Well done to Donegal, and hard luck to Dublin, is this the last we see of the two brogans 31, 30, bastick 33, Brennan 31, Cluxton 33, Cullen 30.it will be hard for these to come back after taking a beating like this. Dublin do have a great squad and will have major surgery next year to reclaim Sam.

kerryrowz (Kerry) - Posts: 833 - 31/08/2014 21:11:35    1645605

Amazing result! This was a good lesson to Dublin in modesty I must say

Ronan1989 (Donegal) - Posts: 81 - 31/08/2014 21:14:57    1645607

kerryrowz
County: Kerry
Posts: 748

1645605


Well done to Donegal, and hard luck to Dublin, is this the last we see of the two brogans 31, 30, bastick 33, Brennan 31, Cluxton 33, Cullen 30.it will be hard for these to come back after taking a beating like this. Dublin do have a great squad and will have major surgery next year to reclaim Sam.

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Hard to know. I'm sure Gavin will be telling them that there is a Sam there next year, particularly with that very good U21 team. Alan and Clucko may go. Cullen will almost certainly go and Bastic. We have a ready made replacement for Alan in Ciaran Kilkenny. I can see Bernard staying on. He has anothe couple of years in him I think. Gavin and this squad will have learned a huge amount from today. It's important that they regroup now and launch a fresh assault next year without the ridiculous odds pinned on them by the media and bookies. Will be nice to be challengers again.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4743 - 31/08/2014 21:29:58    1645633

In fairness to the Dubs they are one of the few team who could afford to loose those type of players and still challenge for honours. Plenty of talent coming through

seadog54 (Meath) - Posts: 2215 - 31/08/2014 21:45:00    1645644

What a game and great to see a bit of toughness in the match without red cards being given out needlessly. Great game in every aspect today including the refereeing :)

Cranky360 (Mayo) - Posts: 834 - 31/08/2014 21:57:19    1645661

I remember Jimmy celebrating like this when they beat Cork in the AIF in 2012! :-)

I couldn't get on to wish Donegal 'Good Luck' but just to say it was a great display of skill, passion and honesty by Donegal.

Best of luck on the Final (as if you need it)!

sam2008 (Tyrone) - Posts: 799 - 01/09/2014 08:42:33    1645675

Fair play to Donegal. We were out thought and outfought. No shame in going down to a team like that.

avonali (Dublin) - Posts: 1991 - 01/09/2014 09:11:49    1645687

Well done Donegal on the deserved win.

On ourselves, I think the problem was that we panicked a bit once we let our lead slip and we missed goal chances in the first half to put us 7 or 8 up. Once Donegal got back into the game I thought Jim Gavins tactics were wrong.

CaisleanCnucha (Dublin) - Posts: 1379 - 01/09/2014 09:18:22    1645692

MuckrossHead
County: Donegal
Posts: 3133

1644299
I haven't a clue how to call it.

Could be Dublin by 20 or a tactical masterplan from JMcG carried out to perfection by the players to see Donegal home by 6.

I will start here by saying that yesterday was the best day of my footballing life. In the post above I said that Donegal might win by six, which they did, but I also said that Dublin could win by 20 which might also have happened if they had taken their goal chances in the first half.

After 15 minutes I was sitting with my head in my hands but at the same time marvelling at the display Dublin were putting on & fearful of what HS was going to look like this morning. But to Donegal's eternal credit, they never panicked kept their composure & gradually got a toehold in midfield. What happened after that was a combination of great tactics from JMcG, brilliant execution from the players & inexplicably a Dublin team that wilted under the pressure.

Dublin had plenty of chances to win this game, some of the misses in the second half were mystifying but pressure does strange things. What was even more strange was how Donegal cut through them time & time again in the second half & yet Gavin did nothing about it.

It has often been discussed here about how difficult it is to do back to back All Irelands, Donegal found out all about it last year & I have no doubt that Dublin will be better for this experience. They are a great bunch & have done so many things in the right way but nobody has an automatic right to Sam. I do feel that the hype got to them a bit, despite their best efforts, they wouldn't have been human if it didn't.

For Donegal, this is huge. It is a vindication of JMcG who now has to be acknowledged as one of the greats. It also puts to bed some of the talk about how smaller counties can't compete. They can.

Last of all I have to mention the Dubs both on HS and around Croke Park yesterday. On a day that can't have been easy the magnaminity, good humour & sheer class has been a wonder to behold. Take a bow lads. As a side note would someone look in on DubJohn, just to make sure he's ok!!!

To cap it all the minors came through as well & to see two of my on clubmen take the "man of the match" titles in both games was fantastic. My cup truly runneth over!!

Ok Clondalkin, jimbo, Liam, Rd, Cuede, Hurling, Jackeen & anyone else who wants to join in, all together now.

"Jimmy's winning matches, Jimmy's winning games"

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 01/09/2014 09:28:03    1645698

There has been a huge amount made of the emerging talent in Dublin but Dublin are still heavily reliant on the Brogans, Flynn and Connolly in their forward line (all brilliant players). None of the much vaunted young players have made the breakthrough. Obviously there is still a lot of time for them but you get the feeling that the Dublin dominance may not be quite as pronounced as people feared. Dublin needed the goal in the first half to break Donegal's resolve but it never came. It could have been a very different game. That said Donegal were magnificent. Tactically they got everything spot on. Dublin followed their players like sheep into the Donegal defence and were then left wide open to the counter. Dublin have took the attitude this year that they will play to their strengths but you cannot just ignore the opposition, it was so obvious that McHugh needed a man marker and a couple of players left back to cover their full back line.

Yesterday's game was magnificent because of the contrast in style. Donegal were hard to watch in Ulster but revelled in their counter acting game in the wide open spaces of Croke Park. The final may be more a war of attrition with a Kerry team that has a lot of the traits of the Ulster teams. Still, can't wait.

MB1 (Tyrone) - Posts: 360 - 01/09/2014 09:29:47    1645699

Very well done to Donegal, a tactical masterclass by McGuinness and a massive effort by his players, I thought when Dublin went 7-2 up it was over, this Dublin team doesn't lose leads, they build on them but Donegal surprised most people yesterday so well done again lads, delighted for you's. It was almost incredible to see great players like Brogan and Connolly kicking poor wides under pressure but I suppose the lack of a real test in this year's championship does you no favours either.

Now on another note, in Dublin's defence, a lot of people around me yesterday (and possibly on here, I didn't read much on this thread) were criticizing Dublin fans for claiming their 'team was unbeatable' but to be fair I don't think many made that claim, certainly no true Dubs fan did. Also if that was my team I'd be very confident of a win heading into every game given the players they have, especially up front.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 01/09/2014 09:38:52    1645708

Muckross fair play to you. I'm genuinely delighted, voice is a little raspy shouting at TV. Said it yesterday and will say it again I was never so happy to be so wrong. I didn't see it coming , that made it all the better. And I am so looking forward to visiting the in laws this weekend :).

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 01/09/2014 09:53:42    1645734

Congrats and fair play to Donegal - all the best for the final

HenryHill16 (Dublin) - Posts: 249 - 01/09/2014 09:56:09    1645739

Ronan1989
County: Donegal
Posts: 4

1645607
Amazing result! This was a good lesson to Dublin in modesty I must say
___________________________
Unfair comment. Stay classy Ronan1989.

avonali (Dublin) - Posts: 1991 - 01/09/2014 10:12:01    1645748

what happened to MDM yesterday took one big hit from one of the Donegal lads after about 25 mins and he disappeared out of the game after that.

Rosineri1 (UK) - Posts: 2099 - 01/09/2014 10:19:16    1645766

I have got to say I feel a bit strange today. I will never again doubt our team, before this game, I even was running them down a bit, not because they were no good or poor, but because they faced a dublin team that ticked every single box there is.

For the first 20 minutes, myself and by pal sat stunned watching the inevitable unfold. But for some strange reason, they didnt lose hope nor composure on the pitch. I will never forget the celebrations after the first goal went in.

I have also got to say that the dubs are a great credit to themselves and the game, the way they stayed on to the very end to shout for their team, and beyond the 70 minutes. Very sporting indeed. They will be back next year with a few things to straighten out, and they will do it no doubt.

Finally I will say that the all ireland final between ourselves and kerry will be an absolutely 100% level playing field. I would not build kerry up or run ourselves down. We will both have the same number of days to prepare. We both have a clean bill of health. We both have reasons that we can win it and deserve has nothing to do with it. All on the day. Magic times.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3846 - 01/09/2014 10:34:33    1645792

Got to say well done Donegal, but hats off the Dublin for been gracious winners and gracefull losers yesterday, got to say I feel Donegal will take us in the final, but maybe next year is our year. Donegal look to be back to their best.

kerryrowz (Kerry) - Posts: 833 - 01/09/2014 10:35:21    1645795

What a result. Hard luck Dublin. It was one of those days for us. Nothing win yet! Have to say the minor game was the best ive seen in a lông time. Stephen Mc Brearty is some footballer. For those stîçking the boot in, remember last year Ulster final and quarter final! Flynn is a class act.

DLlegends (Donegal) - Posts: 503 - 01/09/2014 10:37:24    1645800

Congrats Donegal - well done.

Jim Mc Guinness is a genius for his counter attacking tactics yesterday. Our Jim got a harsh lesson.
For Donegal to score what they did - well, it is some going. I didn't see that coming but there you go.
Enjoy.

Don't leave it behind you now though, go on and finish the job.

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 4246 - 01/09/2014 10:40:58    1645805

Mayo players and supporters must be doubly sick today after Donegal's win over Dublin. Psychologically they would have fancied themselves to beat Donegal in the final.

lilywhite1 (Kildare) - Posts: 3028 - 01/09/2014 10:48:33    1645813