Monaghan V Donegal Ulster Final

[J70]

3rd year in a row!
Odds should swing a bit after today's match. Donegal going in after a poor performance, similar to 2013. At least there will no complacency on the part of Donegal.

BTW, I've heard it repeated a few times this week that Donegal reaching their fifth final in a row is the first time its been done since the 60s. That's bullshit. Donegal played in five consecutive Ulster Finals between 89 and 93.

[BennyCake]

If you count the 89 replay, it was 6 in a row

[Rossfan]

And they say Munster is predictable.....

[Main Street]

Some old acquaintances just won't go away. they keep coming back.
I suppose we can accept that Donegal have earned their right this year to challenge us for the title but it will mean jack all on the day. Malachy will be all out to make amends for last year's numb performance. Donegal are still much of a muchness,  but with sporadic bursts of devastating football instead of what they once had, devastating sustained  periods of play.

I don't get this Donegal being complacent bit , why on earth would Donegal entertain complacency in a UCSF or UCF?  That's an absurd idea. They were not complacent against Derry, they just weren't that good.

[rrhf]

Finding your place is often the job of others.

[J70]

Some old acquaintances just won't go away. they keep coming back.
I suppose we can accept that Donegal have earned their right this year to challenge us for the title but it will mean jack all on the day. Malachy will be all out to make amends for last year's numb performance. Donegal are still much of a muchness,  but with sporadic bursts of devastating football instead of what they once had, devastating sustained  periods of play.

I don't get this Donegal being complacent bit , why on earth would Donegal entertain complacency in a UCSF or UCF?  That's an absurd idea. They were not complacent against Derry, they just weren't that good.

How do you know no Donegal players were complacent? Do you reject out of hand the idea that even a little complacency could affect individuals on a team that is being lauded up and down the land and whose next opponent has presented them very few problems in meetings over the past couple of seasons?

I agree they weren't very good. They were pretty awful in fact, even when completely on top in the first 15 minutes, with some very poor wides hit then. Although you just have to live with wides some days, especially on a very wet day like that. My biggest concern watching it was the amount of times Derry men won the scrappy ball, sometimes when surrounded by two or three Donegal men. They just seemed to want it more at times and looked to have a greater intensity for the battle than the Donegal players. I'd be interested to see the stats on blocked shots. I remember one Donegal block, very late on, whereas Derry had quite a few. That is why I would question the attitude a wee bit today, especially as it is usually not something that is found wanting in the team.
But, it is easy to criticize from the sidelines. Derry were well up for the physical battle, and as Monaghan, Armagh and others have shown in various games over the last couple of years, sometimes Donegal don't cope too well when faced with it.

[The Subbie]

Some old acquaintances just won't go away. they keep coming back.
I suppose we can accept that Donegal have earned their right this year to challenge us for the title but it will mean jack all on the day. Malachy will be all out to make amends for last year's numb performance. Donegal are still much of a muchness,  but with sporadic bursts of devastating football instead of what they once had, devastating sustained  periods of play.

I don't get this Donegal being complacent bit , why on earth would Donegal entertain complacency in a UCSF or UCF?  That's an absurd idea. They were not complacent against Derry, they just weren't that good.

How do you know no Donegal players were complacent? Do you reject out of hand the idea that even a little complacency could affect individuals on a team that is being lauded up and down the land and whose next opponent has presented them very few problems in meetings over the past couple of seasons?

I agree they weren't very good. They were pretty awful in fact, even when completely on top in the first 15 minutes, with some very poor wides hit then. Although you just have to live with wides some days, especially on a very wet day like that. My biggest concern watching it was the amount of times Derry men won the scrappy ball, sometimes when surrounded by two or three Donegal men. They just seemed to want it more at times and looked to have a greater intensity for the battle than the Donegal players. I'd be interested to see the stats on blocked shots. I remember one Donegal block, very late on, whereas Derry had quite a few. That is why I would question the attitude a wee bit today, especially as it is usually not something that is found wanting in the team.
But, it is easy to criticize from the sidelines. Derry were well up for the physical battle, and as Monaghan, Armagh and others have shown in various games over the last couple of years, sometimes Donegal don't cope too well when faced with it.

Admit it, you are worried.

[J70]

Some old acquaintances just won't go away. they keep coming back.
I suppose we can accept that Donegal have earned their right this year to challenge us for the title but it will mean jack all on the day. Malachy will be all out to make amends for last year's numb performance. Donegal are still much of a muchness,  but with sporadic bursts of devastating football instead of what they once had, devastating sustained  periods of play.

I don't get this Donegal being complacent bit , why on earth would Donegal entertain complacency in a UCSF or UCF?  That's an absurd idea. They were not complacent against Derry, they just weren't that good.

How do you know no Donegal players were complacent? Do you reject out of hand the idea that even a little complacency could affect individuals on a team that is being lauded up and down the land and whose next opponent has presented them very few problems in meetings over the past couple of seasons?

I agree they weren't very good. They were pretty awful in fact, even when completely on top in the first 15 minutes, with some very poor wides hit then. Although you just have to live with wides some days, especially on a very wet day like that. My biggest concern watching it was the amount of times Derry men won the scrappy ball, sometimes when surrounded by two or three Donegal men. They just seemed to want it more at times and looked to have a greater intensity for the battle than the Donegal players. I'd be interested to see the stats on blocked shots. I remember one Donegal block, very late on, whereas Derry had quite a few. That is why I would question the attitude a wee bit today, especially as it is usually not something that is found wanting in the team.
But, it is easy to criticize from the sidelines. Derry were well up for the physical battle, and as Monaghan, Armagh and others have shown in various games over the last couple of years, sometimes Donegal don't cope too well when faced with it.

Admit it, you are worried.

Yes.

I said pretty much that in the first post in the thread.

I think Monaghan would certainly have beaten Donegal on today's performance.

[The Subbie]

J70, didn't see the game but reading about it Donegal did enough, if they keep doing enough then sound.
If Monaghan play like last years final it's Donegals day, no question at all.

What Monaghan team are going to turn up though, I'm long enough watching them to be worried myself but underdog tag really suits us

[J70]

J70, didn't see the game but reading about it Donegal did enough, if they keep doing enough then sound.
If Monaghan play like last years final it's Donegals day, no question at all.

What Monaghan team are going to turn up though, I'm long enough watching them to be worried myself but underdog tag really suits us

I think the odds will be evenly split after today. Monaghan are a better team than Derry, and Derry will consider that a chance missed. And Monaghan,  on paper, came through the far easier side of the draw. But, on the other hand, I would expect Donegal to be really up for this, just as they were last year, and match the Monaghan men for effort and commitment.  Maybe today will be a blessing in disguise... or maybe,  as Canavan predicts, it was the first sign of a team with a lot of mileage starting to lose a bit of steam.

[BluestackBoy]

The first two games, against Tyrone & Armagh, were seen by everyone as being big hurdles to get over.

Having done that, with some style against Armagh, it would be difficult to maintain that intensity against a team that were seen by many to be on a poor run of form.

No matter how much you guard against it or tell yourself different the performance levels can slip by 10% - 15% & if the opposition are up for it then you are in trouble.

Let's not forget that Monaghan weren't brilliant against Fermanagh, for the same reasons, but I suspect that both side will be at full tilt for the final.

[SouthDublinBro]

Monaghan are capable of beating Donegal at home in Clones if they have another off day, but they are going nowhere in the championship afterwards.

My main prediction here is for Hughes to get frustrated with Donegal's diving antics, throw a few punches and pick up a deserved red card towards the end of the game.

[twohands!!!]

The first two games, against Tyrone & Armagh, were seen by everyone as being big hurdles to get over.

On the basis of Tyrone and Armagh's performances since the Donegal game - unconvincing wins against a side that came joint bottom of Division 4 and a side that just avoided relegation to Division 3, you have to wonder were they really that big of a hurdle for Donegal to overcome.

[From the Bunker]

The first two games, against Tyrone & Armagh, were seen by everyone as being big hurdles to get over.

Having done that, with some style against Armagh, it would be difficult to maintain that intensity against a team that were seen by many to be on a poor run of form.

No matter how much you guard against it or tell yourself different the performance levels can slip by 10% - 15% & if the opposition are up for it then you are in trouble.

Let's not forget that Monaghan weren't brilliant against Fermanagh, for the same reasons, but I suspect that both side will be at full tilt for the final.

That's it in a nutshell. They were two big games. I'd say Donegal (as well as the rest of us) was surprised how easily Armagh rolled over. So in fairness they were not going to have the same intensity yesterday, it's about winning and not peaking from here to the AI semi finals. It's hard to deal with such test earlier in the championship and not use up all your positive energy?

[armaghniac]

When Armagh won Ulster from the preliminary round it was big news, as it  had only happened once before. Donegal have made this routine and they may not have seen Derry as quite as big a threat as Tyrone or Armagh away. I'd say they would like to beat Monaghan.