Monaghan V Donegal Ulster Final

[J70]

It's generally accepted that Monaghan played poorly in last year's final.

And yet we were only beaten by three points..... a kick of the ball.

Monaghan are well fit for Donegal.

3 points was not a reflection on that game. Donegal were far the better team and the margin was so narrow due to McGlynn dropping the ball and coughing up the goal. Similarly,  the previous year, Monaghan were probably 10 points better than Donegal.

[J70]

The loser will only get the losers of Connacht if they make it through. They can't play Munster or Leinster. They are in the B side.

We had better win this, so!

Don't fancy Mayo at all, at least not at that stage.

[Whitnail]

We're playing our reflection



M McHugh needs to be allowed wear shouler pads & a crash helmet ..it's only fair

[babarino]

We're playing our reflection

M McHugh needs to be allowed wear shouler pads & a crash helmet ..it's only fair

You'll be chasing shadows 

Donegal need to cut out the histrionics. Some of the playacting against Derry wasn't nice. Refs took note I'd say.

[twohands!!!]

Interesting tweet about McGuinness and Gallagher.

https://twitter.com/KCsixtyseven/status/615781431323680768

I did notice Jim referring to Donegal as "we" at one stage on Sky on Saturday but I didn't notice this.

[Bingo]

Massive interest in this already round Monaghan. Real sense that this is a massive test of where this team is as many feel they are in a better place than previous years. 2013 was a case of real underdogs with nothing to lose, 2014 was still a strange one, was nearly overconfidence in some quarters but team had injuries.

This year it is closer to 2013 following Donegals performances to date and Monaghan struggling over the line rather than blowing anyone away, so they will be viewed as underdog. But its a better and fresher team than last year - Lennon and McAdam give them more physical options. McManus is better than ever and can handle the attention he gets. Kieran Hughes in great form and they can match Donegal for fitness levels but maybe not physicality, yet not a mile off them.

Should be a very interesting build up and I think it will be very close on the day once both teams get there in one piece.

[Pub Bore]

HT Donegal 0-2 Monaghan 0-2

FT Donegal 0-8 Monaghan 1-4

[GrandMasterFlash]

HT Donegal 0-2 Monaghan 0-2

FT Donegal 0-8 Monaghan 1-4

If Conor McManus is barb-wired to the back of the goal posts Monaghan will still get more than 5 scores (and two more than Donegal at the final whistle  )

[twohands!!!]

HT Donegal 0-2 Monaghan 0-2

FT Donegal 0-8 Monaghan 1-4

If Conor McManus is barb-wired to the back of the goal posts Monaghan will still get more than 5 scores (and two more than Donegal at the final whistle  )

Jeez don't be giving them McGee lads any ideas

[macdanger2]

I have a sneaky fancy for Monaghan in this one. I'd say it won't be a classic free-flowing game but it should be an interesting contest

[babarino]

Massive interest in this already round Monaghan. Real sense that this is a massive test of where this team is as many feel they are in a better place than previous years. 2013 was a case of real underdogs with nothing to lose, 2014 was still a strange one, was nearly overconfidence in some quarters but team had injuries.

This year it is closer to 2013 following Donegals performances to date and Monaghan struggling over the line rather than blowing anyone away, so they will be viewed as underdog. But its a better and fresher team than last year - Lennon and McAdam give them more physical options. McManus is better than ever and can handle the attention he gets. Kieran Hughes in great form and they can match Donegal for fitness levels but maybe not physicality, yet not a mile off them.

Should be a very interesting build up and I think it will be very close on the day once both teams get there in one piece.

Good upbeat preview there Bingo. I hear the Doogan is available too, an extra experienced option in midfield. Neil Gallagher is playing great stuff, and they're scooping up a lot of breaking ball, so we've really got to up it in midfield.

I'd like to see K Hughes press forward. He and Darren are motoring well. It's important we vary and up the supply with runs from Kelly, Mone and O'Connell, with Duffy coming in later. Derry gave us a good pointers in this.

Collie Walsh will hopefully be back to himself. Pity to lose Drew, but it's a strong defense.

Looking forward to this one.

[J70]

I thought Derry killed us at midfield for a lot of the game, especially second half, although Neil individually played very well. Derry won an awful lot of the breaks.

[Main Street]

The loser will only get the losers of Connacht if they make it through. They can't play Munster or Leinster. They are in the B side.

Is it not so that provincial losers can only meet, if they both get through to the semi final.

The provincial loser plays a r3 qualifier winner
and then that winner meets a provincial champion.
Of course, I'm just working this one out for our challenged Donegal friends

[Main Street]

Massive interest in this already round Monaghan. Real sense that this is a massive test of where this team is as many feel they are in a better place than previous years. 2013 was a case of real underdogs with nothing to lose, 2014 was still a strange one, was nearly overconfidence in some quarters but team had injuries.

This year it is closer to 2013 following Donegals performances to date and Monaghan struggling over the line rather than blowing anyone away, so they will be viewed as underdog. But its a better and fresher team than last year - Lennon and McAdam give them more physical options. McManus is better than ever and can handle the attention he gets. Kieran Hughes in great form and they can match Donegal for fitness levels but maybe not physicality, yet not a mile off them.

Should be a very interesting build up and I think it will be very close on the day once both teams get there in one piece.

No doubt that we are underdogs for this game,  but confident underdogs.

[J70]

The loser will only get the losers of Connacht if they make it through. They can't play Munster or Leinster. They are in the B side.

Is it not so that provincial losers can only meet, if they both get through to the semi final.

The provincial loser plays a r3 qualifier winner
and then that winner meets a provincial champion.
Of course, I'm just working this one out for our challenged Donegal friends

I thought he was saying that the loser of Donegal v Monaghan could only get the winner of Connacht in the quarter final should they win their qualifier, but I see now that he said "loser" of the Connacht final.

Looking at the GAA website, the losers in Connacht and Ulster finals will play whichever pair come out of Tyrone/Meath/Armagh/Galway/Tipp/Louth/Wexford/Derry.

Then, the winners of those ties will be paired with the Connacht/Ulster winners in the quarter finals.

I have no idea if and when rematches are allowed. For example, could we be drawn with Armagh, Monaghan or Tyrone in the qualifiers or quarter final?

Presumably, at least, they wouldn't have a quarter final being a rematch of a provincial final?!