Donegal v Cork. Croke Park 30/07/16

[Syferus]

Two poor teams rattling each other's cages. Both will be gone by Sunday week either way. It's a pity that the gap between Dublin and everyone else is only increasing and not lessening year over year, but is anyone surprised?

Surfaced

Ok.

Enjoyable only because it was close. Lots of poor wides and bad defending by both sides. Donegal can't defend anymore and the inevitable will happen next week, likely in some style.

[Zulu]

First game I've enjoyed this Summer, have missed plenty tho.

No harm but I don't know how you enjoyed that. Close with some good scores but outside of that nothing to recommend it. Football without intensity can be a poor spectacle and that game had zero intensity. The atmosphere was testament to the quality of the game and it had nothing to do with being in Croke Park, if the crowd have nothing to get excited about it doesn't matter where you play it.

[bennydorano]

I've lost interest this year tbh, most of what I've watched has been been very poor, what games have been good in comparison to today??

[Main Street]

This game was interesting with some great scores and if it had more intensity Donegal still would have won it.

[Zulu]

Not sure off hand, Cork Tipp was good and Tipp Derry was good too. Monaghan and Donegal was pretty good as well. I just thought today's game was just a nothing event, trundling along with no intensity but some great scores as both teams were poor at defending despite everyone getting back.

I just hope football doesn't become a sport that you kick out to the full back line and then run the ball, unimpeded, to the oppositions 45 before probing for a scoring opportunity. If a good game is one determined simply by both teams getting a fair few scores at the end of that process rather than kicking lots of wides then the game is ruined.

God I hope the Dubs win it again.

[BluestackBoy]

First game I've enjoyed this Summer, have missed plenty tho.

No harm but I don't know how you enjoyed that. Close with some good scores but outside of that nothing to recommend it. Football without intensity can be a poor spectacle and that game had zero intensity. The atmosphere was testament to the quality of the game and it had nothing to do with being in Croke Park, if the crowd have nothing to get excited about it doesn't matter where you play it.

Zulu, no harm to you, but you have never in your life posted anything remotely positive about Donegal, ever.

Whether some strapping Donegal lad wiped you eye with a lassie at some stage or whatever it is about time you got over it.

[Zulu]

BluestackBoy, you must not have read too many of my posts as I've often complimented Donegal (pre JMcG) but the muck system that Donegal play means it's very hard for neutral football supporters to shout for them. As a Donegal man you may not care what others think and fair enough but Donegal play a horrible brand of football that reduces the game to a terrible spectacle. I don't think even the most one eyed Donegal supporter could deny that.

[Main Street]

If they replaced the poncy hand pass/throw ball/hand slaps  with the punch, I'd tolerate the modern game a good bit more.

[Zulu]

If lads didn't simply run back to their own 45 I'd tolerate it much more. Defensive systems that make the game unwatchable while failing to prevent teams scoring a lot is somebodies idea of a sick joke!

[BluestackBoy]

BluestackBoy, you must not have read too many of my posts as I've often complimented Donegal (pre JMcG) but the muck system that Donegal play means it's very hard for neutral football supporters to shout for them. As a Donegal man you may not care what others think and fair enough but Donegal play a horrible brand of football that reduces the game to a terrible spectacle. I don't think even the most one eyed Donegal supporter could deny that.

Zulu, everyone is entitled to their point of view but Donegal are hardly alone in playing the way they do. Neither can I accept that ther style always results in a terrible spectacle. The games against Kerry, Cork & Mayo in 2012 weren't terrible. 2014 against Dublin was one of the best games in recent memory, neither was there anything wrong with today's performance.

If you want to call 21 points in a game "muck" then that is your perogative but in an era when people bemoan the lack of scoretaking from distance today was a real tonic while McBrearty's performance was superb.

Maybe if you were prepared to give a nod to the odd good thing from Donegal then it wouldn't be easier to acknowledge the fact that you just don't like the way they play which is fair enough.

[Zulu]

I never said every game Donegal play is bad but a lot of them have been and their system is increasingly likely to result in bad games now that teams have cottoned on to it.

High scoring doesn't necessarily make a game good, it never did, and today's game wasn't good.

I think the one thing modern football doesn't lack is quality distance scores and there were certainly some very good ones today (and repeatedly acknowledged by me) but the lack of intensity and many of the best skills of the game means the game was poor overall.

You mentioned McBrearty, and he was brilliant today but Murphy was a nonentity again today. Both himself and McBrearty should be wowing football supporters everyday but often don't because of the way Donegal play and the fact they force opponents to largely mirror it.

I've nothing against any county but I want to see the likes of McBrearty, Murphy, McManus, Colm O'Neill, Bernard Brogan etc. expressing themselves. I want to see big men climb into the clouds to fetch kickouts, I want to see big hits and great defending. The reality is that we see very little of that in Donegal games due to the way they play and with others mimicking them we are seeing little of it in any game.

Sorry but I can't warm to Donegal in their current incarnation but take the shackles off and there are few counties I'd prefer to see do well.

[dublin7]

BluestackBoy, you must not have read too many of my posts as I've often complimented Donegal (pre JMcG) but the muck system that Donegal play means it's very hard for neutral football supporters to shout for them. As a Donegal man you may not care what others think and fair enough but Donegal play a horrible brand of football that reduces the game to a terrible spectacle. I don't think even the most one eyed Donegal supporter could deny that.

Zulu, everyone is entitled to their point of view but Donegal are hardly alone in playing the way they do. Neither can I accept that ther style always results in a terrible spectacle. The games against Kerry, Cork & Mayo in 2012 weren't terrible. 2014 against Dublin was one of the best games in recent memory, neither was there anything wrong with today's performance.

If you want to call 21 points in a game "muck" then that is your perogative but in an era when people bemoan the lack of scoretaking from distance today was a real tonic while McBrearty's performance was superb.

Maybe if you were prepared to give a nod to the odd good thing from Donegal then it wouldn't be easier to acknowledge the fact that you just don't like the way they play which is fair enough.

There were some nice points kicked today but with the amount of time forwards on both teams had any decent inter county forward should be scoring. What's the point bringing back players if they are not going to tackle anyone. If there is any amendment to the handpass rule they would be doomed. Like watching basketball not football. Zulu is right about Donegal games.Teams sit back to mirror Donegal and they are awful to watch as a neutral

[INDIANA]

First game I've enjoyed this Summer, have missed plenty tho.

No harm but I don't know how you enjoyed that. Close with some good scores but outside of that nothing to recommend it. Football without intensity can be a poor spectacle and that game had zero intensity. The atmosphere was testament to the quality of the game and it had nothing to do with being in Croke Park, if the crowd have nothing to get excited about it doesn't matter where you play it.

Zulu, no harm to you, but you have never in your life posted anything remotely positive about Donegal, ever.

Whether some strapping Donegal lad wiped you eye with a lassie at some stage or whatever it is about time you got over it.

You destroyed the game in 2012. Every shit club team in Ireland now uses that template to play. If that's what Jim thinks is a good legacy let him off with it.

Hasn't been one good game in the championship yet.

On the game itself. Mc Brearty was superb- but sure we trained him so why wouldn't he be?

Donegal can definitely cause Dublin serious problems next week but they'll struggle to keep Dublin out.

As for Gaelic Football itself - unless Croke Park decide to do something with the rules it will remain as is.

[the goal was on]

Totally agree. Murphy got away with assault yet again. If diarmuid Connolly done that it would gone viral.

[BluestackBoy]

First game I've enjoyed this Summer, have missed plenty tho.

No harm but I don't know how you enjoyed that. Close with some good scores but outside of that nothing to recommend it. Football without intensity can be a poor spectacle and that game had zero intensity. The atmosphere was testament to the quality of the game and it had nothing to do with being in Croke Park, if the crowd have nothing to get excited about it doesn't matter where you play it.

Zulu, no harm to you, but you have never in your life posted anything remotely positive about Donegal, ever.

Whether some strapping Donegal lad wiped you eye with a lassie at some stage or whatever it is about time you got over it.

You destroyed the game in 2012. Every shit club team in Ireland now uses that template to play. If that's what Jim thinks is a good legacy let him off with it.

Hasn't been one good game in the championship yet.

On the game itself. Mc Brearty was superb- but sure we trained him so why wouldn't he be?

Donegal can definitely cause Dublin serious problems next week but they'll struggle to keep Dublin out.

As for Gaelic Football itself - unless Croke Park decide to do something with the rules it will remain as is.

Ah yes, Indiana.   

Zulu's less intelligent relation.

Just as myopic in his dislike of all things Donegal, just somehow less rational.