Ulster Final Donegal V Monaghan

[J70]

After the Down game, I'm assuming we'll not be hearing about certain victories and strolls in the park for this match!

We rarely meet in the Ulster championship. Last time was 1995, when, fresh from a victory over AI champs Down, us Donegal folk went to Ballybofey expecting an exhibition from our team against an inexperienced Monagahan side, but ended up starting to leave the ground with 15 minutes to go to the jeers of "Cheerio" from an incredulous Monaghan support.

Think the previous game was probably sometime back in the 80s.

We did have two backdoor meetings a few years back, with Monaghan humiliating us in Omagh in 2007 in yet another game where Donegal, typical of the time, just downed tools, and grabbing a late one point victory in a tight match in Ballybofey the following year, mainly thanks to the marksmanship of Paul Finlay.

I honestly don't know WHEN we last beat Monaghan in a championship game (or any game - I've vague memories of Brendan Devenney scoring a hatrick of goals against them in Ballyshannon around ten years ago in a game I think we nicked late on, but I'm not sure).

As to this one, I haven't seen much of Monaghan this year, but from what I've read about them and given Down's "success" in the last game, I'd expect them to come out and pack their defence. Hopefully the return of Lacey and the other absentees, together with the experience of the Down match, will stand to us and we'll scrape through to another title.

What do you Monaghan boys think/expect?

[J70]

Last six championship meetings (that I can find). Most of them not even close! Grim reading for Donegal!

1979 Ulster final - Monaghan 1-15 Donegal 0-11
1983 Ulster semi - Donegal 1-14 Monaghan 1-9
1985 Ulster semi - Monaghan 1-14 Donegal 0-7
1995 Ulster quarter Monaghan 1-14 Donegal 0-8
2007 Qualifiers Monaghan 2-12 Donegal 1-7
2008 Qualifiers Monaghan 0-16 Donegal 0-15

[Oraisteach]

Born in Monaghan, if that counts.  Given the nature of these two defenses, I don't expect a high-scoring tussle, but though the two teams will be separated by only four points or so, it'll still play out as a fairly comfortable win for Donegal, not a predicted Dublin-Meath shellacking, but no need for worry around Glenties.

[J70]

Apparently in the 1979 final (according to someone on Hoganstand - it was a little before my time), the referee Hugh Duggan threw the ball in, Donegal attacked and got a point. The ref then saw the band getting ready for the national anthem, so he stopped the game and allowed the anthem to be played. He then started the game over, cancelling the Donegal point!

[Main Street]

Apparently in the 1979 final (according to someone on Hoganstand - it was a little before my time), the referee Hugh Duggan threw the ball in, Donegal attacked and got a point. The ref then saw the band getting ready for the national anthem, so he stopped the game and allowed the anthem to be played. He then started the game over, cancelling the Donegal point!

Old Donegal problem -  premature ejaculation.

[J70]

Apparently in the 1979 final (according to someone on Hoganstand - it was a little before my time), the referee Hugh Duggan threw the ball in, Donegal attacked and got a point. The ref then saw the band getting ready for the national anthem, so he stopped the game and allowed the anthem to be played. He then started the game over, cancelling the Donegal point!

Old Donegal problem -  premature ejaculation.

[Maguire01]

A certain Donegal victory. A stroll in the park. 

[J70]

A certain Donegal victory. A stroll in the park.

Touche!

[charlie linkbox]

I propose we rest our first choice 15 for the Ulster final in preparation for the inevitable qualifier match 6 days later! 

Congratulations to Donegal on their three-in-a-row of Ulster titles; a magnificient achievement.

[J70]

I propose we rest our first choice 15 for the Ulster final in preparation for the inevitable qualifier match 6 days later! 

Congratulations to Donegal on their three-in-a-row of Ulster titles; a magnificient achievement.

Some of the Down boys were saying the same kind of thing before the last game. You really don't give Monaghan any hope at all??

[timmyot501]

Not old enough to remember 79 final but i heard donegal hit a wide and then the game wuz restarted due to the non playing of the national anthem. But that is nether here nor there.  So have we no chance?? Possibly! But we r there. We need lacey and gallagher to remain injured and maybe persuade murphy and mcfaddan to join them. We need a full squad firing on all cylinders. We need an alignment of whatever stars need aligning. We might even need a nudie hughes reincarnation. But i'm still looking forward to a miracle. . . Maybe. . . Just maybe

[BluestackBoy]

Not old enough to remember 79 final but i heard donegal hit a wide and then the game wuz restarted due to the non playing of the national anthem. But that is nether here nor there.  So have we no chance?? Possibly! But we r there. We need lacey and gallagher to remain injured and maybe persuade murphy and mcfaddan to join them. We need a full squad firing on all cylinders. We need an alignment of whatever stars need aligning. We might even need a nudie hughes reincarnation. But i'm still looking forward to a miracle. . . Maybe. . . Just maybe

Miracles have nothing to do with it. Nobody gave Down a prayer & there were fools talking about easy wins & 10+ points differences but James McCartan showed the way. Yes the odds a firmly with Donegal & I expect them to win but nothing is a given.

[Main Street]

Betting odds on Donegal  1-12.
Now, that's taking the píss!

[J70]

Betting odds on Donegal  1-12.
Now, that's taking the píss!

  What are Monaghan?

[babarino]

Last six championship meetings (that I can find). Most of them not even close! Grim reading for Donegal!

1979 Ulster final - Monaghan 1-15 Donegal 0-11
1983 Ulster semi - Donegal 1-14 Monaghan 1-9
1985 Ulster semi - Monaghan 1-14 Donegal 0-7
1995 Ulster quarter Monaghan 1-14 Donegal 0-8
2007 Qualifiers Monaghan 2-12 Donegal 1-7
2008 Qualifiers Monaghan 0-16 Donegal 0-15

Attended all these apart from the 1995 game. Donegal bring out the best in us it would seem.

It'd want to because we haven't seen a performance this year that could match yis.