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When you reach that stage in life when you are feeling down, your wife says in a soft, dulcet tone  - "I know something that will cheer you up" - and she hands you a chocolate bun and a cup of tea

Heard the best summation of the All - Ireland on Monday morning on Radio Ulster - O Muircheartaigh was interviewed and when asked why he tipped Cork from January, he said that when you train for an All Ireland final you are going full tilt, mentally and physically.
Micheal stated that this naturally builds up a stamina in a team that not many can match if they haven't been there. He reckoned Cork have been at such a high level for the past four years that the stamina built up would see them over the line.
And when you look at Sunday and the SF it explains a lot.

McKernan-for the first half of the AIF & semi final display
Walsh- for the AIF

Walsh deserves it overall - powerful display when it really mattered.

Congratulations to Cork

And Down got to this stage without Mickey Walsh and Liam Doyle - two great players.

are you well? this year has been the best in a long long time regarding quality and entertaining matches

I'm very well, thanks...how's about yourself?

You must not have attended the Ulster Finals between Armagh & Tyrone, never mind the other numerous Ulster Championship games, not to forget a cracker All Ireland semi final in 2005.

As for this year, some pretty football, not much quality.  An average team rarely wins an All Ireland, however, this Sunday could be the exception, and I wish the winners well.

Are people never happy? If this final was being contested between two of Cork, Kerry, Tyrone, the whole country would be calling for a shake up to the format, that the same teams are at the top and that something has to be done to freshen everything up.

Four teams in Down, Kildare, Roscommon and Dublin come in and do inject a bit of interest, beat some of the old guard, beat provincial champions and it is now called an average all-ireland, not just on this board but all over the media. As if the teams mentioned aren't worthy.

And that the format isn't right when four provincial champions are knocked out.
The four teams mentioned above will no doubt have given hope to countless other counties for next year.

And the feeling in the General Public? Paddy Power bets have gone up 22% on last years final, with 75% of bets being put on Down. Now that might reflect the generous odds that Down have, but moreover it reflects an increased interest in this final.

Was talking to an Armagh AI winner yesterday and he can't get tickets - he was told that no tickets were coming back from other counties, such was the interest.

And to dumb down a championship where classy teams have perservered all year to try and win Sam by saying it has been an average all ireland is just wrong.

Average All Ireland me hole

Feckin Begrudgers

Will definitely be flying the Down flag for Tyrone on Sunday ONeill - sure didnt't ye do us a huge favour by beatin us in Casement?

As said in one of the previous posts, it will be about who handles the pressure best - who can produce their best when the heat is really on.

Both teams want the win as badly as the other, both teams have been trained and conditioned so that they succeed. The winners will be the team with the most conviction, focus and guts for a fight.

And, for me, that team is Down.

Completely off-topic, but I know James McCartan senior was from Donaghcloney.  How did the current manager end up with Burren?  Did the family leave Donaghcloney and move down Burren way?

Be careful not to open a can of worms! 
Short answer is, that Wee James transferred to Burren after the heart of a local lady. He formally played for Tullylish.

So is he now a resident of Burren or does he live up the Donaghcloney way?  Is James Snr still about there?

Yes, resident of Burren.  afaik James Snr is still in Donaghcloney

i thought James senior now lives in Mayobridge/Saval??
Was James senior not originally a Glenn man, i know he played for Glenn.

Both James and Dan played for Glenn, although they were from Donaghcloney.

When Maurice Hayes rolled out his plan in 1956 for Down to win an All Ireland within the next ten years, one of the theories was that for county standard players to achieve and maintain a high level of playing they had to be competing aginst other county standard players.
Therefore eight teams were picked to form division 1 in Down, Glenn being one of them. All the quality players and prospects were then placed with one of the big eight, if they were not playing for one already.

With the family ties to Glenn, their father Briney played for them, they joined the club and the rest is history...

EDIT: Correction - Briney hailed from Hilltown/Cabra direction - James was playing for Glenn from 1954, two years before Hayes put his plan in action.