border gael, please elaborate on your point of this off the ball stuff we are "dishing" out. Were you at the game to see this? Because if you were I'd like to know what happened, I do not remember seeing anything that doesn't happen in any other championship match. At the end of the day Tyrone lost their discipline and subsequently lost the match.

tirchonaill92 (Donegal) - Posts: 156 - 21/06/2013 13:15:25    1412200

Are you having a Giraffe bordergael!!

I was at the game the last day and to suggest that Donegal in some way "started" the off the ball incidents is laughable. Tyrone got involved in some silly incidents but that was at the end of the game and was nothing much really. Donegal are no different to any of the top sides bar maybe Kerry in the way they defend and pride themselves in trying to give away v. little frees.

I too think this game will be a close affair as Down have some excellent natural footballers though the reason I think Donegal will win stems from the weaknesses in the Down full backline.

argael (Donegal) - Posts: 133 - 21/06/2013 13:19:48    1412210

Down foul off the ball now as well. Mayo in the quarters last year dished us out a lesson in fouling off the ball. That lesson has been taken on board. Down won't win on Sunday but it will not because of Donegal being more cynical.

artisan (Down) - Posts: 1794 - 21/06/2013 13:23:52    1412215

Artisan I have to agree re Mayo.

Some of the off the ball behaviour from them in Croker was appalling but I blame the officials who stood and watched that crap happening. In the Ulster Final I didnt see much of that from Donegal other than the odd deliberate block on runners which everyone is at - have to admit I was delighted Mayo got their comeuppance in the final.

As for Down, yes we do engage in it now, goes against the grain of Down football but unless the GAA deal with it properly then we must compete with the rest one way or another.

Tim_Burr (Down) - Posts: 460 - 21/06/2013 13:37:21    1412239

The pressure is on the referee to sort out Donegal
after the last ref the last day let a lot go!
A famous victory for Down is on the cards.

TheGateKeeper (Tyrone) - Posts: 2843 - 21/06/2013 13:44:24    1412256

Donegal to win, and probably in crushing fashion.

GetOverTheBar (Tyrone) - Posts: 1388 - 21/06/2013 13:51:27    1412264

I hope Down give it a good go but I reckon their attacking approach will leave them very open, even if they play defensively (which they did in the league) they haven't been playing the system long enough to compete with Donegal. Donegal win by over 5.

CaisleanCnucha (Dublin) - Posts: 1379 - 21/06/2013 13:57:46    1412269

If we had Dan Gordan, Danny Hughes and Conor Garvey flying fit for this one, then I would definitely fancy our chances a little more. It's a credit to James McCartan that he has managed to even put a decent team together after the amount of players we have lost since 2010. He's a great manager, and receives a lot of unwarranted criticism. I can't see us beating Donegal on Sunday, but I do believe we are good enough to put a run together in the Qualifiers and reach the August bank holiday weekend at Croker again.

An Dún Abú

MourneArmy (Down) - Posts: 1787 - 21/06/2013 14:02:38    1412274

Re The GateKeeper

"The pressure is on the referee to sort out Donegal
after the last ref the last day let a lot go!"

The most ironic statement of the century surely....coming from a Tyrone man. Ha!

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9746 - 21/06/2013 14:05:57    1412280

One of these days some team is going to have some good fortune and get a real head start on Donegal and how they react to unknown territory will be very interesting. For the sake of conjecture supposing Down got that fast start and shocked Donegal with a couple of early goals well then they'd be in with a real chance. Of course, on all known form and if Donegal continues in their controlled fashion they should win but as ever with Down you can always expect the unexpected.

JamesH (Mayo) - Posts: 465 - 21/06/2013 15:02:58    1412355

TheGateKeeper I've a sneaky wee feeling you want the aristocrats to be victorious on Sunday....just a wee thought.....

MissDownFanatic (Down) - Posts: 411 - 21/06/2013 15:13:29    1412368

Indeed I was at that match. I was one of the thousands packed in like saradines in a tin. Not Donegals fault may I add. Ulster councils fault. Donegal were right to try and get their game at home and it worked for them. Health and safety out the window at the bottom end where the BBC had their press box on scaffolding.
I have often seen a refs attention being called by a linesman or umpire in the starting moments and warnings issued to respective players to difuse situations in high stake championship matches.
This shouldve happened in Ballybofey but it dident. At the end of that game 2 scores seperated the teams , 2 goals I know an Tyrone had a very off day.
Theres a lot of football to be played before Sept. Sams not going anywhere yet. I hope theres a good ref on Sunday.

border Gael (Monaghan) - Posts: 906 - 21/06/2013 16:15:38    1412421

Down are capable of causing any of the top 5 teams some trouble

Donegal as AI champs are at the top of that list

As such it'll be too much for them to beat Donegal

But they'll have their purple patches

Donegal will be too strong though and will beat them by 5+ points

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 21/06/2013 16:27:09    1412434

Gatekeeper-the only thing the ref did wrong in ballybofey when we beat Tyrone, again, was not to get a tighter grip on the Tyrone players who tacked recklessly when thy knew the game was beyond them!

Donegal_abroad (Donegal) - Posts: 1403 - 21/06/2013 16:28:22    1412435

Maybe Down have improved dramatically but they were the handiest game Mayo had last year in the championship even Leitrim offered a bit more in defensive intensity albeit only for the the first half hour. Overall though Down were really weak in defence .

They looked well enough in the league game this year but again Mayo were not even near their best at that time. Bradley had them roasted in the Derry game, why in gods name they moved him out the field in second half was beyond belief.

Id expect the Donegal ff line to really lash them out of it.

51longago (Mayo) - Posts: 2981 - 21/06/2013 16:52:59    1412453

TheGateKeeper
County: Tyrone
The pressure is on the referee to sort out Donegal
after the last ref the last day let a lot go!
A famous victory for Down is on the cards.



LOL, I don't know why the Donegal supporters are still
talking about the Tyrone match for, by "the last day",
I simply meant the last time Down and Donegal met!
Have a look above, where does it mention the Tyrone/Donegal
game!
But seriously though, the ref will need to get a handle on
Donegal's cynicism from early on!
An Dun abu

TheGateKeeper (Tyrone) - Posts: 2843 - 21/06/2013 16:56:13    1412454

TheGateKeeper
County: Tyrone
Posts: 1902

1412454
TheGateKeeper
County: Tyrone
The pressure is on the referee to sort out Donegal
after the last ref the last day let a lot go!
A famous victory for Down is on the cards.



LOL, I don't know why the Donegal supporters are still
talking about the Tyrone match for, by "the last day",
I simply meant the last time Down and Donegal met!
Have a look above, where does it mention the Tyrone/Donegal
game!
But seriously though, the ref will need to get a handle on
Donegal's cynicism from early on!
An Dun abu

I think maybe the words 'the last day' threw a few people...

benjyyy (Donegal) - Posts: 1428 - 21/06/2013 17:00:40    1412458

MissDownFanatic
County: Down

TheGateKeeper I've a sneaky wee feeling you want the aristocrats to be victorious on Sunday....just a wee thought.....



I certainly do missdown, Down for the win and the yellow bandwagon to be silenced!
If its a good day Sunday, I might even go myself! ;)

TheGateKeeper (Tyrone) - Posts: 2843 - 21/06/2013 17:02:55    1412459

clearly donegal are favourites and rightly so but I have a slight feeling in my gut that Down are capable of beating them. I reckon this game will come down to goals. If down can sneak one in early and more importantly stop donegals ff line they have a great chance. This donegal team rely on goals. Anyway stranger things have happened in the ulster championship. up down! :)

white.n.blue (Monaghan) - Posts: 249 - 21/06/2013 17:12:14    1412467

21/06/2013 16:52:59
51longago
County: Mayo
Posts: 2414

1412453
Maybe Down have improved dramatically but they were the handiest game Mayo had last year in the championship even Leitrim offered a bit more in defensive intensity albeit only for the the first half hour. Overall though Down were really weak in defence .

They looked well enough in the league game this year but again Mayo were not even near their best at that time. Bradley had them roasted in the Derry game, why in gods name they moved him out the field in second half was beyond belief.

Id expect the Donegal ff line to really lash them out of it.


He wasn't moved out. We were dominating Derry in midfield, and he naturally came out in order to get his hands on the ball. He wouldn't have been any more use in the full forward line when Derry could win no ball to play into him.

MourneArmy (Down) - Posts: 1787 - 21/06/2013 17:27:23    1412470