 I have to agree with the above. Ulster is by far the most competitive province and the excitement in most matches to date for a neutral has been great. I just want to see entertaining & exciting matches unless Dublin are playing & then I really don't care if everybody bar Brogan parks the bus if we win. Win at all cost fairly!! And that's what Donegal are doing. It may be frustrating to some but I say fair play and I admire their team for sticking to the gameplan. It's up to all other teams to evolve in a way that suits their own team & in a way that makes Donegal HAVE to revert to their plan B, IF they have one and I'm sure Jim does. Donegal, like every other team in Ireland, are beatable.

Over the last 5 years, I felt Leinster was the most competitive province, with Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Meath, Wexford, Louth and Westmeath all making up outfits that would have probably beaten the bulk of Ulster's teams with the exception of 2 or 3.

I suppose where Ulster is really different, Is it has no single superpower football county. Granted there will always be bigger teams in the province, who are dominating over a given decade or 5 year period. But we have no team like Dublin in Leinster or Cork/Kerry in Munster who strike fear into smaller teams in their respective provinces. Connaught has been fairly competitive in recent years in fairness too.

Of course Donegal are beatable, but clearly not easily beatable. However It was worth noting that Donegal were badly depleted yesterday, against a Down team who know them well and they have faced 4 times since February last year. Down are also among the top 7 or 8 teams in the country, and this was predicted ( by most realistic folk ) to be a fairly tight game. Donegal won by 3 points, in what was a scrappy Semi final like last seasons.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3026 - 24/06/2013 11:18:09    1414008

It does look like three in a row for Donegal alright,,,,,they have brought gaelic football to a new low. Every match played by Donegal is a dour event as teams now have to play like they do. It was like watching two whales colliding against eachother and i have seen more open play in a rugby league match than i did in yesterdays game. How many times now have we highlighted the lack of entertainment on show when dour donegal take to the field...they have conned the nation by their cynical, overcrowding, suffocating and cheating ways and some have actually fallen for it on here. It really does not look good for the future of football unless this black card saves the day, along with better refereeing

Game2Halves (Tyrone) - Posts: 265 - 24/06/2013 11:18:17    1414009

Well we won a hard hard battle. I knew Down would put it up to us and was so mad when I seen posters on here before the game saying we were going to win by a huge margin, knew there would only be a few points between the 2 teams. Down are a very strong and fit team and they really did their homework on how to beat us and were very unfortunate not to. Be nice if they met Tyrone in the qualifiers and beat them which I really think they would.

The ref was absolutely out of his depth yesterday. He was horrendous and I can't see him getting 2 many games after that effort!

All the best to Down in the qualifiers, they have lovely supporters with manners and had great banter with them, unfortunately I can't say that about our previous opponents supporters.

dgl2012 (Donegal) - Posts: 26 - 24/06/2013 11:18:23    1414010

God help us all, its Cork and Dublin for me.

kerryrowz (Kerry) - Posts: 833 - 24/06/2013 11:22:49    1414017

I enjoyed the game yesturday, even more so because beforehand I was thinking Donegal by 5 or 6. Down will rue some efforts that landed short which killed them in the end but I think whilst they lost yesturday they certainly proved that they can mix it with the AI Champions and will take great confidence from here on in. Donegal were missing some players and weren't at their best but got over the line - they are still the team to beat. Give me a gripping tense close affair like that every week over the 10-15 point destructions that we've all seen elsewhere. Congrats to both teams.

GetOverTheBar (Tyrone) - Posts: 1388 - 24/06/2013 11:24:05    1414019

Bad news royaldunne,

No team, manager, game or event will force Jim McGuiness into doing anything. I am open to be proven wrong here but point out any game over the last three years where Donegal changed their game to play the way it was expected of them because of their opposition???

fatfrog (Donegal) - Posts: 200 - 24/06/2013 11:29:13    1414033

It was a good game and it was good to see donegal remove to of their most ugly and apparant tactics of encroachment on frees and onto the pitch did the ref have a word before the match or was it conscious?
However I'd be pretty sure that Mcgee was not injured when he lay down after the knock he gave to laverty and thats the levels Donegal go to the doctor legs it on to try and deflect from the foul, at least that dosent work for them, there was a few dives too which the ref noticed and ignored. If Donegal lads are paranoid then its because you know we are not all talking rubbish.

As for the hand off well that cant be aimed at donegal forwards its done at every level accross the country. Bernard Brogan lives off it. Its an easy one to pick up on and refs should blow for it.
The half foul is not a new thing either, in Hurling Kilkenny backs have been at it for years but it is very difficult to police especially in a championship match when you want to see a bit of flow.
All in all I think yesterdays game was a good intense battle of two extremely physical sides with the difference being that bit extra belief and long range accuracy from two class finishers. The ref did as well as he could to help make it a good spectacle that was'nt about himself.
Give me that over confederations cup anyday.

jonno (Kildare) - Posts: 261 - 24/06/2013 11:50:15    1414061