Not a great game yesterday but very interesting to watch if that makes sense. McFadden was the difference between the teams. The amount of times Down ran at Donegal and lost the ball around the 21 yard line was amazing but was largely down to Donegal smothering the life out of Down.

If you put immense pressure on a team they will make mistakes and I think the errors Down made was largely due to the pressure put on them. It also helps to have a player of McFadden's quality.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11549 - 24/06/2013 13:57:11    1414264

benjyyy
County: Donegal
Posts: 724

1414168 redhanddefender
County: Tyrone
Posts: 457

1414148
Ahh a donegal, down love in, great to see. I would love to get Down in the qualifiers and Donkeygal in Croke Park later in the year!

Definately, with the wide open spaces of croke park we would beat Donegal I think, not a problem. They couldnt spoil the game as much as they do in Ulster.

Game2Halves (Tyrone) - Posts: 265 - 24/06/2013 14:01:10    1414272

i turned it off and i was not only one it was a horror show

Stmunnsriver (Wexford) - Posts: 2967 - 24/06/2013 14:04:29    1414275

"Tyrone supporters. All Ireland semi final vs. Kerry. Its all im saying."
argael


??!!

TheGateKeeper (Tyrone) - Posts: 2843 - 24/06/2013 14:08:02    1414282

Re GateKeeper

Apparently Donegal lost this game due to toothache! ;) - Eh last time I checked we won...

If there had been a decent referee, Down would
have won the match, Donegal got away with a lot!

If my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9746 - 24/06/2013 14:08:32    1414285

argael How many kicks did Down drop short into Durcan's hands though?

peter_venkman (Down) - Posts: 320 - 24/06/2013 14:11:20    1414291

benjyyy
County: Donegal
Posts: 724

1414168 redhanddefender
County: Tyrone
Posts: 457

1414148
Ahh a donegal, down love in, great to see. I would love to get Down in the qualifiers and Donkeygal in Croke Park later in the year!

Posts like this are the reason Tyrone supporters are not amongst the most loved in the country. We have beaten you 3 years in a row and you still cant accept we are the better team. Always talking about meeting teams later in the year instead of the task at hand. Reminds me of Amir Khan in boxing terms, another much loved sportsman...



Catch a grip fella just commenting on this sickening complimenting on here. Yous have beaten us 3 times sure but its all about all irelands and ye's have still only won one under mc guinness. I dont doubt you are better than us right now but will do us good to play you again at end of summer if we are still there and see how our boys are developing. Down donegal fans always on here loving each other and mouthing about tyrone. I would rather be hated by donegal fans and be a realistic threat to their county team than having a love in with them and being in downs position, which lets not beat around the bush here are miles away from donegal.

redhanddefender (Tyrone) - Posts: 913 - 24/06/2013 14:12:02    1414292

24/06/2013 13:35:20
Tir Conaill Abu
County: Donegal
Posts: 646

I would say that is a fair assessment of the game. I was near pulling my hair out when Benny refused to shoot in order to try and materialise a goal scoring opportunity, a point would've done us nicely at that point, and as you pointed out we went on to get the next score. It's small things like that which are the difference between winning and losing close Championship battles. Hopefully we will learn, playing Donegal yesterday will bring our young, and our inexperienced players forward. Like I said before the game, Donegal are the benchmark.

I would like to think we will adapt our system to whoever we're playing. If we draw a Division 3 or 4 team in the Round 2 Qualifiers will there be any need for us to deploy such a defensive system? As I believe we could win playing open football. I would certainly fancy our chances against anyone in the Qualifiers, and if we can get a run going and some momentum it will take a good team to stop us. I would say the old guard in Ulster has shifted and yesterday may be the beginning a renewed rivalry between Down and Donegal- Arguably Down are now the 2nd best side in Ulster. Hopefully next year will see us become the best!!! (We can dream)

MourneArmy (Down) - Posts: 1787 - 24/06/2013 14:12:27    1414293

Game2Halves
County: Tyrone
Posts: 18

1414272 benjyyy
County: Donegal
Posts: 724

1414168 redhanddefender
County: Tyrone
Posts: 457

1414148
Ahh a donegal, down love in, great to see. I would love to get Down in the qualifiers and Donkeygal in Croke Park later in the year!

Definately, with the wide open spaces of croke park we would beat Donegal I think, not a problem. They couldnt spoil the game as much as they do in Ulster.


I heard recently that MacCumhaill park in Ballybofey has the same size pitch ( Same Dimensions, definitely not the same surface ) as Croke Park.
So maybe the wide open spaces won't change anything either.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3026 - 24/06/2013 14:12:51    1414294

Croke Park dimensions 144.5 x 88m
Mac Cumhnaill Park dimension 145 x 90m

It's just the viewing angles from the tv stands that leads to the false illusion of Ballybofey being a small tight pitch

JimmyTheCar (Donegal) - Posts: 6 - 24/06/2013 14:26:11    1414317

I'd say Ryan Bradley has a sore head today:

http://presseye.com/media/CxmoEsjp10Kmjqz8ukrQIw..a?ts=XPoXdBXA3yBqZBtCjH4Xsb72IW115-z7APzJ0YD6HBc.a

MourneArmy (Down) - Posts: 1787 - 24/06/2013 14:29:00    1414328

Tir Conaill

Either there were 3 points in it when Benny did that or we got the next score, because there was never less than 2 points between us

benjyyy (Donegal) - Posts: 1428 - 24/06/2013 14:30:34    1414330

Hulk Hogan would have been proud of that one mournearmy! lol

TheGateKeeper (Tyrone) - Posts: 2843 - 24/06/2013 14:33:18    1414334

Arguably Down are now the 2nd best side in Ulster.

Been saying that all year! It's time people started taking Down for the serious outfit they are! Yesterday had the two best teams in Ulster on display.

wile_man_sir (Donegal) - Posts: 150 - 24/06/2013 14:36:38    1414339

wile_man_sir
County: Donegal
Posts: 40

1414339 Arguably Down are now the 2nd best side in Ulster.

Been saying that all year! It's time people started taking Down for the serious outfit they are! Yesterday had the two best teams in Ulster on display.


And whats are you basing this on????? League form? Or in 2 championship games? 1 of which was the worst game of football played this year the other against a team with no defence? Anyway I care little roll on saturday and hopefully we can un-earth some new talent

redhanddefender (Tyrone) - Posts: 913 - 24/06/2013 14:46:29    1414354

It really shows you where Tyrone are at nowadays when all some of their fans do on here is have a pop at Donegal whenever they can. Tyrone are maybe the 3rd or 4th best team in Ulster now hence having the pop at Down on here too.

Donegal_abroad (Donegal) - Posts: 1403 - 24/06/2013 14:49:10    1414359

It really shows you where Tyrone are at nowadays when all some of their fans do on here is have a pop at Donegal whenever they can. Tyrone are maybe the 3rd or 4th best team in Ulster now hence having the pop at Down on here too.

Donegal_abroad (Donegal) - Posts: 1403 - 24/06/2013 14:52:01    1414362

This thread is about Down and Donegal so Tyrone posters go post somewhere else. They are still sore after getting beat 3 years in a row! I know u have more All Irelands but this is the present, deal with it!And really getting slightly ahead of yourself with mentioning about the wide open space of Croke park. As previously stated by an above poster those measurements of McCumhaill Park and Croker are correct. What will be the excuse next time:)And most definitely Down are the 2nd best in Ulster. Great team , great people!

dgl2012 (Donegal) - Posts: 26 - 24/06/2013 14:54:16    1414370

MourneArmy
County: Down
Posts: 1352

1414328 I'd say Ryan Bradley has a sore head today:

http://presseye.com/media/CxmoEsjp10Kmjqz8ukrQIw..a?ts=XPoXdBXA3yBqZBtCjH4Xsb72IW115-z7APzJ0YD6HBc.a

lol... Calum King was outstanding, he was knocking down Donegal men all over the place, McCloone got a wee taste of it as well lol

Game2Halves (Tyrone) - Posts: 265 - 24/06/2013 15:09:02    1414394

Re: All Ireland semi vs Kerry I was referring to the real formulation of the swarm defence that has been implemented by Donegal. To say that Tyrone and all other top teams don't use the half foul is strange. I think Tyrone are a great footballing county with some excellent players and why some supporters come on here and spout rubbish about Donegal is beyond me. If you have nothing constructive to say then don't bother. As for the large expanses of Croke Park finding us out? I think the ALL Ireland was played in croke park last year and I also seem to remember Tyrone getting a tanking in Croker from Dublin recently and cork. Ive no doubt Tyrone will be back as a force but some supporters should stick to being positive about their own side.

Also regarding shots dropping into the keeper arms? What does that signify other than players either were not capable of scoring or had poor shot selection. I think I read that both sides created the same number of scoring opportunities and the object of the game is to take them and the side that does deserves to win

argael (Donegal) - Posts: 133 - 24/06/2013 15:23:39    1414409