Smiley Jim doing another one of his rote interviews.
He truly is the master at saying absolutely nothing in interviews.
Quote from: twohands!!! on April 10, 2016, 03:49:07 PM
Smiley Jim doing another one of his rote interviews.
He truly is the master at saying absolutely nothing in interviews.
Sure what can he say
'We are brilliant and nobody has a hope of beating us on our own patch!'
Quote from: From the Bunker on April 10, 2016, 04:05:09 PM
Quote from: twohands!!! on April 10, 2016, 03:49:07 PM
Smiley Jim doing another one of his rote interviews.
He truly is the master at saying absolutely nothing in interviews.
Sure what can he say 'We are brilliant and nobody has a hope of beating us on our own patch!'
Ah I know -it's just all his interviews are pretty much word-for-word the same - there's no point whatsoever interviewing him.
some woeful collection of shots by Donegal here so far.
Quote from: twohands!!! on April 10, 2016, 04:10:23 PM
Quote from: From the Bunker on April 10, 2016, 04:05:09 PM
Quote from: twohands!!! on April 10, 2016, 03:49:07 PM
Smiley Jim doing another one of his rote interviews.
He truly is the master at saying absolutely nothing in interviews.
Sure what can he say 'We are brilliant and nobody has a hope of beating us on our own patch!'
Ah I know -it's just all his interviews are pretty much word-for-word the same - there's no point whatsoever interviewing him.
You have to realise he also has the highest profile Manager job in GAA. Everything he says will be scrutinised. So the less he say the less chance of getting into bother.
Great to see the Dubs get a badly needed run out in Croker!
Early stages Donegal missing easy chances, Dublin hitting some superb scores.
4-1 Dublin
Looking like the second semi might mirror the first, Dublin could win this handy if they goal in the first half. Hopefully it's competitive but the early signs aren't good.
Quote from: From the Bunker on April 10, 2016, 04:12:57 PM
Quote from: twohands!!! on April 10, 2016, 04:10:23 PM
Quote from: From the Bunker on April 10, 2016, 04:05:09 PM
Quote from: twohands!!! on April 10, 2016, 03:49:07 PM
Smiley Jim doing another one of his rote interviews.
He truly is the master at saying absolutely nothing in interviews.
Sure what can he say 'We are brilliant and nobody has a hope of beating us on our own patch!'
Ah I know -it's just all his interviews are pretty much word-for-word the same - there's no point whatsoever interviewing him.
You have to realise he also has the highest profile Manager job in GAA. Everything he says will be scrutinised. So the less he say the less chance of getting into bother.
Great to see the Dubs get a badly needed run out in Croker!
It's totally unfair that they haven't had a home football game in Parnell Park in years now - the GAA would want to sort it out.
Some serious tackling throughout the Dublin team - have picked up a number of turnovers already with good tackling technique/workrate.
Quote from: Zulu on April 10, 2016, 04:15:14 PM
Looking like the second semi might mirror the first, Dublin could win this handy if they goal in the first half. Hopefully it's competitive but the early signs aren't good.
With Murphy on frees it should keep Donegal some bit closer you'd imagine.
Noticeable how fast Dublin are at getting the ball into Donegal's half when they have possession compared to how slow Donegal are at getting the ball into the Dublin half.
Quote from: twohands!!! on April 10, 2016, 04:17:48 PM
Quote from: Zulu on April 10, 2016, 04:15:14 PM
Looking like the second semi might mirror the first, Dublin could win this handy if they goal in the first half. Hopefully it's competitive but the early signs aren't good.
With Murphy on frees it should keep Donegal some bit closer you'd imagine.
They have no one in Dublin's half to pass it to.
Have said this before. The team who finishes top of the league should be League Champions. This bullsh!t plamasing of semi finals and finals has to be done away with.
The quality of some of the Dublin points...
Jesus, Bastick must have a few bob on Donegal covering the spread! He's turned over more Dublin ball himself than the rest pf the team put together. Donegal digging in to be fair but it isn't great to watch.
Quote from: Zulu on April 10, 2016, 04:37:14 PM
Jesus, Bastick must have a few bob on Donegal covering the spread! He's turned over more Dublin ball himself than the rest pf the team put together. Donegal digging in to be fair but it isn't great to watch.
Yeah the Dublin midfielders have been poor - Fenton has been very quiet and Bastick has probably been Donegal's best midfielder.
Dublin playing man-to-man and beating Donegal everywhere. Dublin way better than anyone else. Kerry could be in for a worse flaking than we got.
Quote from: Syferus on April 10, 2016, 04:40:34 PM
Dublin playing man-to-man and beating Donegal everywhere. Dublin way better than anyone else. Kerry could be in for a worse flaking than we got.
Dublin are unbeatable at home! Can't see them being troubled in Croker this year!
Two very soft frees for the dubs in that first half which were converted for points
Dublin's score taking ability will see them through this with seven or eight points to spare, at least, but the bigger worry for me is our utter lack of competitiveness on kick-outs. Without Neil Gallagher and Paul Durcan we are going to be crucified by most teams. Maybe they should pull Murphy out to the middle for all of the second half, because they're not sending anything in near him or McBrearty anyway. And even when we get the ball into the danger area, we're missing some ridiculously easy chances.
The way this is going Donegal's loss to Dublin might be a lot more damaging than Roscommon's loss to Kerry.
Dublin just wandering up the length of the pitch without a Donegal player getting remotely near them on multiple occasions now.
Quote from: twohands!!! on April 10, 2016, 05:07:35 PM
The way this is going Donegal's loss to Dublin might be a lot more damaging than Roscommon's loss to Kerry.
Ah nah, Donegal's season is all about getting ready for Ulster. To get up to speed for todays game would be suicide for an Ulster Championship.
Premature maybe but I think Donegal are done as a serious force in Croke Park. Too many big players for them past their best whose legs have gone.
Quote from: Il Bomber Destro on April 10, 2016, 05:12:28 PM
Premature maybe but I think Donegal are done as a serious force in Croke Park. Too many big players for them past their best whose legs have gone.
You are probably right. There is no team is Ireland that can be up to speed to beat a full Dublin team in April playing at home! You have to say it's great for the GAA. They get a bigger crowd in Croker and more money.
Quote from: From the Bunker on April 10, 2016, 05:11:22 PM
Quote from: twohands!!! on April 10, 2016, 05:07:35 PM
The way this is going Donegal's loss to Dublin might be a lot more damaging than Roscommon's loss to Kerry.
Ah nah, Donegal's season is all about getting ready for Ulster. To get up to speed for todays game would be suicide for an Ulster Championship.
I don't know - I think that Donegal look seriously disjointed - their game in Ulster versus Fermanagh or Antrim is the 12th of June which is completely different to last year when they had a game against Tyrone on the 17th of May - their performance to day had me looking at the odds for Tyrone and Monaghan to win Ulster - it was the kind of performance that saps morale from a side.
Quote from: twohands!!! on April 10, 2016, 05:18:58 PM
Quote from: From the Bunker on April 10, 2016, 05:11:22 PM
Quote from: twohands!!! on April 10, 2016, 05:07:35 PM
The way this is going Donegal's loss to Dublin might be a lot more damaging than Roscommon's loss to Kerry.
Ah nah, Donegal's season is all about getting ready for Ulster. To get up to speed for todays game would be suicide for an Ulster Championship.
I don't know - I think that Donegal look seriously disjointed - their game in Ulster versus Fermanagh or Antrim is the 12th of June which is completely different to last year when they had a game against Tyrone on the 17th of May - their performance to day had me looking at the odds for Tyrone and Monaghan to win Ulster - it was the kind of performance that saps morale from a side.
Donegal lost to Cork last year in the corresponding fixture. There will be no tears in the dressing room after this defeat today.
Dublin are on an altogether different level to all other teams in terms of physical fitness.
Everyone other team are well behind .
Completely different. As twohands!!! says, they had one eye on Tyrone last year, this time the just look out of their depth. Besides, this isn't a Donegal performance that's out of recent character, they have struggled to compete with the best for a while now. They might win Ulster but they won't win an All Ireland in the foreseeable future IMO.
Not a great day for football, two poor games and you suspect that bar two or three teams it will be a summer of 14 lads behind the ball hoping to nick a win.
Quote from: Zulu on April 10, 2016, 05:29:10 PM
Completely different. As twohands!!! says, they had one eye on Tyrone last year, this time the just look out of their depth. Besides, this isn't a Donegal performance that's out of recent character, they have struggled to compete with the best for a while now. They might win Ulster but they won't win an All Ireland in the foreseeable future IMO.
Not a great day for football, two poor games and you suspect that bar two or three teams it will be a summer of 14 lads behind the ball hoping to nick a win.
You're absolutely right. We are not winning an AI any time soon. And I don't see us winning Ulster this year either. Tyrone are much further into their transition than we are and with the motivation of the past five years could give us a bit of a trimming if we somehow make it past Monaghan to an Ulster final (assuming, obviously, we make it through to play Monaghan).
I would much prefer to see Gallagher put four or five of those young lads in than bringing back the likes of McFadden or Toye. (Why bring on Toye and not someone like Mark McHugh?)
And I'd be amazed to see us in an AI quarter final this year.
It's Kerry, Dublin and perhaps Tyrone and maybe Mayo this year. There is nobody else.
If Mayo found two inside forwards then they would be most likely to challenge Kerry and Dublin. But they have to find them.
And I'm not convinced on tyrone's credentials either. I'd have Mayo ahead of them
That was abject from Donegal.
Roscommon are finding that there are two levels in Div 1. And they aren't in the top one yet. Absolute stage fright there today. From a group of young players well used to playing in big games they'd fall apart if 80,000 were there. Will probably come over time but i'd have expected them to cope with a half empty Croke Park better then that
Quote from: INDIANA on April 10, 2016, 06:42:02 PM
It's Kerry, Dublin and perhaps Tyrone and maybe Mayo this year. There is nobody else.
If Mayo found two inside forwards then they would be most likely to challenge Kerry and Dublin. But they have to find them.
And I'm not convinced on tyrone's credentials either. I'd have Mayo ahead of them
That was abject from Donegal.
Roscommon are finding that there are two levels in Div 1. And they aren't in the top one yet. Absolute stage fright there today. From a group of young players well used to playing in big games they'd fall apart if 80,000 were there. Will probably come over time but i'd have expected them to cope with a half empty Croke Park better then that
A rare case of humility Indy. Only AI contender is Dublin. It will take a fûck up of monumental proportions for Dublin not to keep Sam. Never remember a time with one team so far ahead of everyone else. It will have a chilling effect on the entire sport if it continues.
Couldn't believe how out of shape some of the more experienced Donegal players looked, McFadden could have balanced a dinner plate on his belly. I really feel for people who follow Donegal to travel that distance to watch a half fit team.
All I can say is that this strategy of late preparation had better pay off or Gallagher is toast.
Quote from: Syferus on April 10, 2016, 06:46:35 PM
Quote from: INDIANA on April 10, 2016, 06:42:02 PM
It's Kerry, Dublin and perhaps Tyrone and maybe Mayo this year. There is nobody else.
If Mayo found two inside forwards then they would be most likely to challenge Kerry and Dublin. But they have to find them.
And I'm not convinced on tyrone's credentials either. I'd have Mayo ahead of them
That was abject from Donegal.
Roscommon are finding that there are two levels in Div 1. And they aren't in the top one yet. Absolute stage fright there today. From a group of young players well used to playing in big games they'd fall apart if 80,000 were there. Will probably come over time but i'd have expected them to cope with a half empty Croke Park better then that
A rare case of humility Indy. Only AI contender is Dublin. It will take a fûck up of monumental proportions for Dublin not to keep Sam. Never remember a time with one team so far ahead of everyone else. It will have a chilling effect on the entire sport if it continues.
Utter nonsense. There is no way you can judge the latter stages of the championship in early April. Yes, Dublin are in great nick & ahead of the rest at the moment but others, especially Kerry, will improve as the year goes on.
Quote from: BluestackBoy on April 10, 2016, 06:49:22 PM
Quote from: Syferus on April 10, 2016, 06:46:35 PM
Quote from: INDIANA on April 10, 2016, 06:42:02 PM
It's Kerry, Dublin and perhaps Tyrone and maybe Mayo this year. There is nobody else.
If Mayo found two inside forwards then they would be most likely to challenge Kerry and Dublin. But they have to find them.
And I'm not convinced on tyrone's credentials either. I'd have Mayo ahead of them
That was abject from Donegal.
Roscommon are finding that there are two levels in Div 1. And they aren't in the top one yet. Absolute stage fright there today. From a group of young players well used to playing in big games they'd fall apart if 80,000 were there. Will probably come over time but i'd have expected them to cope with a half empty Croke Park better then that
A rare case of humility Indy. Only AI contender is Dublin. It will take a fûck up of monumental proportions for Dublin not to keep Sam. Never remember a time with one team so far ahead of everyone else. It will have a chilling effect on the entire sport if it continues.
Utter nonsense. There is no way you can judge the latter stages of the championship in early April. Yes, Dublin are in great nick & ahead of the rest at the moment but others, especially Kerry, will improve as the year goes on.
The AI Final is in late August when Dublin play Kerry in the AI Semi Final.
And you can quote me on that.
Quote from: BluestackBoy on April 10, 2016, 06:49:22 PM
Quote from: Syferus on April 10, 2016, 06:46:35 PM
Quote from: INDIANA on April 10, 2016, 06:42:02 PM
It's Kerry, Dublin and perhaps Tyrone and maybe Mayo this year. There is nobody else.
If Mayo found two inside forwards then they would be most likely to challenge Kerry and Dublin. But they have to find them.
And I'm not convinced on tyrone's credentials either. I'd have Mayo ahead of them
That was abject from Donegal.
Roscommon are finding that there are two levels in Div 1. And they aren't in the top one yet. Absolute stage fright there today. From a group of young players well used to playing in big games they'd fall apart if 80,000 were there. Will probably come over time but i'd have expected them to cope with a half empty Croke Park better then that
A rare case of humility Indy. Only AI contender is Dublin. It will take a fûck up of monumental proportions for Dublin not to keep Sam. Never remember a time with one team so far ahead of everyone else. It will have a chilling effect on the entire sport if it continues.
Utter nonsense. There is no way you can judge the latter stages of the championship in early April. Yes, Dublin are in great nick & ahead of the rest at the moment but others, especially Kerry, will improve as the year goes on.
Year in year out in all competitions they have been the best team on show. Sheer arrogance beat them in 2014. Mayo had a chance in the 2013 final to catch them before they got so good that it wasn't really that feasible to beat them but letting them win that one by playing within themselves was the pivotal moment in this run. Since 2012 Dublin have lost a single championship match.
Yep and we will put it alongside last years prediction of Mayo winning the all ireland
Quote from: BluestackBoy on April 10, 2016, 06:46:54 PM
Couldn't believe how out of shape some of the more experienced Donegal players looked, McFadden could have balanced a dinner plate on his belly. I really feel for people who follow Donegal to travel that distance to watch a half fit team.
All I can say is that this strategy of late preparation had better pay off or Gallagher is toast.
Too early to judge Rory yet. Championship is when it matters. All that can be said at this point is that he and the team have a lot to prove to even be considered leading contenders for Ulster.
Felt for McBrearty there today. He did quite well whenever ball came in, but there was just so little of it so late.
Quote from: Syferus on April 10, 2016, 06:53:28 PM
Year in year out in all competitions they have been the best team on show. Sheer arrogance beat them in 2014. Mayo had a chance in the 2013 final to catch them before they got so good that it wasn't really that feasible to beat them but letting them win that one by playing within themselves was the pivotal moment in this run. Since 2012 Dublin have lost a single championship match.
In fairness Mayo were more than a match for them last year too but that is unsustainable given the lack of money up there. Kerry are the only threat at the moment but in the coming years will need their good minor teams to produce a lot of players to remain competitive. Below them 3 the gap is growing.
Quote from: INDIANA on April 10, 2016, 06:51:43 PM
Quote from: BluestackBoy on April 10, 2016, 06:49:22 PM
Quote from: Syferus on April 10, 2016, 06:46:35 PM
Quote from: INDIANA on April 10, 2016, 06:42:02 PM
It's Kerry, Dublin and perhaps Tyrone and maybe Mayo this year. There is nobody else.
If Mayo found two inside forwards then they would be most likely to challenge Kerry and Dublin. But they have to find them.
And I'm not convinced on tyrone's credentials either. I'd have Mayo ahead of them
That was abject from Donegal.
Roscommon are finding that there are two levels in Div 1. And they aren't in the top one yet. Absolute stage fright there today. From a group of young players well used to playing in big games they'd fall apart if 80,000 were there. Will probably come over time but i'd have expected them to cope with a half empty Croke Park better then that
A rare case of humility Indy. Only AI contender is Dublin. It will take a fûck up of monumental proportions for Dublin not to keep Sam. Never remember a time with one team so far ahead of everyone else. It will have a chilling effect on the entire sport if it continues.
Utter nonsense. There is no way you can judge the latter stages of the championship in early April. Yes, Dublin are in great nick & ahead of the rest at the moment but others, especially Kerry, will improve as the year goes on.
The AI Final is in late August when Dublin play Kerry in the AI Semi Final.
And you can quote me on that.
Wouldn't necessarily argue with that. What I took issue with was the statement "Only AI contender is Dublin" That is claptrap and you can quote me on that.
Quote from: Kuwabatake Sanjuro on April 10, 2016, 07:12:41 PMIn fairness Mayo were more than a match for them last year too but that is unsustainable given the lack of money up there.
I would think it's the lack of backbone that would be a more pressing concern for Mayo fans.
Balls
Quote from: SouthDublinBro on April 10, 2016, 07:28:39 PM
Quote from: Kuwabatake Sanjuro on April 10, 2016, 07:12:41 PMIn fairness Mayo were more than a match for them last year too but that is unsustainable given the lack of money up there.
I would think it's the lack of backbone that would be a more pressing concern for Mayo fans.
Wouldn't agree with that at all. I think Mayo have competed heroically for a number of years but have lacked the forward talent to get them over the line. I know a few Mayo posters here don't like to hear that but I certainly don't agree they lack bottle, they've just lacked attacking class IMO.
Refereeing decisions have hurt them more than others too between Cormac Reilly down in Limerick and Aidan O'Shea being fouled with impunity last year being the difference between them getting past the eventual AI winners at the semi final stage.
Quote from: J70 on April 10, 2016, 07:08:12 PM
Felt for McBrearty there today. He did quite well whenever ball came in, but there was just so little of it so late.
He gave Cooper a bit of a roasting but as you said zero ball seemed to go in his direction.
Quote from: Zulu on April 10, 2016, 07:38:50 PM
Quote from: SouthDublinBro on April 10, 2016, 07:28:39 PM
Quote from: Kuwabatake Sanjuro on April 10, 2016, 07:12:41 PMIn fairness Mayo were more than a match for them last year too but that is unsustainable given the lack of money up there.
I would think it's the lack of backbone that would be a more pressing concern for Mayo fans.
Wouldn't agree with that at all. I think Mayo have competed heroically for a number of years but have lacked the forward talent to get them over the line. I know a few Mayo posters here don't like to hear that but I certainly don't agree they lack bottle, they've just lacked attacking class IMO.
I would tend to agree with this analysis. Too often people attribute teams inability to win championships to a lack of bottle but more often than not its down to not having enough scoring power or class up front.
I thought Kerry were very impressive today. Their subs bench has improved considerably on last year in particular. Should be a very good final
Happy enough with the Dubs. McBrearty is some man for playing well against us, albeit didn't get enough ball to do real damage
I'd like to see Macauley in midfield for us alongside Fenton
Was there anything in the McFadden -Cooper incident at the end?
Not much in it, a little bit of a dirty arm across the face from McFadden. It did not seem like enough to concuss/hurt cooper so I'm not sure if he hurt himself hitting the ground.
Kerry looked unusually zippy for this time of year.
Darren O'Sullivan in particular was flying around the place.
They're the only team that have the tools to take on Dublin at their own game.
It's figuring out how to use those tools most effectively that's the problem.
Maybe they just need to go out and do their own thing at this stage.
Quote from: Jinxy on April 10, 2016, 10:28:32 PM
Kerry looked unusually zippy for this time of year.
Darren O'Sullivan in particular was flying around the place.
They're the only team that have the tools to take on Dublin at their own game.
It's figuring out how to use those tools most effectively that's the problem.
Maybe they just need to go out and do their own thing at this stage.
You think Marc O'Se and Aidan O'Mahony are the tools to shut down Brogan, Connolly, Kilkenny and Mannion, Jinxy?
Kerry do not have enough up front or at the back to go toe to toe with Dublin. Fitz is one of the most conservative managers in the game, mainly because he knows Kerry are frail at the back. They'll sit back and try to soak up pressure and hit them on the counter. It won't come close to working, either.
Quote from: J70 on April 10, 2016, 07:08:12 PM
Quote from: BluestackBoy on April 10, 2016, 06:46:54 PM
Couldn't believe how out of shape some of the more experienced Donegal players looked, McFadden could have balanced a dinner plate on his belly. I really feel for people who follow Donegal to travel that distance to watch a half fit team.
All I can say is that this strategy of late preparation had better pay off or Gallagher is toast.
Too early to judge Rory yet. Championship is when it matters. All that can be said at this point is that he and the team have a lot to prove to even be considered leading contenders for Ulster.
Felt for McBrearty there today. He did quite well whenever ball came in, but there was just so little of it so late.
What would the word be on Gallagher in Donegal? He brought them to Portugal on a training camp a few weeks ago I believe yet they looked very unfit today
Usual clowns posting.
You are looking at the greatest football team to play the game, and that core of players minus Brogan, McCaffery and O Carroll, will be around for another few years.
Just sit back and enjoy the total football and the evolution of football and stop giving out.
Quote from: The Aristocrat on April 11, 2016, 08:58:47 AM
Just sit back and enjoy the total football and the evolution of Dublin football and stop giving out.
Superb team, but its a bit of a push to ask everyone to enjoy the domination of one incredibly wealthy team which doesn't look like abating ! Will it even be enjoyable for the Dubs down the line?
How can anyone "enjoy" looking at some other team batin the daylights out of everyone?
Back at the last time 2 Counties dominated attendances were very small at games other than Dublin v Kerry.
E.g 17,000 and 19,000 at AI SFs in 2002 and 2005.
Quote from: Syferus on April 10, 2016, 10:50:37 PM
Quote from: Jinxy on April 10, 2016, 10:28:32 PM
Kerry looked unusually zippy for this time of year.
Darren O'Sullivan in particular was flying around the place.
They're the only team that have the tools to take on Dublin at their own game.
It's figuring out how to use those tools most effectively that's the problem.
Maybe they just need to go out and do their own thing at this stage.
You think Marc O'Se and Aidan O'Mahony are the tools to shut down Brogan, Connolly, Kilkenny and Mannion, Jinxy?
Kerry do not have enough up front or at the back to go toe to toe with Dublin. Fitz is one of the most conservative managers in the game, mainly because he knows Kerry are frail at the back. They'll sit back and try to soak up pressure and hit them on the counter. It won't come close to working, either.
They still have Geaney and James O'Donoghue to come back.
A FF line of those two and the Gooch is the stuff of nightmares.
Again though, it's up to Fitzmaurice to come up with a way of using his assets most effectively.
I'd keep Gooch as close to goal as possible and make sure he doesn't track back any further than the 45m line.
He hasn't the legs for it and it's a waste of his energy.
How they do that without exposing themselves to the likes of Philly & Co. going on a rampage is for Fitzmaurice to figure out.
Syfín spent the Spring and Summer of 2014 telling everyone Kerry were crap and wouldn't win Sam for years ;D
Quote from: Rossfan on April 11, 2016, 01:31:49 PM
Syfín spent the Spring and Summer of 2014 telling everyone Kerry were crap and wouldn't win Sam for years ;D
You seem to forget I was entirely right about Kerry. And if Kerry met Dublin in 2014 the result was going to be the exact same as last year. People are trying to pump Kerry up as part of a big two. They aren't. It's Dublin and then the rest of us. And it's been that way for nearly five years now.
It's more like Dublin, then Kerry, Mayo and maybe Tyrone, then a couple like Donegal, Monaghan etc. Then the rest of 'us'. It's not a 2 tier system, it's about a 5 tier system.
Quote from: Syferus on April 11, 2016, 02:31:24 PM
Quote from: Rossfan on April 11, 2016, 01:31:49 PM
Syfín spent the Spring and Summer of 2014 telling everyone Kerry were crap and wouldn't win Sam for years ;D
You seem to forget I was entirely right about Kerry. And if Kerry met Dublin in 2014 the result was going to be the exact same as last year. People are trying to pump Kerry up as part of a big two. They aren't. It's Dublin and then the rest of us. And it's been that way for nearly five years now.
Syferus, sometimes you don't do yourself any favours!
It's ok to admit you are wrong every now and again!
I know you don't think much of this kerry team (and didn't in 2014). You are perfectly entitled to your opinion.
BUT, you spent most of 2014 saying they wouldn't win the all ireland, and now you are saying you were ENTIRELY right?
As I said, it's ok to admit you got it wrong, no-one will think any less of you!
Syfín is some craic alright :D ;D :D ::)
Quote from: westbound on April 11, 2016, 02:47:43 PM
Quote from: Syferus on April 11, 2016, 02:31:24 PM
Quote from: Rossfan on April 11, 2016, 01:31:49 PM
Syfín spent the Spring and Summer of 2014 telling everyone Kerry were crap and wouldn't win Sam for years ;D
You seem to forget I was entirely right about Kerry. And if Kerry met Dublin in 2014 the result was going to be the exact same as last year. People are trying to pump Kerry up as part of a big two. They aren't. It's Dublin and then the rest of us. And it's been that way for nearly five years now.
Syferus, sometimes you don't do yourself any favours!
It's ok to admit you are wrong every now and again!
I know you don't think much of this kerry team (and didn't in 2014). You are perfectly entitled to your opinion.
BUT, you spent most of 2014 saying they wouldn't win the all ireland, and now you are saying you were ENTIRELY right?
As I said, it's ok to admit you got it wrong, no-one will think any less of you!
I wasn't wrong, the point was Kerry were poor by AI standards and it was unlikely they'd win the AI as a result. Indeed it took four improbable results for to happen - Donegal taking the best team out, them scraping a lucky draw five down in the AISF, jobbing Mayo in Limerick and then getting kicked a free goal by Donegal.
Mayo had them beaten twice. The replay especially it took AOS and COC running head first into each other and Cormac Reilly for Kerry to squeak a win after extra time down in the comfy confines of Limerick. Donegal but for a ludicrous kick out had them beaten too. Kerry winning in 2014 is akin to Cork beating Down in 2010, an AI against a run of play (with a final probably not even featuring the two best teams on the year) that has very little meaning in terms of subsequent years. Some people want to look at scorelines but the performance and manner of a team is far more telling for where a county is at. If Kerry had been impressive in 2014 I'd be the first to say they were, but I was at the replay and AIF that year and the lingering image was of a limited team that won one of the worst AI finals in memory.
Kerry look frail at the back and with too many aged legs or injury doubts all over the field. JOD is a great addition to any team but it's clear is body his as close to being frigged as it gets at this stage. He's going towards Michael Meehan territory. Any team with a brain is going to be extra rough with him in the tackle when he gets back and it's probably only a matter of time before he's sidelined again.
Mayo are more likely give a game to Dublin than Kerry so the Kerry hype is a bit mystifying. And I say Mayo might but they don't have the craft up front to get over the line either, but at least they have a combination of players who have shown they can compete with Dublin whereas the last time this Kerry team beat Dublin the championship was four encounters and many years ago.
Are we all determined not to start a new thread then for the final. Is it that much of a foregone conclusion.
I think Kerry will be very keen to beat Dublin in this game as there is already a growing concern that Kerry can't beat this Dublin team.
Most would say can anyone beat this Dublin team but we have to believe someone can otherwise its totally boring.
Dublin certainly have showed in more recent years that they can now deal with heavily packed blanket defences but I still believe if you can stop Dublin scoring goals then you are in with a chance. Goals are the psychological killer against most teams that Dublin are playing. Once they get their first goal there is this feeling of "here we go now".
I'm really looking forward to this national league final and with both teams having such an easy run in the championship this could be their biggest game for 4 months. If only someone would start the thread.
Quote from: From the Bunker on April 10, 2016, 05:14:50 PM
Quote from: Il Bomber Destro on April 10, 2016, 05:12:28 PM
Premature maybe but I think Donegal are done as a serious force in Croke Park. Too many big players for them past their best whose legs have gone.
There is no team is Ireland that can be up to speed to beat a full Dublin team in April playing at home!
Really? No MDMA, Connolly, McManamon, O'Carroll, McCaffrey & O'Gara in the panel..
Quote from: heffo on April 11, 2016, 06:44:08 PM
Quote from: From the Bunker on April 10, 2016, 05:14:50 PM
Quote from: Il Bomber Destro on April 10, 2016, 05:12:28 PM
Premature maybe but I think Donegal are done as a serious force in Croke Park. Too many big players for them past their best whose legs have gone.
There is no team is Ireland that can be up to speed to beat a full Dublin team in April playing at home!
Really? No MDMA, Connolly, McManamon, O'Carroll, McCaffrey & O'Gara in the panel..
O'Carroll, McCaffrey no longer part of Dublins 2016 plans. McManamon is known as a super sub. Fentons arrival as a top class midfielder means MDMA is no longer a certain starter. Which of the six starting forwards for Dublin last year will be dropped for O Gara?
Quote from: Captain Obvious on April 11, 2016, 10:33:17 PM
Quote from: heffo on April 11, 2016, 06:44:08 PM
Quote from: From the Bunker on April 10, 2016, 05:14:50 PM
Quote from: Il Bomber Destro on April 10, 2016, 05:12:28 PM
Premature maybe but I think Donegal are done as a serious force in Croke Park. Too many big players for them past their best whose legs have gone.
There is no team is Ireland that can be up to speed to beat a full Dublin team in April playing at home!
Really? No MDMA, Connolly, McManamon, O'Carroll, McCaffrey & O'Gara in the panel..
O'Carroll, McCaffrey no longer part of Dublins 2016 plans. McManamon is known as a super sub. Fentons arrival as a top class midfielder means MDMA is no longer a certain starter. Which of the six starting forwards for Dublin last year will be dropped for O Gara?
Macauley came off injured in the club final, looked like a hammer or similar. So hopefully he's almost recovered and still in Gavin's plans. I'd certainly start him alongside Fenton.
O'Gara might just squeeze into the top 10 of Dublin forwards. I would hate it if he started ahead of any of the other 9, but worth a place on the bench for his unorthodoxy