Donegal V Dublin

J70 · March 04, 2009, 11:37:32 PM

Haven't seen a thread on Sunday's game in Ballyshannon...

Donegal team (John Joe seems to have dispensed with McIvor's practise of waiting until the day before the game to announce it)

Donegal (NFL v Dublin) - Michael Boyle, Eamon McGee, Neil McGee, Paddy McDaid, Eoin Wade, Raymond Sweeney, Kevin Cassidy, Ciaran Bonner, Christy Toye, Brendan Boyle, Conall Dunne, Rory Kavanagh, Michael Murphy, Stephen Griffin, David Walsh.

Starting debut for Eoin Wade, Raymond Sweeney in at centre back for the first time in years, Cassidy making his first appearance of the year. It will be interesting to see how the three young fellas do up front. Presumably McFadden will be available off the bench if needed. Bonner and Toye in a very experimental midfield pairing (both normally half-forwards at this level) - Neil Gallagher is out for the league.

Donegal need a win here badly, or it will be very difficult to see them staying up.

Hound · March 05, 2009, 07:49:38 AM

Yes, loser staring relegation in the face.

Dublin team named:

Stephen Cluxton
Paddy Andrews, Denis Bastick, Alan Hubbard
James Brogan, Ger Brennan, Barry Cahill
Ciarán Whelan, Ross McConnell
Diarmuid Connolly, Conal Keaney, David Henry
Blaine Kelly, Kevin Bonner, Bernard Brogan

Cullen, Sherlock and Diamond dropped. Probably the first time Cullen's been dropped since he joined the panel just out of minor, but he had it coming. Flynn injured. Alan Brogan is back training, so may be on the bench. The younger brother Paul has suffered what seems a recurrance of his cruciate injury so looks like another season gone before its started. Paddy Andrews is due to play for the U21s on Saturday also.

Dublin beat a pretty much 2nd string Monaghan side comfortably and Laois by a point in challenges over the last week. Blaine Kelly kicked 5 points in the first game, hence he gets his chance on Sunday. The Laois game was supposed to be "heated" - did anyone see it to shed any light?

INDIANA · March 05, 2009, 09:24:08 AM

Lally and Sheehan sent off before the game started both punching the chops off each other. Casey late tackled one of the Laois players causing another punch up. Various other skirmishes as well. As you can tell wasn't a great football game. Laois though the better team over the hour. Both teams pretty experimental and I'd say Laois will be hard to beat this year Dempsey seems to have them motoring well.
We were ok over the hour and narrowly won, both teams guilty of poor wides though. I think both Dublin and Donegal will near cancel each other out. It inevitably will be a soft pitch with a partisan crowd and we've an awful record up there. I have to say though I like the balance of the Donegal team bettter than ours. We still have an awfully inexperienced backline and I don't rate some of the players playing for us I really don't.
Midfield is an area Dublin could exploit but I think it'll be very tight. Loser goes down in my view.

Canalman · March 05, 2009, 11:36:12 AM

Personally happy to see Kevin Bonnar back......hope he is given an extended run in the team as I think he is the type of burly but skilful player we need up front. Usually play Donegal away in awful weather conditions with the grass up over the ankles. Donegal at home v the Dubs are imo men possessed and we have failed the tests miserably in the past....... with the usual catastrophic results in character evident later on in the Summer. Very big game for Dublin.
Still not happy with our full back line , would like to see some more lads tried out. Liked the cut of Niall O'Shea in the Sigerson final last week......Both Barry Cahill and Peadar Andrews were both "rehabilated" after stinkers early on in their careers and I hope NOS gets another chance. Believe he has been injured for a while.

heffo · March 05, 2009, 11:41:29 AM

Quote from: Canalman on March 05, 2009, 11:36:12 AM
Liked the cut of Niall O'Shea in the Sigerson final last week......Both Barry Cahill and Peadar Andrews were both "rehabilated" after stinkers early on in their careers and I hope NOS gets another chance. Believe he has been injured for a while.

Whilst O'Shea is an honest, hardworking player - he's been skint for pace in virtually every Dublin league or O'Byrne cup game he's played in on soft pitches - he's a mile short of the pace for the full back line in Croker

Canalman · March 05, 2009, 02:02:24 PM

Heffo, can only go on what i saw on the box last Saturday and he looked sharp to me. As a county we are criminally short of the gritty type of "Stopper" needed at corner back/full back. Plenty of "nice" footballers supposedly with pace at the moment filling those positions to imo calamitous effect.
Ross mcConnell needs a very big game to justify some people's (not mine) high opinion of him. Hope he proves me wrong.

Hound · March 06, 2009, 07:37:47 AM

McConnell has all the tools to be a top class midfielder. A super all rounder. Fielding, defence, strength, running with the ball, scoring - he can do it all. The big question is can he do it all at inter-county level. Maybe he can't, but I personally think he deserves a run in the side at midfield to prove it one way or the other.

INDIANA · March 06, 2009, 08:35:06 AM

Don't disagree but why break up the best midfield partnership in the country? Can't fathom the thinking here. If there was a transfer market tomorrow, every county would want Shane Ryan. Both Mc Connell and Whelan are very similar. I would see McConnell as Whelan's successor but I'm not sure they'd complement each other as a partnership.
Paddy Andrews is playing for the dublin 21's on saturday, too big an ask to play again on sunday in my view.

Hound · March 06, 2009, 09:12:34 AM

Does Shane look right to you this year?

Doesnt look quite as fit or mobile as the last couple of years. Dunno's if he's had an injury or is carrying an injury. 80% of Shane is his engine - if that goes then he's gone. Or maybe I'm imagining it as the couple of runs he's got has been from the bench. I was surprised that he didnt start either of the challenge matches last week, but probably signals at the moment that he's down the pecking order.

Of course he has been down the pecking order before at this stage of a season and regained his place by championship time.

INDIANA · March 06, 2009, 10:02:58 AM

I would write off our chances with him Hound is thats the case.People underestimate how big a factor he is for Dublin and I think he's rated higher outside Dublin then within the county for some reason. We've no-one to complement his engine within the squad. Fennell,Mc Connell etc -all similar to Whelan and have nothing like Ryan's wheels. Hope I'm wrong but I'm beginning to get the impression this is a management thing- if it is its not good.

heffo · March 06, 2009, 10:15:38 AM

Quote from: Hound on March 06, 2009, 09:12:34 AM
Does Shane look right to you this year?

Doesnt look quite as fit or mobile as the last couple of years. Dunno's if he's had an injury or is carrying an injury. 80% of Shane is his engine - if that goes then he's gone. Or maybe I'm imagining it as the couple of runs he's got has been from the bench. I was surprised that he didnt start either of the challenge matches last week, but probably signals at the moment that he's down the pecking order.

Of course he has been down the pecking order before at this stage of a season and regained his place by championship time.

He's been carrying a knock all year

Maximus Marillius · March 06, 2009, 10:31:13 AM

Quote from: INDIANA on March 06, 2009, 08:35:06 AM
Don't disagree but why break up the best midfield partnership in the country? Can't fathom the thinking here. If there was a transfer market tomorrow, every county would want Shane Ryan. Both Mc Connell and Whelan are very similar. I would see McConnell as Whelan's successor but I'm not sure they'd complement each other as a partnership.
Paddy Andrews is playing for the dublin 21's on saturday, too big an ask to play again on sunday in my view.

what planet are you on? The best in lenister perhaps. Played a blinder against Tyrone in the 1/4 ...the real test and were wiped out. Give me a Tyrone, Kerry or even a Derry pairing any day.

heffo · March 06, 2009, 10:35:38 AM

Quote from: Maximus Marillius on March 06, 2009, 10:31:13 AM
Quote from: INDIANA on March 06, 2009, 08:35:06 AM
Don't disagree but why break up the best midfield partnership in the country? Can't fathom the thinking here. If there was a transfer market tomorrow, every county would want Shane Ryan. Both Mc Connell and Whelan are very similar. I would see McConnell as Whelan's successor but I'm not sure they'd complement each other as a partnership.
Paddy Andrews is playing for the dublin 21's on saturday, too big an ask to play again on sunday in my view.

what planet are you on? The best in lenister perhaps. Played a blinder against Tyrone in the 1/4 ...the real test and were wiped out. Give me a Tyrone, Kerry or even a Derry pairing any day.

They're the best midfield pair in the country - perhaps other counties have a better range of 5/6 players to position in the midfield zone and eventually win the ball..

Maximus Marillius · March 06, 2009, 10:49:39 AM

delusional at best!

heffo · March 06, 2009, 10:53:09 AM

Quote from: Maximus Marillius on March 06, 2009, 10:49:39 AM
delusional at best!

If you were to take midfield play at it's purest and list the required qualities - I don't think there is a better midfield pair in the country - maybe if a county sacrifices a player with the sole purpose of blocking Whelan's runs etc (like a Nordie posted recently) then there are counties that will gain the upper hand..