What happened to Donegal in '13? Had that any baring on '14 for you's? For me it didn't but you'll said it did to make your point valid.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 23/08/2015 19:52:46    1774799

Sorry clondalkin, you've lost me there completely.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 23/08/2015 20:01:24    1774802

Match week, let the craic begin! Nerves hanging off me already..

Honestly can't pick a winner but will let the heart rule and go with Dublin!

AthCliath87 (Dublin) - Posts: 345 - 24/08/2015 13:02:39    1775190

They are worried. O'Shea has changed his hairstyle in the hope Rory won't notice him ;-)

JayP (Dublin) - Posts: 1772 - 24/08/2015 13:06:11    1775194

Dublin -7

Philly McMahon anytime goal scorer.

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13655 - 24/08/2015 13:19:44    1775224

Wayno1 Love the optimism but even the bookies only have the handicap at -2!

AthCliath87 (Dublin) - Posts: 345 - 24/08/2015 13:28:12    1775238

I believe this is Mayo's year, if the game is reffed fairly they will beat Dublin. I think they have the beating of Kerry, Tyrone showed up the weakness of the Kerry defence yesterday and would have beat them in my opinion but for 'poor' refereeing.

TirChonaillabu2 (Donegal) - Posts: 344 - 24/08/2015 13:50:07    1775263

For me, Dublin have been the on-form team all year. I cannot see them being beaten. Kerry did the show-boating v Kildare; yesterday's game v Tyrone showed vulnerabilities in their defence; Dublin quietly got past Fermanagh with ease & without any fanfare. After Mayo beat DL (we were admittedly beaten well, & deservedly so), there were calls for Aidan O'Shea to be Player of the Year. While O'Shea has been outstanding thus far, and his goal against us, tho painful to watch, was beautifully executed, nevertheless, it was only the Quarter-Finals & this call was ridiculously premature. By comparison, we hear no such calls or media attention in relation to the Dubs who are heads down & quietly getting on with the job. I have been to all the Dub games thus far, both League & Championship & have been very impressed with how they have learned lessons from last year: they are tighter defensively & are communicating very well with each other on the pitch & I think this signals a maturity in this team we haven't seen before. Cian O'Sullivan's role as sweeper is key as are players like Diarmuid Connolly & Philly McMahon. The biggest issue for Dub is the big gap between games but you would have to feel that Gavin has made use of that time for his boys to be primed & ready to scalp Mayo. Also, Mayo's freshness v DL ultimately made the difference so Dub's freshness should likewise stand to them. I think Dublin have more options than Mayo, particularly in terms of scorers. Mayo may well win out at midfield but I think upfront that Dublin's strength & class will shine. Like most of the country, I would not begrudge Mayo another crack at winning Sam & I honestly wish them well on Sunday but I think they are still overly reliant on Cillian O'Connor for scores & while O'Shea has been fantastic this year, I just cannot see Dublin giving him the same space to score the kind of goals we've seen thus far. Dub management will have been honing a plan to handle him, having learned from how poorly DL managed him. I think Dublin v Mayo is set to be the most interesting & exciting pairing of the year, the AI winner will emerge from this game & I am really looking forward to an epic battle..... Now if only I could get myself a couple of tickets I'd be happy.

Glynners (Donegal) - Posts: 109 - 24/08/2015 18:31:00    1775532

Glynners, you've just given me a whole new sense of optimism after reading that! I really hope you're right! It's going to be a long week.

CroiGorm (Dublin) - Posts: 1547 - 24/08/2015 18:58:24    1775541

TirChonaillabu2
County: Donegal
Posts: 127

1775263
I believe this is Mayo's year, if the game is reffed fairly they will beat Dublin. I think they have the beating of Kerry, Tyrone showed up the weakness of the Kerry defence yesterday and would have beat them in my opinion but for 'poor' refereeing.
_____________________
well well well.....so by your logic if Dublin win, then the match will have been reffed unfairly. It would have nothing to do with the fact that Dublin on the day might be the better .
team???? The level of begrudgery in your post is mind bending.

avonali (Dublin) - Posts: 2008 - 24/08/2015 19:07:38    1775544

Glynners you have a great calming effect! ! Momentarily at least!

COC been average all championship though

Sunday is so far away!!

AthCliath87 (Dublin) - Posts: 345 - 24/08/2015 19:51:32    1775569

AOS cannot be stopped without blackcards these days and Cluxton will not have the impact with the kickouts as Mayo have it sussed out. Mayo by 5

maroondiesel (Mayo) - Posts: 1236 - 24/08/2015 20:04:50    1775580

well well well.....so by your logic if Dublin win, then the match will have been reffed unfairly. It would have nothing to do with the fact that Dublin on the day might be the better .
team???? The level of begrudgery in your post is mind bending.

Maybe I didn't make my point very well,if the game is reffed fairly and Dublin win then good luck to them,that's how it should be, my opinion is Mayo have the beating of Dublin and Kerry if they get that far,
I think the ref had a big say in Mayo's defeat last year in Limerick and they probably would have beat us in the final but we'll never know that,we should have won it ourselves but we couldn't get the performance out that we showed against the Dubs in the semi,
good luck to both teams and may the best team win,fair and square,that's my point.

TirChonaillabu2 (Donegal) - Posts: 344 - 24/08/2015 20:05:31    1775581

Maroondiesal the key to keeping AOS quiet is stopping the flow of quality ball into him... If that fails, getting any sort of punch/hand on the ball and have players ready to swamp up the breaking ball..

AthCliath87 (Dublin) - Posts: 345 - 24/08/2015 20:19:30    1775586

So hard to call. So many variables to come into play. Like how will Mayo deal with kick outs, how will Dublin play AOS. How will Dublin counteract Mayo's swift and strong running through the centre. Dublin missing a strong target Man at full forward, whom if they had would surely have every base covered. Mayo management will be confident of the backs tying up Dublin's forward line, however Dublin half back line will ultimately look to break into space left from the normally magnificent movement of the Dubs front six. Big test for Cooper, if he plays sweeper as such. Would have liked for young Small to have got more minutes as he does give the half back line of Dublin much more physicality, which I think they are lacking at minute.

Mayo have enormous motivation this year and must be admired for their level of hunger and sheer determination which they display each year.

While I think the Dubs should shade it, as there front six is much better, something is telling me that each Mayo man in Croke Park on Sunday will be willing to lay down life and soul for another crack at SAM. Mayo by 2.

However I will probably change my mind again tomorrow. Can't wait.

DLlegends (Donegal) - Posts: 503 - 24/08/2015 20:22:58    1775591

AthCliath87 quality ball in is a myth imo , he caught an ok ball in from his brother for his goal against Donegal , Donaghy catch yesterday was unbelievable but it wasn't a quality ball in likewise Murphy's catch v Galway the ball in was nothing special, it doesn't matter what way it's kicked in cause some they'll win some they won't it's more about the player than the ball kicked in.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 24/08/2015 20:49:53    1775597

The closer the match comes , the more I think Dublin will win and maybe with a bit to spare.

When one analyses the Dubs , it must be noted that they have lost one match in champo football in three years.

Ill be honest, had Dublin taken either of their goal chances against us last year , it might have been a massacre .

I think Gavin will have learned from last year and while not neglecting their expansive and offensive game plan he will have a strategy to deal with the Mayo runners.

I think Dublin will get goals and this will decide it.

This is a serious Dublin side and while this is a very good Mayo side, I cannot see Dublin being caught again .

TheRightStuff (Donegal) - Posts: 1688 - 24/08/2015 20:58:23    1775603

This is indeed a very good Dublin team. Probably the best that I have seen over the past 4 or 5 decades that I've been following the Dubs, in fact definitely the best. If we play to our best then I think we will win. If we don't and Mayo stay with us then the doubts may creep in, the capitulation last year when we ran out of ideas and our defence parted like the red sea, that 2012 defeat as AI champions when Mayo were 10 points up at one stage. As a Dubs fan you are never too optimistic, as previous well fancied (by the media) sky blue teams have imploded spectacularly at the business end of the championship, twice to this Mayo side, we expect the unexpected. This is a terrific Mayo team. If they don't win an AI with this talented crop then we may all be pushing up the daisies by the time that county is back in the top four. They play a very good brand of football, as do Dublin. If both teams go man to man then this could be a classic contest. With talents like Brogan, Connolly, O'Connor, O'Shea, Flynn, Keegan all on show, I haven't looked forward to a game so much in a long time and with a seat 14 rows back and on the half-way line I'm planning on lapping this one up. I'm nailing my colours to the mast, DC to put on a show, Dubs by 3.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4748 - 24/08/2015 21:25:06    1775625

There's a lot of Donegal posters on this thread LOL. webare missing the craic of being involved in the semis, we had a few great years, hope we can get back in the mix next year,the draw for next years Ulster championship is our focus now.
Good luck to both teams on Sunday,looking forward to it.

TirChonaillabu2 (Donegal) - Posts: 344 - 24/08/2015 21:30:54    1775627

Tom Parsons and Brian Fenton are two new players brought in this year at midfield seemingly to give both teams a balance.. Two questions: do people think they will have the big game mentality to cope at such an important position and what do they bring to their teams aside from a balance?? Also can't wait cillian o connor explode into life again like last year as he has gone under the radar this year

RoscoMan (Roscommon) - Posts: 80 - 25/08/2015 08:38:39    1775657