Donegal GAA Discussion Thread

keane2097

Redsoxfan wrote: »

I'm 99% sure it will be Deegan (again). Marty has been persona non grata for Finals since 2009. But I'm sure Kerry would love to see him, I'm sure....

Is he normally good to us/bad to ye?

I've never managed to form opinions of refs outside them being generally good or crap

Nidgeweasel

keane2097 wrote: »

Is he normally good to us/bad to ye?

I've never managed to form opinions of refs outside them being generally good or crap

Ah, neither he's a good ref like.

Although, he did act the bastard during the 2012 final now. Giving Mayo a route back into it with a lot of handy frees.

Redsoxfan

keane2097 wrote: »

Is he normally good to us/bad to ye?

He was very good to ye in 2009!

And, he did send off Michael Murphy back in 2011.

Edit - oh, if you are asking about Deegan, then I have no real opinion on him one way or another.

keane2097 wrote: »

I've never managed to form opinions of refs outside them being generally good or crap

+1. Most of them are consistently bad in some respect or another, i.e. they are either too fussy or too permissive. As long as they frustrate both sides equally, no problem.

Redsoxfan

keane2097 wrote: »

Cramp I'd say, didn't look like a guy who was worried about being injured when interviewed after.

Thought as much myself.

keane2097 wrote: »

Gooch togging out is gas, probably a mix of mind games and for his own sake. I remember discussing with my dad about the injury at the time and he had some plausible reason I can't remember as to why the injury wasn't as bad as let on but I couldn't see him being involved. It would be so Hollywood if he was though!

Speaking to a few people who have had the cruciate injury, they say no chance he can be recovered enough to play. But who knows, maybe ye have got hold of some horse placenta or deer antler spray.

Padkir

harpsman wrote: »

Fair play-we were all sying 7/1 crazy but not many put their money...

I made some money out of ye! Was a nice surprise after Saturday's disappointment.

laserlad2010

Now that I've clawed my way out of the horrors yesterday after a long day of celebrations, I need to put my feelings to paper....

As many people have said, that was the greatest Donegal performance I have ever witnessed. At 25 minutes, with Dublin gobs****s all around us giving up a loud "waheyyyyyy" at the unanswered points, we felt we were in for a drubbing. In fairness, those points were gorgeous. Sublime finishing from that Dublin side.

27 minutes, Christy Toye, what can I say that hasn't been said already?

(We even had some baldy p***k shouting to his young children, for our benefit, about how it was no wonder Celtic were out of the "f**king" Champo's League if McGuinness was involved, about puke football, champagne football etc. He was some quiet man for the last 40 minutes and we let him know it too!)

To make a few (no doubt unpopular) points:

1. This is total, and I mean total, vindication for 2013. Jim always stuck to his guns by saying we were depleted and mentally exhausted and he has been proved 100% right now. Potentially, with another AI we will banish forever the negativity associated with our brand of football.

2. Donegal has also completely changed football with our approach. Mental preparation, defense, counter attack, mind games, physical fitness - in 5-10 years time we will look back and see that almost every county will have learned something from McGuinness (if not already).

3. I, personally, feel that despite Donegal outclassing Dublin in the second half, Dublin failed to display any determination required to win a tough match. With 5 points in it and 10-ish minutes to go, Dublin proceeded to kick 5 wides. At that stage they lost their heads and started bulling through for goals, which played right into our hands and dispossessions were rife. I want to state that I am in awe of the previous results of this Dublin team, and do not begrudge them their previous success, but, put simply, questions were asked of them on Sunday and they failed to respond.

4. It was said previously that Colm Anthony has been starved of the close assists that helped him become an All Star in 2012. On Sunday he showed a hunger and determination that had not been seen for some time - chasing his marker into our half, beating his man to the 50:50 balls, and retaining possession under pressure.

All in all, I always harboured a dark fear that we would be known as a flash in the pan, as a negative side, and banished to the North West for another 20 years. Even now I am smiling as I realise that that will no longer happen - even if we do not win in 3 weeks time. My only regret is that Big Jim will leave us - as I genuinely believed that he might give us a Mickey Harte style tenure in order to lay the foundations of a footballing dynasty.

One interesting thought - how likely is it, do other posters think, that when left without Jim the lads will return to their old ways? I think that given a taste of success these boys will hold themselves up to their own new standards...

major deegan

Hope its not marty duffy reffin anyway, it'll be stop and go for the afternoon.Would he get it with his proximity to donegal?? Would jerseys not just be both teams wearing their away strips hence blue v white....

Alvin Holler

harpsman wrote: »

Presume Paddy McGrath will mark JOD.

I'd be surprised if it's not Neil McGee marking JOD. I can't remember the last time it wasn't Neil marking the other teams most dangerous full forward. He's marked B Brogan, Jamie Clarke and Conor McManus in the last three games.

I know Paddy marked O'Donohue in 2012 but there's a big difference between 2014 and 2012. Lacey and McGlynn won't be too far away from him either.

keane2097

Kerry have confirmed they are to wear green and gold anyway. Presume Donegal will wear their preferred strip as well.

http://www.kerrygaa.ie/news.php?item=1635&full=y

Redsoxfan

Yeah, as said, County Secretary confirmed we are wearing gold...

BonnieSituation

To laserlad...

Point 1: I'm afraid the negativity won't be shaken by those who still possess it. Anyone with eyes could see that Sunday wasn't negative and as for your 2012 run...
**** the begrudgers at this stage.

Point 3: With ten to go we had been at it for 60 minutes with no joy. Ye were relentless and I would say we were mentally drained. No one could put up with such an onslaught.
In 2011 ye couldn't score so it was easier to deal with at the end.

K-9

BonnieSituation wrote: »

To laserlad...

Point 1: I'm afraid the negativity won't be shaken by those who still possess it. Anyone with eyes could see that Sunday wasn't negative and as for your 2012 run...
**** the begrudgers at this stage.

Sunday would have opened a lot of peoples eyes. Anybody that slates us now there's no talking to them, its an opinion not based on logic anyway!

laserlad2010

BonnieSituation wrote: »

To laserlad...

Point 1: I'm afraid the negativity won't be shaken by those who still possess it. Anyone with eyes could see that Sunday wasn't negative and as for your 2012 run...
**** the begrudgers at this stage.

Point 3: With ten to go we had been at it for 60 minutes with no joy. Ye were relentless and I would say we were mentally drained. No one could put up with such an onslaught.
In 2011 ye couldn't score so it was easier to deal with at the end.

Bonnie, I agree with you there. To be honest I absolutely love watching you lads play, as I said when we were facing down the barrel of a drubbing, it was still beautiful football.

BonnieSituation

K-9 wrote: »

Sunday would have opened a lot of peoples eyes. Anybody that slates us now there's no talking to them, its an opinion not based on logic anyway!

Thankfully anyone who states that I don't talk to them!

laserlad2010 wrote: »

Bonnie, I agree with you there. To be honest I absolutely love watching you lads play, as I said when we were facing down the barrel of a drubbing, it was still beautiful football.

Due to getting the missus (in case ye are wondering, she's from Donegal) I was moved down to 314 for the dame on my ST so the view wasn't the best for me.

The points that Connolly and Flynn scored in that period of ascendancy were some of the best I've seen. Connolly never once panicked as he held of tackle after tackle. Flynn has staked his claim in my pantheon of my all-time faves. So that means it's him and Stevie O'Neill in there now.

charlie14

BonnieSituation wrote: »

Thankfully anyone who states that I don't talk to them!




Due to getting the missus (in case ye are wondering, she's from Donegal) I was moved down to 314 for the dame on my ST so the view wasn't the best for me.

The points that Connolly and Flynn scored in that period of ascendancy were some of the best I've seen. Connolly never once panicked as he held of tackle after tackle. Flynn has staked his claim in my pantheon of my all-time faves. So that means it's him and Stevie O'Neill in there now.

Class scores from both of them alright, but I wonder how much of Flynn`s technique nowadays is due to all the shooting practice he put in with Michael Murphy when they were both in DCU. Seem to remember a few years ago he was a bit wayward to say the least. I can see him moving to midfield for the Dubs next year.
Glad to see Connolly seems to be getting his act together under Gavin. Great footballer,but for a few years there his temper looked like ruining his careerm and indeed life.

BonnieSituation

He was like a man possessed in the Roy Keane v Juventus way and not the Alfie Haaland way which was becoming the norm. Superb all year.

boxer.fan

I expected a great game from Flynn. I was more impressed with Connolly though, if I remember correctly I think he got a right roasting in the 2011 game & I expected the same this time.

SM746

Short and sweet - happiest I've ever been after Sundays game. To beat the 'unbeatables' was immense; the greatest day I had since I went to my first Donegal game in 1993.
As Jim says though it counts for nothing; the big one is the 21st. Any complacency and beating Dublin might as well have not happened.

Open training session on Sat in Ballybofey at 1pm; cannot wait to tell any player who will listen to me what Sunday meant.

Finally, just heard Jim White has sadly passed away. A great backer of Donegal football in our long barren years. May be rest in peace.

harpsman

keane2097 wrote: »

No point bringing him on if we're behind and chasing I suppose as Donegal would have enough bodies back to make him pointless. Possibly in the first half there would be a bit more space. I think the quality of ball going into him was terrible for a few years and he was basically our first and often only point of attack. Possibly there's more threats to take heat off him now or at least a more varied approach to attacking.

Funnily enough I think 2012 was our nadir in terms of transitioning. We had too many old lads who while all still good individually as a group were creaking.

The thing about losing guys is you're not losing them at their peak, it was pretty much over for most of them so the standard didn't really drop that much even though you lost the scary looking team sheet.

Where guys like Paul Murphy have come out of is a mystery tbf!

True enough. I still think whichever side wins it will be one of the great comeback wins, given where both teams were 6 months ago.

harpsman

Nidgeweasel wrote: »

Ah, neither he's a good ref like.

Although, he did act the bastard during the 2012 final now. Giving Mayo a route back into it with a lot of handy frees.

Think he felt bit guilty for the free Mayo should have had which led to our 2nd goal. But you re right he did give em a few handy frees after and should have sent off at least one Mayo player.

I think Deegs is a good ref overall.

harpsman

keane2097 wrote: »

Cramp I'd say, didn't look like a guy who was worried about being injured when interviewed after.

Gooch togging out is gas, probably a mix of mind games and for his own sake. I remember discussing with my dad about the injury at the time and he had some plausible reason I can't remember as to why the injury wasn't as bad as let on but I couldn't see him being involved. It would be so Hollywood if he was though!

Agree totally about the jerseys

If I was luggin that ass around for 90 minutes Id have cramp too:D

keane2097

harpsman wrote: »

True enough. I still think whichever side wins it will be one of the great comeback wins, given where both teams were 6 months ago.

Oh yeah 100%, I'm still bowled over that it's Kerry vs Donegal.

shiibata

Have been at all Donegal games at Croker bar 3 this last few years as was on foreign soil....Kildare in 2011, Cork in 2012 and Dublin last weekend....must be the 3 best games for atmosphere this last few years, i reckon i missed...

opiniated

BonnieSituation wrote: »

Don't be worrying. Anyone who knows 'ball knows Spillane is a spoofer. He was also saying stuff like "a great forward should be scoring, you can't be a great forward without scoring". That's not the be all and end all of forward play nowadays. It's like a cliché, machine. Constantly talking about dublin being athletic and not "natural" footballers. It's mental stuff.

The problem with Spillane is that he's on the Panel. It's infinitely better without him. In fairness to Colm O'Rourke, he called him on some stuff.

The problem with Spillane is that he doesn't understand that the game has progressed without him, imo.
Or maybe he does understand, and just can't accept it.

Either way, he needs to either progress with the game, or shut up, and accept that his opinion isn't the only definititive one in the world.
He's a thoroughly irritating little man, as far as I'm concerned.

BonnieSituation wrote: »

And as for yourself liking the Donegal style, it's hard not to like it.

You're one of the few Kerry boys on here that I actually don't mind reading what ya have to say to be honest. I usually bristle like a hedgehog when I come near any of ye mind!



There is zero chance. He said as much on RTÉ on Sunday pre-match. He said that he could be back in the New Year.

Ominous for us if both McHughs are in that side!

Both McHughs would be very intrigueing to watch, and I suspect, very hard to pin down.:D

Alvin Holler

opiniated wrote: »

The problem with Spillane is that he doesn't understand that the game has progressed without him, imo.
Or maybe he does understand, and just can't accept it.

Either way, he needs to either progress with the game, or shut up, and accept that his opinion isn't the only definititive one in the world.
He's a thoroughly irritating little man, as far as I'm concerned.

I rewatched the match there and in the pre match build up Spilliane was complaining that teams spend too much time on strength and conditioning and not enough on kicking and the skills of the game. To be fair to O'Rourke he called that rubbish.

Nidgeweasel

harpsman wrote: »

Think he felt bit guilty for the free Mayo should have had which led to our 2nd goal. But you re right he did give em a few handy frees after and should have sent off at least one Mayo player.

I think Deegs is a good ref overall.

But sure didn't someone box eamon McGee during that too!

charlie14

Anybody read Mairtin Breheny`s column in the Indo yesterday? The man`s getting as bad as Spillane. A terrible lazy piece of journalism imo, especially as he had three days to review the game before writing. I couldn`t help but think from the tone, that he was maybe a bit cheesed off with Donegal in that he`s now going to have to re-write all those columns he had ready, telling us all how Dublin were going to perform in the final.

major deegan

charlie14 wrote: »

Anybody read Mairtin Breheny`s column in the Indo yesterday? The man`s getting as bad as Spillane. A terrible lazy piece of journalism imo, especially as he had three days to review the game before writing. I couldn`t help but think from the tone, that he was maybe a bit cheesed off with Donegal in that he`s now going to have to re-write all those columns he had ready, telling us all how Dublin were going to perform in the final.

Ahhh,they would'nt be ones for drivel in the indo surely!

Not that one

Just getting a chance to stick down my thoughts now.
We really rode our luck in the first 20 minutes or so, in that we didnt concede more scores, especially the goal chances, but we really owned the game after that. Granted we did defend well, but if the Dubs kicked one or 2 more points never mind goals it would have been a huge test.
Anyway every game hangs on maybes so delighted it fell our way.

I cant think of any 5 minute period beyond this where i feared that the Dub's could stage the comeback required.
Any possession/momentum they had was wasted with poor shot selection.

Were the team prepped that they would step up from the defensive shape and attack in numbers/support once Christy Toye appeared onto the pitch?
If this was Plan A (And i think it was a clear tactic), i wonder what Plan B is (keep defensive i assume) or what were the other pre-planned moves - if another sub appears - that the players automatically just click into. It's one of the intriguing elements to Mc Guinness' management trying to analyse just how much pre-planning and preparation goes into each move that happens on the pitch.

I cannot fathom how the Dublin management left the defense open for so long without pulling one or two players back to provide some cover and stem the flow (even for 5 minutes). You would not expect to see this space being left in a Division 1 club game in Donegal, and would be critical of any manager naive enough to allow it to happen.

anyway, excellent game, atmosphere, performance and looking forward to the final.

Redsoxfan

On Christy, I don't think he's able for 70 minutes at Championship level. My own guess is that Walsh was just a stop gap to allow Christy to give his all for 50-60 minutes.