I dont think anyone is saying this dublin team is untested or overrated. Its not dublins fault there is not another decent team in leinster. They are an awesome team. I hope Donegal give you a even game of it. I expect Dublin to win by 6-8 points. I am intrigued how DOnegal will try and play dublin. Do they go man to man for kickouts or let dublin have it up to the 50-45. One thing i hope is none of this puke football nonsense is the topic before and after the match. Donegal play a style that suits the players we have got. We do not have the selection of players that the likes of Dublin or Kerry have. It has happened in other sports like soccer where Greece and Chelsea have defenceive systems in professional sports yet are hailed for this after winning major trophies. Surley a group of amature lads who want to taste success are entitled to play a system that is entirely within the rules also. Dublin look like a Great team and i dont expect donegal to cause them much bother but i will be there to cheer them on in hope of a shock.

THE EXTRAMAN (Donegal) - Posts: 554 - 11/08/2014 17:07:41    1635142

Ned_Stormcrow
County: Cavan
Posts: 474

1635038
I think defensive football is going to die a very painful death in this game. We've already seen how Dublin cope when they come up against a top Ulster team i.e. a 17 point thrashing. Fact is attacking football is winning hands down these days.

We should rejoice.

I wouldn't be throwing my hat up in the air just yet young Stormcrow.

Nobody, & I mean nobody has the personnel to even attempt what Dublin are doing apart from them it's hard to see who the flagbearers for "attacking" football are.

What is a lot closer to the truth is that teams will try to do what Donegal, Armagh, Monaghan, Mayo, Cork, Kerry & most others are doing which is to get numbers back when you don't have the ball & attack at speed when you do have it. Each team will have it's own variation but that will be the basic plan for all of them.

You will notice that I didn't mention Cavan in that list. Nobody anywhere will be trying to do what Cavan do, whatever it is they do.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 11/08/2014 18:03:04    1635184

GaryMc82
County: Derry
Posts: 1295

1634971
Heard chat today that Mark McHugh has returned or is returning from the US within days, although I hardly Imagine he would be thinking of returning to the Donegal setup this season.

I couldn't see him making the Donegal squad, Not with having missed so much training. Although I suppose he was present up until just before the Derry game, so he would in theory have all the winter training done.

Unless he could act as an Impact sub

Can't see it happening. His return is down to the fact that he had a 60 day visa & he had to come back.

The word from Kilcar is that he will have to earn his place on the club team, who are going really well & if that is the case then a return for Donegal would seem to be unlikely.

However with JMcG, you never know.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 11/08/2014 18:13:32    1635195

The Jacks will target Lacey again like they did in 2011 to win the game....

eunans4ever (Donegal) - Posts: 1698 - 11/08/2014 19:00:12    1635223

This is going to be some game.I give Donegal 100% respect.To have won 3 Ulsters in 4 years,and win an All Ireland is some achievement.Big strong men,well able to take the hits,with a sprinkling of speed and classy forwards.Who cares if they play 15 men behind the ball at times.Fair play to McGuinness for coming up with a system that suits.I find it absorbing the way they play.There is no right way,or wrong way to play.They are winners.Just like Dublin at present.We just play a different style.Donegal have the capability to beat Dublin.McFadden has a big game in him.I feel they will need it.Both first 15s are evenly matched.Dublin seem to have the better options off the bench.This could be crucial.The unstoppable force v the immovable object.Something must give.Dublins greater strenght in depth to carry the day.Dublin by 4.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 11/08/2014 20:08:10    1635264

Cuederocket
Well said man and I hope the game will live up to everything it will be billed up to be. For me I wanted an Ulster final v Monaghan and I got my wish. Now I'm going to see the game that Iv wanted all year. To me , I think it's great for Donegal to be playing Dublin, it's going to be a massive build up to the game and I can imagine what Croke park will be like on THAT Sunday. There are 28 other teams who are out of the championship who would love to be in our position and be preparing for a big showdown with Dublin.
The result we won't worry about until about 1700 hours on that Sunday evening
I hope we win but if we don't i do hope we run Dublin close and still be in the game right up to the end. I would also like to think the DONEGAL PLAYERS will give everything and fight it out to the bitter end
But if we get beat we are still after having a few fantastic years and at least we won one AI
Left London Sat morning at 6-15 and did not get back to London until about 2-15 Sunday morning. Still well worth it and it's all for DONEGAL

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 11/08/2014 21:03:55    1635306

They would hardly target someone who is not going to be much of a threat.Donegal will probably target Connelly again.

shantygael (Derry) - Posts: 25 - 11/08/2014 21:05:30    1635307

They would hardly target someone who is not going to be much of a threat.Donegal will probably target Connelly again.

shantygael (Derry) - Posts: 25 - 11/08/2014 21:06:14    1635310

cuederocket
County: Dublin
Posts: 960

1635264
This is going to be some game.I give Donegal 100% respect.To have won 3 Ulsters in 4 years,and win an All Ireland is some achievement.Big strong men,well able to take the hits,with a sprinkling of speed and classy forwards.Who cares if they play 15 men behind the ball at times.Fair play to McGuinness for coming up with a system that suits.I find it absorbing the way they play.There is no right way,or wrong way to play.They are winners.Just like Dublin at present.We just play a different style.Donegal have the capability to beat Dublin.McFadden has a big game in him.I feel they will need it.Both first 15s are evenly matched.Dublin seem to have the better options off the bench.This could be crucial.The unstoppable force v the immovable object.Something must give.Dublins greater strenght in depth to carry the day.Dublin by 4.


I agree to a large extent but i do think they took it too far in 2011. That is not the way the game should be played but to their credit they won the 2012 All Ireland with a quality team.

I think the new rules have opened the door for more progressive tactics and hopefully we are good enough. They will give us a stern test but i'm confident we will break them down enough over 70 mins to win. Its set up to be a great occasion!

seany16 (Dublin) - Posts: 1663 - 11/08/2014 21:20:17    1635322

SamOnErrigaL,fair play to ya.Thats what u call a true fan.You are correct in everything you say in your post.These are times,and games,to cherish.Both of our counties have done us proud recently.The memories are stored away for ever.We wont be near the top for ever,so enjoy and savour it when we can.May the best team win.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 11/08/2014 21:27:09    1635330

Armagh wer not going to let it go to long on saturday too see if Lacey was going to be a threat, he was targeted 3 times in the first half... Not bad fora man that isn't a threat, and that to me is one of the reasons for a laboured donegal performance...... Not sure Dublin will target him or any other Donegal player as this is not this Dublin teams style under Jim Gavin.... They just want to pay football

ben1977 (Donegal) - Posts: 364 - 11/08/2014 21:28:05    1635331

I hope it is a tight battle of a game, that is competitive and to the wire for the full 70 mins. Maybe then people will stop banging on about how Dublin haven't been tested, and might give Donegal a little bit of 2012's hard earned credit that was so ruthlessly taken from them last season.

It's a game that myself and so many others are looking forward to seeing, just because these have probably been the two most significant sides since 2011.

Muckross on the Mark McHugh's return, I can't see him making the panel this season. Although he is a stamina player, a excellent ball carrier who relentlessly carry's from defence to the forwards.
I do think Colm McFadden will need to be dropped from the Donegal team, he isn't playing well and should as a result be dropped. Paddy McBrearty should replace him on that side, Murphy on the other side. Could maybe put somebody like David Walsh or Brick Molloy in front of goal. Walsh isn't listed as a full forward, but I reckon its a role he could handle.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3026 - 11/08/2014 21:47:52    1635352

Clondakkin is spot on. The Dublin haven't been tested yet is bull. and the oh Leinster is poor is another load of tripe the rest of Leinster Kildare Meath laois Wexford would all have won ulster title if they had played there over last 10 years. Let us remember the chants of Meath naivity about going man to man and how no ulster side would go down by 16 points blah blah well the great ulster style didn't go down by 16 it was more. And I expect dubs to easily cover the minus 8 handicap that's on offer. Dublin this year are unbeatable. I've said it since January. Next year is where we need to figure out can they be stopped . Its a foregone conclusion and the likes of mes blatant bs is just cute hoorism in its worst form as its patronising. Dubs 14 are unbeatable. Fact.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 12/08/2014 08:54:42    1635377

Jim has been ear-marking this game since the start of the year.

He will have his homework done on the Dubs and have a master plan to try to nullify the Dubs & win this game.

Expecting them to push Murphy further up the field and would not be surprised if Mc.Faddden is dropped.

The Donegal midfield is very powerful and I don't buy into this talk that Donegal will target certain of our players.

In the game v Armagh, as a neutral, I felt Armagh were targeting some Donegal players in fact, and were the aggressor more often than not.

But Jim Gavin is a master tactician and I expect him to have our guys well primed and prepared for what lies ahead.

I just feel speed and scoring ability will win the day, but expecting our toughest test yet.

It is just a pity Donegal don't attack more - when they needed to v Armagh near the end, they looked very good and took their scores well, but they will need to do a lot more of it against Dublin to win this game.

If Donegal fall behind I don't see them catching us. If they get a lead, they just squeeze the life out of teams.
I expect this match to be close for a lot of the game, but cant see Donegal scoring more than us.

But football is football and you never know.....

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 4475 - 12/08/2014 09:32:50    1635391

RD, I think Mayo will have a big say yet though this year...

Wouldn't write them off at all.

They are the team I am most nervous about playing against this year.

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 4475 - 12/08/2014 09:45:31    1635397

Big blow for Donegal if Lacey is out

theshamen (Mayo) - Posts: 129 - 12/08/2014 12:27:50    1635518

theshamen
County: Mayo
Posts: 87

1635518
Big blow for Donegal if Lacey is out

Me hole he'll be out.

Don't believe a word of it.

Lacey will line out against the Dubs no doubt about it, and there's no Barry Cahill to worry him this time so he shoudl see out the 70+.....;)

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13833 - 12/08/2014 13:09:29    1635551

The only way to beat dublin is to look at the 2 teams last year in the champoinship who came closest to them. Kerry and Mayo.

Kerry pushed up on Cluxtons kick outs. They gave him a torrid time, and did exactly what Dublin did v monaghan, pushed up man for man, and didnt give the dublin defense a minutes peace on the ball. Allow dublin to have short kick outs, and run up the pitch, and there are going to be serious problems.

Kerry scored 3 goals, which is something that teams who have aspirations of beating dublin are going to have to do.

Mayo had the physicality on dublin in the final,, they probably are one of the most physically strong teams out there, if not the most, but lack the legs that dublin have over 70 minutes.

All in all, closing the kickouts and scoring goals seem to be the key to staying in the game, but that is a huge generalization.
The unfortunate thing about it is that the dublin defense is no longer shipping goals.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3853 - 12/08/2014 13:56:05    1635586

Donegalman
County: All
Posts: 1481

Dublin's defence won't ship goal's if you sit back and fail to constantly get quality ball into your forwards like Monaghan did.

But If Donegal could push up when attacking, I could see Murphy and McBrearty having chances of beating their markers. Murphy is used playing against good defenders who are also backed up by a sweeper. So It would be a luxury having just one man to deal with.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3026 - 12/08/2014 14:14:26    1635605

Fionn
Fair play to you for seeing something that so many can't. Donegal target key personnel in games but by targeting them the may double mark them or close off the space allowed to them. What some people have imagined is that Donegal target players by physically abusing them and this just isn't true. The off the ball tactics by Armagh were a disgrace to the game on Saturday and if Donegal had acted like this they would be calls from all corners of the country for bans etc. There was Dublin and Monaghan fans beside be in support of these Armagh tactics with shouts like "thats the stuff for them boys" and "go cry into your blanket"but the truth is that Donegal are a physical team but certainly not a dirty team.
I think we have a mammoth task against Dublin. We will attempt to keep it tight, close of the space for running through and try to counterattack at speed to secure scores. I don't think we'll succeed but know that the lads will give it their all is enough for me. If Dublin beat us then I will be satisfied in the knowledge that a footballing team beat us and not the filth that we had to see from Armagh on Saturday.

Tir Conaill Abu (Donegal) - Posts: 1677 - 12/08/2014 14:15:22    1635606