grotesque football

maroondiesel (Mayo) - Posts: 1226 - 09/08/2014 18:36:54    1633898

Another woefull game that ended in a 10 minutes of excitement and hence will be called a great game.

ZUL10 (Clare) - Posts: 708 - 09/08/2014 18:40:33    1633901

Donegal looked the better team, but just couldn't push on when they had a 2 or 3 point lead.

Had Donegal clicked, I got the feeling they could have won by a large margin. McGuinness will be happy they reached a SF, But I suspect they will be training exceptionally hard in the coming weeks. Even against Monaghan, Donegal were much better and comfortable in possession.

In some ways I think Donegal are better than 2012, with the exception of McFadden who isn't fully clicking this year. Worth noting in 2013, Colm McFadden was one of the few players who was playing well in all games. So I don't think it's a physical issue, more of a mental or confidence lull at the moment.

Overall they are still very strong, and more versatile than previous years.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3026 - 09/08/2014 18:57:21    1633915

Thought McQuillan gave Donegal the game to be honest.

doublehop (Kildare) - Posts: 4172 - 09/08/2014 19:43:27    1633956

09/08/2014 18:40:33
ZUL10
County: Clare
Posts: 191

1633901
Another woefull game that ended in a 10 minutes of excitement and hence will be called a great game.

Would agree with you on Muineachán v Cill Dara, which was unbearable to watch, but thought that was higher standard? At least there was a bit of good kicking from both sides.

an tseabhac (Kerry) - Posts: 441 - 09/08/2014 19:52:23    1633964

OMG- that was awful football, its like they've reinvented the game, Nordesque, as soon as someone touches you, you fall down spectacularly, doctor comes on and we've lost 3 minutes. Wides don't matter its a percentage game, fling up enough mud and some will stick. If Dublin play Oxygen, these are Carbon monoxide - eventually it kills you.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4953 - 09/08/2014 19:56:47    1633970

Can people please send me a link to other great matches this year ??? They've been all bad .

TheRightStuff (Donegal) - Posts: 1688 - 09/08/2014 19:58:42    1633972

Donegal showed good character. Not a great game but better than 95% of games this year.

IsMise (Tyrone) - Posts: 119 - 09/08/2014 20:39:59    1634010

Great win for Donegal. Enjoyed croker. Was there with my wife from Monaghan, hard lines to them. Donegal didn't perform too well. Still we won, and are in the semi, job done. Few of the usual Dublin region louts that I never seem to meet from any other county bragging us as we walked home to our drumcondra apartment. A shower Indeed.

fire_in_belly (Donegal) - Posts: 59 - 09/08/2014 20:49:58    1634019

At least Donegal will have some learnings from today's game.

Defensively they were Impressive, and they were very comfortable in possession. Donegal's biggest Issue today was their number of wides and some poor descisions. But they do learn from their mistakes.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3026 - 09/08/2014 20:57:30    1634035

Well done Donegal

I'm really looking forward to our game.

Especially looking at your performance today, showed great heart to beat Armagh

Who were the better team for large parts

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 09/08/2014 21:19:18    1634049

Hard luck Armagh - ran it very close, unlucky not to get a free at the end when Tony Kieran was fouled - but Donegal's experience told in the last 5mins
Our full back line was immense - Charlie Vernon and Andy Mallon were excellent, we are just on an up-ward curve hopefully!!
Well done Donegal and your excellent support which clearly was the largest of the 4 competing counties.....

cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts: 1688 - 09/08/2014 21:48:18    1634072

fire_in_belly
County: Donegal
Posts: 19

1634019
Great win for Donegal. Enjoyed croker. Was there with my wife from Monaghan, hard lines to them. Donegal didn't perform too well. Still we won, and are in the semi, job done. Few of the usual Dublin region louts that I never seem to meet from any other county bragging us as we walked home to our drumcondra apartment. A shower Indeed.

Plenty of louts about today from all participating counties.

You must never open your eyes if you only meet ones from Dublin.

Cop onto yourself.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13796 - 09/08/2014 21:50:51    1634075

Stuck in traffic with a lot of Monaghan cars on the way out, car behind was packed with drunken louts abusing Dublin people as they walked along the path. Singing songs and annoying every young lady that passed by, we all have them!

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8746 - 09/08/2014 22:01:44    1634087

Sitting amongst a gang of northern supporters today. Most of them from donegal. They were almost more disgusted than the monaghan supporters at what way the match was panning out. Go figure!

Jackeen (Dublin) - Posts: 4097 - 09/08/2014 22:01:55    1634088

Absolutely delighted to get through yesterday. Every single score was hard earned. Donegal really had to dig deep to carve out those last few points.

Overall though we were very wasteful and took some poor shooting options 2 from Mc Niallis and 1 from Gallagher in the second half stick out.
Murphy and the Mc Gee's were immense yesterday with Mc Niallis, Mc Hugh and Kavanagh when he came on doing well. Mc Fadden, Toye and Lacey struggled to get into the game.
The game itself was never going to be a spectical but I found it to be enthralling from start to finish.
I thing Armagh had a gameplan to physically intimidate Donegal and draw them into a fight (literally). I'm not talking about run of the mill physicality which is part and parcel of the game. Armagh are trying to engineer situations where the opposition react. The incident with Lacey went on for ages with 2 Armagh players at him. Mc Fadden tried to get over to help him but there were 3 Armagh players stopping him. The officials were very weak I thought offering little protection. I know Armagh posters will disagree and defend their players and that's only natural.
The sad thing is Armagh have a fine team and don't really need to resort to these tactics.
Thought the Armagh fans were a credit to their team yesterday. Most stayed to applaud their players off the pitch which is always nice to see.
Anyone know what the breakdown of supporters was yesterday. Seemed to be a big Donegal crowd.

Cleatus (Donegal) - Posts: 125 - 10/08/2014 08:37:40    1634092

Delighted that dirty crowd from Armagh are gone!

Jim_Shorts (Cavan) - Posts: 96 - 10/08/2014 08:40:02    1634094

"Laying down a marker" is that the new term that Hoganstand are using for common assault.....just like laying down a marker in a 3 minute brawl before the parade against Cavan, but big boys did it and ran away, its all the GAA and the media's fault.....never Armagh's fault.....

donegalcelt (Donegal) - Posts: 141 - 10/08/2014 09:27:48    1634103

I have got to say that I am delighted that we got thru that game yesterday in the way that we did. A 1 point win is far better than staying comofortably i the lead and without any test. There were a few worrying things in our performance, but I am not going to start singling out players there is an issue with form that is not going to go away by writing about it.

I also think that it was a complete disgrace to see a team doctor getting shoved on the ground in the middle of the pitch in front of the world. This would have been seen on sky, and everyone will be taring us with a fighting irish brush.. I cant believe that it would happen in this day and age, it is sending out the entirely wrong message to young players about the game.. I also find it hard to understand how some armagh supporters reacted to the refereeing performance, I think that he got most of the calls correct, the armagh players idea of a tackle is to punch someone in the ribs when they are in full stride. I have never seen leo mccloone getting subbed and he did today after he got a sly dig.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3846 - 10/08/2014 09:58:45    1634117

I was watchin the match on SKY yesterday,
and I saw a full scale riot break out between
supporters from all sides!

And I have absolutely no evidence to back this up;
same as many of the 'witnesses' reporting on yesterday
I'm sure! ;)

TheGateKeeper (Tyrone) - Posts: 2843 - 10/08/2014 10:31:01    1634132