Donegal v Tyrone, Sunday Aug 5, Ballybofey

[J70]

Did Tyrone not beat Donegal in 73. To the point that they wanted to go to Connaught championship. Could history repeat itself. They could join up with Leitrim and sure no one would spot the difference.

I recall reading about controversy from 73. Near riots, on and off the field, with Ballybofey shutting down afterwards!

Good job we stuck around to win a second Ulster in 74, including a win in Omagh. 

[ONeill]

We won in Ballybofey in 53 and 73. Lost in 13 and 15. So it's 2-all.

[omaghjoe]

Did Tyrone not beat Donegal in 73. To the point that they wanted to go to Connaught championship. Could history repeat itself. They could join up with Leitrim and sure no one would spot the difference.

I recall reading about controversy from 73. Near riots, on and off the field, with Ballybofey shutting down afterwards!

Good job we stuck around to win a second Ulster in 74, including a win in Omagh. 

The battle of Ballybofey eh I never heard about that before.

[Fuzzman]

Would be interesting if we could get ourselves organised enough to bring huge numbers down to Ballybofey the way the Dubs did to Omagh. I was guilty myself the last day of not bringing my big flag.

Does anyone remember the year we brought the red cards to Croker? Think it was on the BBC news too.

Anyone know how early the Dubs were in to get the whole area behind the goals last Sat? Is that all preplanned with fans or does it just happen?

[Tyrone Dreamer]

We'll bring a decent crowd but it won't be huge. We have too many "fans" spoilt by the success of the 2000's who would rather sit at home and give out to anyone that will listen about the bad manager we have rather than go out and actually give the team a bit of support. They'll be the first one's jumping on the bandwagon if there is a bit of success too.

[trailer]

Surely the west Tyrone fans will travel in huge numbers?

[J70]

Surely the west Tyrone fans will travel in huge numbers?

You would think. They're closer to Ballybofey than much of Donegal.

[RedHand88]

We'll bring a decent crowd but it won't be huge. We have too many "fans" spoilt by the success of the 2000's who would rather sit at home and give out to anyone that will listen about the bad manager we have rather than go out and actually give the team a bit of support. They'll be the first one's jumping on the bandwagon if there is a bit of success too.

I agree wholeheartedly with this. Younger bucks grew up knowing nothing but success and it's become expected now. There's just so much moaning now because we aren't winning all Ireland's every other year. They forget it took a hundred years to get the first!

[RedHand88]

Would be interesting if we could get ourselves organised enough to bring huge numbers down to Ballybofey the way the Dubs did to Omagh. I was guilty myself the last day of not bringing my big flag.

Does anyone remember the year we brought the red cards to Croker? Think it was on the BBC news too.

Anyone know how early the Dubs were in to get the whole area behind the goals last Sat? Is that all preplanned with fans or does it just happen?

I was in the ground from about half 5. It was still fairly empty at that end then, few of them about. By 6 it was obvious the hill 16 crowd would set up camp there, same as the league.
I would have loved to have set up camp in the middle of it to disrupt it only I'd the missus and a child wiith me.
Fair play to the 2 Tyrone fans who did stand in the middle of it though.

[Fuzzman]

I heard them chatting about setting up camp at that end down here all week.
I wonder had they not have been there in such large numbers would RoN not have missed that free?

I'd be all on for getting a much better organised supporter club going where we have our own forum and we travel to matches in groups and taking over sections of the stand.
Can you imagine us in this years AI final with a big part of the Hill all in red and white. Get in early and take their usual spots. Feck this "Hill16 is Dublin ONLY" shite song.

Maybe we could start (or maybe end)with Ballybofey next Sunday. Get in early and cordon off a section 

Anyway, back to the match.
You'd imagine Sludden, Mattie and Harte will be determined to put in a big performance for this game.
Some would argue this is quite a young inexperienced Donegal team with a few exceptions and this game could be a year to early for many of them.
We hammered them last year and they had McBrearty then too.
I would say though that the home venue will mean more to Donegal this time than to Tyrone last weekend.
I don't wanna set the man up for a big performance but in recent years Murphy has been nullified quite a lot by Tyrone one way or another.

[omaghjoe]

Surely the west Tyrone fans will travel in huge numbers?

You would think. They're closer to Ballybofey than much of Donegal.

Maybe if there a cricket curtain raiser

[Rois]

Surely the west Tyrone fans will travel in huge numbers?

You would think. They're closer to Ballybofey than much of Donegal.

Maybe if there a cricket curtain raiser

Ahem - plenty of us will be there.

I do admit to being in Ballybofey much more often than Omagh when growing up.

Most West Tyronies will already be in Donegal in their caravans in Rossnowlagh or Bundoran at this time of year anyway 

[Fuzzman]

Id like to see Bradley starting this one. The Dubs I talked to since the game said they thought he was very lively and were relieved he didn't start. I think we've still not saw the best of him yet.
I really hope LB also makes his comeback soon. He would be a nice man to have should we make it to the semifinal

What's people's thoughts on us sending in a few more high balls to Richie?
I was very disappointed we didn't mix it up more re the ball into our FF line.
I think there was a bit of panic one time when a big high ball was kicked in.

I must say I've a good feeling about this game. I would say we're more likely to beat them at their home in early August than we would be in early June or May.

[Therealdonald]

Id like to see Bradley starting this one. The Dubs I talked to since the game said they thought he was very lively and were relieved he didn't start. I think we've still not saw the best of him yet.
I really hope LB also makes his comeback soon. He would be a nice man to have should we make it to the semifinal

What's people's thoughts on us sending in a few more high balls to Richie?
I was very disappointed we didn't mix it up more re the ball into our FF line.
I think there was a bit of panic one time when a big high ball was kicked in.

I must say I've a good feeling about this game. I would say we're more likely to beat them at their home in early August than we would be in early June or May.

Think people are getting carried away with Bradley's introduction last week. The first 3 balls that came in Cooper picked them and left Bradley like a child on his bum. He's too small. Lively but too small to make a massive impact. Also be a massive ask to introduce LB straight into this big of a game.

I'd be hoping to see more support for our forwards/ line breakers when there's a turnover, we went last week too much in dribs and drabs.
There'd be a bit of optimism too in Donegal about taking Sludden out of the game like last week. Murchan rendered him anonymous which doesn't bode well for the Donegal game if they send McGrath to follow him.

I think the winning and losing of this game will genuinely be in Murphy. If whoever is picking him up can't contain him with the help of Burns and Cavanagh then we are in trouble, though I wouldn't be surprised to see him play around the middle for the majority of the game.

Sitting down last night and trying to think objectively about if I was Donegal, how I'd go about beating Tyrone and the first thing came to my head would be to make McCann and Burns defend 1 on 1 where there's question marks imo. Just a thought. Donegal possibly are being talked up a bit too much because of the Roscommon game, add in the effect of losing McBrearty and its hard to see if that if Murphy isn't on top form where the inspiration/scores will come from.

Just a few thoughts. Feel free to analyse and call me stupid. It makes a change to talk about football as opposed to trying to annoy Syferus.

[Fuzzman]

Yes Therealdonald, I am amazed how many of these threads end up getting nonsense chat about silly issues.

I just think Donegal are trying too hard to get away from their defensive style and so are leaving themselves open a lot more.