galway v donegal

[cicfada]

Football reinvented in 2002?? Peddling that really makes no sense . Imagine Kerry's all Ireland successes in the 70s and 80s being deemed  irrelevant due to "football being reinvented" as a result of the prevelance of hand passing then?? I don't think so! Galway have had their difficulties for a while but it doesn't make the successes in 98 and 01 any less valuable They beat whoever they came up against at that time. I would put the lack of success down recently to a prolonged stay in Div 2 to be honest and conversely Mayo have prospered in Div 1. in the meantime we wait for Mayo to finally seal the deal in the all Ireland final and I think they have as good a chance as anyone. Donegal will beat Galway and then I feel Mayo will beat them. After that it's the Dubs and  who knows then ? I am in admiration of Mayos resilience and if the full back line is addressed then it could be their year. Good luck to them, it would be great to see it happen, finally !!

[moysider]

Football reinvented in 2002?? Peddling that really makes no sense . Imagine Kerry's all Ireland successes in the 70s and 80s being deemed  irrelevant due to "football being reinvented" as a result of the prevelance of hand passing then?? I don't think so! Galway have had their difficulties for a while but it doesn't make the successes in 98 and 01 any less valuable They beat whoever they came up against at that time. I would put the lack of success down recently to a prolonged stay in Div 2 to be honest and conversely Mayo have prospered in Div 1. in the meantime we wait for Mayo to finally seal the deal in the all Ireland final and I think they have as good a chance as anyone. Donegal will beat Galway and then I feel Mayo will beat them. After that it's the Dubs and  who knows then ? I am in admiration of Mayos resilience and if the full back line is addressed then it could be their year. Good luck to them, it would be great to see it happen, finally !!

Of course they are not irrelevant.
It's hard to do tongue in cheek in print. But stuff won 14/ 17 years ago is about as relevant now as stuff won 70 years ago.
Johnno did grand for ye but by the time we got him second time the game had passed him and others like Boylan, Micko and other legends by. If we had a more 'tactical' manager 07-10 then maybe Horan wouldn t have had to bridge such a gap in preparation and tactics and we might have made it. But we had to go from losing to Sligo and Longford to beating AI champions in one year. And then face Kerry!

As regards our fb line, the only way to address that is to completely restructure the way we play. Horan wasn t willing to do that and even though the present management seem more practical I can t see them take the drastic step. If we has the wait could have been over already. Of all the top teams we have the best hand for a counter-attacking running game off a blanket. I'm not sure if its a case of management not wanting to sell out or not seeing it.

[Manning18]

Football reinvented in 2002?? Peddling that really makes no sense . Imagine Kerry's all Ireland successes in the 70s and 80s being deemed  irrelevant due to "football being reinvented" as a result of the prevelance of hand passing then?? I don't think so! Galway have had their difficulties for a while but it doesn't make the successes in 98 and 01 any less valuable They beat whoever they came up against at that time. I would put the lack of success down recently to a prolonged stay in Div 2 to be honest and conversely Mayo have prospered in Div 1. in the meantime we wait for Mayo to finally seal the deal in the all Ireland final and I think they have as good a chance as anyone. Donegal will beat Galway and then I feel Mayo will beat them. After that it's the Dubs and  who knows then ? I am in admiration of Mayos resilience and if the full back line is addressed then it could be their year. Good luck to them, it would be great to see it happen, finally !!

Of course they are not irrelevant.
It's hard to do tongue in cheek in print. But stuff won 14/ 17 years ago is about as relevant now as stuff won 70 years ago.
Johnno did grand for ye but by the time we got him second time the game had passed him and others like Boylan, Micko and other legends by. If we had a more 'tactical' manager 07-10 then maybe Horan wouldn t have had to bridge such a gap in preparation and tactics and we might have made it. But we had to go from losing to Sligo and Longford to beating AI champions in one year. And then face Kerry!

As regards our fb line, the only way to address that is to completely restructure the way we play. Horan wasn t willing to do that and even though the present management seem more practical I can t see them take the drastic step. If we has the wait could have been over already. Of all the top teams we have the best hand for a counter-attacking running game off a blanket. I'm not sure if its a case of management not wanting to sell out or not seeing it.

It seemed so at the time. In hindsight, i'd have probably won two AI's with that group of players.

While 14 yrs ago isnt especially relevant today, the smugness stems from the vast majority of us actually being around for those two great performances. It softens the blow of being largely shiite most years since then

[Maroon Manc]

Football reinvented in 2002?? Peddling that really makes no sense . Imagine Kerry's all Ireland successes in the 70s and 80s being deemed  irrelevant due to "football being reinvented" as a result of the prevelance of hand passing then?? I don't think so! Galway have had their difficulties for a while but it doesn't make the successes in 98 and 01 any less valuable They beat whoever they came up against at that time. I would put the lack of success down recently to a prolonged stay in Div 2 to be honest and conversely Mayo have prospered in Div 1. in the meantime we wait for Mayo to finally seal the deal in the all Ireland final and I think they have as good a chance as anyone. Donegal will beat Galway and then I feel Mayo will beat them. After that it's the Dubs and  who knows then ? I am in admiration of Mayos resilience and if the full back line is addressed then it could be their year. Good luck to them, it would be great to see it happen, finally !!

Of course they are not irrelevant.
It's hard to do tongue in cheek in print. But stuff won 14/ 17 years ago is about as relevant now as stuff won 70 years ago.
Johnno did grand for ye but by the time we got him second time the game had passed him and others like Boylan, Micko and other legends by. If we had a more 'tactical' manager 07-10 then maybe Horan wouldn t have had to bridge such a gap in preparation and tactics and we might have made it. But we had to go from losing to Sligo and Longford to beating AI champions in one year. And then face Kerry!

As regards our fb line, the only way to address that is to completely restructure the way we play. Horan wasn t willing to do that and even though the present management seem more practical I can t see them take the drastic step. If we has the wait could have been over already. Of all the top teams we have the best hand for a counter-attacking running game off a blanket. I'm not sure if its a case of management not wanting to sell out or not seeing it.

Many of us can remember the triumphs of 1998 and 2001 so its clearly more relevant than something that happened 70 years ago that none of will have seen.

I agree the only way to address it is to restructure your tactical approach. Its admirable that Horan and the 2 fella's now keep faith with the same system, its left you just short in the past although luck certainly evaded Mayo last summer and will likely leave Mayo short again. Looking from the outside I'd certainly agree that Mayo appear to have the players to make a counter attacking running game a success. It would be a hugely odd decision not to give it a go next year it this year ends without success.

[Hound]

Fair play to ye. I wouldn t drive to an empty CP for a qualifier in a fit. It will hardly be watchable on tv either. Full of echoes and pigeons.

Jayz, if all the lads who said they're not going because Croker will be near empty, actually went instead, it wouldn't be so empty!

[Maroon Manc]

I've seen claims elsewhere that Lacey is certainly out whilst Murphy is very doubtful. What injury does Murphy have?

[Syferus]

I've seen claims elsewhere that Lacey is certainly out whilst Murphy is very doubtful. What injury does Murphy have?

I assume it's his knee. It had more tape on it than Watergate.

[moysider]

I've seen claims elsewhere that Lacey is certainly out whilst Murphy is very doubtful. What injury does Murphy have?

Big swing to Galway there.

[An Fhairche Abu]

I've seen claims elsewhere that Lacey is certainly out whilst Murphy is very doubtful. What injury does Murphy have?

If Murphy is a a 50/50 call I think that Donegal will probably figure that they might be able to get away with leaving him on the bench for this game, especially given that the Mayo-Donegal match will only be a week later, he does look injured to be fair, very hampered in his movement and was well below his best in the Ulster Final

[twohands!!!]

I've seen claims elsewhere that Lacey is certainly out whilst Murphy is very doubtful. What injury does Murphy have?

If Murphy is a a 50/50 call I think that Donegal will probably figure that they might be able to get away with leaving him on the bench for this game, especially given that the Mayo-Donegal match will only be a week later, he does look injured to be fair, very hampered in his movement and was well below his best in the Ulster Final

There's no way in hell Donegal will be resting Murphy, unless his leg has come off at the knee, especially when you look at the rest of their squad/their options in terms of replacing him.

They might take him off (unlikely) but there is very little chance they won't start him.

Donegal reaping the "reward" of not doing more to develop players in the league - when you only give 19 players starts in the league, you are always going to be very susceptible to injuries, especially to your top players. Injuries will always happen and Donegal's approach seems to have been a case of cross their fingers, close their eyes and hope against hope.

As a contrast Dublin had 31 different starters in the league.

[From the Bunker]

I've seen claims elsewhere that Lacey is certainly out whilst Murphy is very doubtful. What injury does Murphy have?

If Murphy is a a 50/50 call I think that Donegal will probably figure that they might be able to get away with leaving him on the bench for this game, especially given that the Mayo-Donegal match will only be a week later, he does look injured to be fair, very hampered in his movement and was well below his best in the Ulster Final

There's no way in hell Donegal will be resting Murphy, unless his leg has come off at the knee, especially when you look at the rest of their squad/their options in terms of replacing him.

They might take him off (unlikely) but there is very little chance they won't start him.

Donegal reaping the "reward" of not doing more to develop players in the league - when you only give 19 players starts in the league, you are always going to be very susceptible to injuries, especially to your top players. Injuries will always happen and Donegal's approach seems to have been a case of cross their fingers, close their eyes and hope against hope.

As a contrast Dublin had 31 different starters in the league.

Jez you can't really compare anyone at the present time to Dublin squad wise? Maybe Kerry, Mayo, Cork?

[imtommygunn]

Squad wise no one compares to Dublin. Dublin could very possibly field two teams who'd hold their own in division 1 of the league. If not their 2nd team could definitely challenge most counties. Donegal have a bit more depth this year with the 2 McHugh's so they can have good cover in half backs but they haven't much up front. (No way could they play the two McHugh's up front). McLoone may make a difference though and if McFadden were to get his shooting boots on though he can be very hit and miss - more miss these days.

Twohands you love your stats...

[Maroon Manc]

I've seen claims elsewhere that Lacey is certainly out whilst Murphy is very doubtful. What injury does Murphy have?

If Murphy is a a 50/50 call I think that Donegal will probably figure that they might be able to get away with leaving him on the bench for this game, especially given that the Mayo-Donegal match will only be a week later, he does look injured to be fair, very hampered in his movement and was well below his best in the Ulster Final

He was very hampered in his movement, players breezed past him on several occasion in the first half which led to scores.

[Nihilist]

It must be good news that Shane Walsh played the last few mins against Derry as well.
I assume he will be fighting for his place on this team now.

[twohands!!!]

Squad wise no one compares to Dublin. Dublin could very possibly field two teams who'd hold their own in division 1 of the league. If not their 2nd team could definitely challenge most counties. Donegal have a bit more depth this year with the 2 McHugh's so they can have good cover in half backs but they haven't much up front. (No way could they play the two McHugh's up front). McLoone may make a difference though and if McFadden were to get his shooting boots on though he can be very hit and miss - more miss these days.

Twohands you love your stats...

In the league
Dublin 31 starters
Mayo 31 starters
Cork 26 starters
Kerry 23 [significantly with Kerry they rested/had a lot out injured - none of JOD, Gooch, O'Mahony, Marc O'Se, Donncahdh Walsh, Paul Galvin or Darran Sullivan started a league game for them ; basically Kerry are far closer to Dublin/Mayo than they are to Donegal.
Monaghan 21
Donegal 19