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After you watch it can you come back with these notes regrading the referee .... I would be intertested.

Thank You.

I'm not stirring here but why do Mayo always try and throw their weight around in All Ireland finals?
It doesn't suit them.
Cian O'Connor was lucky he wasn't put off in the first half.

Look at the recording .... Cillian O'Connor was clearly fouled prior to this incident and antagonized by the two defenders.

Thought the ref was trying to keep Mayo in it, some poor decisions/decisions not given and so on.

I think that comment is horse manure and it was frustrating to listen to 2 ex-Donegal players coming out with the same bull when interviewed last night on the Sunday Game along with Jim McG alluding to it.
If i was from Donegal i'd spend far more being thankful for the free out that was given when Cillian O'Connor was fouled ultimately leading to the 2nd goal and a 4 point turn-around than moaning about what they perceive as a couple of hard calls against them.

Christ, if they had lost there would have been some moaning if they're moaning about it when the won.

in your opinion (and possibly other people's opinions) perhaps, but in my own opinion and more or less everyone else in the corporate box where we sat (with the benefit of looking at the tv screen in the box behind us for replays) the opinion was that the ref was good to mayo. a few soft frees either way, ref should have booked some more and not yellow carded a couple he did.
I thought Donegal had to endure a lot worse in order to get a free in comparison to mayo.
I'm a qualified ref by the way - but having seen a good few top refs perform porly this season inc deegan, that counts for feck all too.
I dont want to get into a slagging match and offend the poor mayo lads as they are a great footballing people, but its only my opinion - and one shared by a lot of people (a lot of neutrals included).

even though it didnt affect the match, I still think we need to improve on refs, consistency and accuracy. hawkeye and instant tv replays etc etc.

Were the corporate brigade all donegal supporters !!!

"....the opinion was that the ref was good to mayo."
Some examples would help.


Can you comment on some of the scoreable frees that donegal were given in the 2nd half ...(since you say you are qualified) and the non awarding of a free to o'connor preceding donegal 2nd goal.

Also any comment (given that you are a referee) about donegal tactic of interfering with many mayo free takers out the field and their theatrics near the end on the game following fouls?

[Marginal]

"Personally I thought Deegan was pretty soft on Mayo. I was right beside the McGee O'Connor foul and it wasn't a free in. Yes possibly for Donegals goal O'Connor could possibly have gotten a foul but it was marginal and it wasn't helped by the fact he took a dive at that time! In the first half and parts of the 2nd Mayo hit anything that moved and numerous times that was the man who had just layed the ball off. Lacey got a bad one and that time for McFaddens long free there were 2 Donegal men who got nailed when the ball was gone."

I was behind the  canal goal and it was a blatant free not only once but twice ..... Marginal you're having a laugh

Why not deal with McFaddden dive in the 2nd half to earn a free .... Never a free.


The long range free taking from Donegal was brilliant (6 from 6)... probably this won the game for Donegal coupled with mayo poor return from frees (6 from 9)

Well done to Donegal.

Watched game again this morning ..... I have no idea why these donegal posters are going on about the referee being soft on Mayo...
(the supporter at the game the very same ... wanted a yellow card for every foul committed by a mayo player!!!)

There were three fouls called on mayo (all pointed) which were marginal.
i)  Last free before half-time was harsh.
ii) Foul called on mayo player when Murphy met with a fair shoulder and
iii) finally McFadden dived to earn his free into the 2nd half.

Not to mention deegan's worst decision In not awarding a free to O'Connor which led to Donegal 2nd Goal.


Final Note, the whistling, cat calling & booing a disgrace by a sizable portion of the Donegal crowd.


I wonder will Brolly (or anybody else) mention the time wasting and feigning injury late into the 2nd Half. Each time there was a foul, the donegal players were holding there faces even though contact was being made to their face.

Can any of the Mayoites then explain how you can win this?

Donegal are fitter, mentally and physically tougher and have better footballers all over the field. If you deny any of those advantages for Donegal then ye are smoking something optimistic down there. I know there'll be 'disrespect' posted in response but it's not. Just my opinion which may be totally inaccurate in 8 days. I'll hold my hands up. I just have never witnessed a side as well drilled as a unit as this Donegal side. The Tyrone 05 side was much more talented individually but I think they'd have floundered on the McGuinness rock. They reduce sides to a mumbling mess by the 50 minute mark. There is a lot of hyperbole around them too and McGuinness will be loving it but they're a fine team.

There is a small, small chance that everything Mayo hit from 35 out will go over the bar. Possible. Miraculous but maybe. Perhaps Mayo will keep their heads when 3-4 don't go over and remain calm. Then perhaps Mayo will maintain the 150mph approach for 75 mins, because Donegal will. Mayo will need to keep getting up and hit them again. And then do it again, all of them. They cannot hide for 25 minutes as they did v Dublin. Possibly McFadden will kick over no placed balls, Murphy will be tied up again, the Donegal raiding game will be met head on, again for 75 minutes. Maybe Donegal's defensive machine will inexplicably fall to pieces on the big day. Perhaps big O'Shea will lord it on the biggest stage- play like he did as a minor and waltz around the Hills. Donegal chasing a game after a miraculous start by the Westerners? We don't really know how they'll react to a 4-5 point deficit in an AIF. Last year Tyrone led them 0-6 to 0-1 and Donegal were spinning. The referee's whistle saved them. McGuinness reminded them of their duties and they went out and strangled Tyrone, albeit with slight fortune and skulduggery.

Houl on, Mayo can do this. Up Mayo.

So O'Neill can we have a more better explanation as to how Donegal will "win" this game ..... And none of the previous bluster and lasy comment ....
How about some football analysis and not hyperbole regarding the "Donegal System", and so on.   ?

O Neill your in la la land  ....
your "reasoning" was utter tripe ....

For example ... you would take all the Donegal backs ahead of Mayo ... All thirteen of them 

To pull you out of that hole - I'll explain. Donegal lost that game. Dublin didn't score from play until the 60th minute. Donegal's obsession with defensive tactics lost them the game. At 6-3 ahead in the second half they were home and dried only for first year naivety to play its part. Instead of killing their prey they sat on a lead.

O'Neill to pull you out of Donegal hole .... McFadden & Murphy were held in the second half & has nothing else, maybe that's why they didn't win the game !!!

[ONeill]

Now Now ONeill .... you seem very knowledgeable regarding this Donegal team  .... surely you have some idea as to how Dublin beat them. 

I'll leave it up to you to tell us 

Can some fcuker from Mayo, just one, have a go and attempt to formulate a small tactical analysis as to how they can approach this and win it?

Who do you think will be your key men? Where are the Donegal weaknesses? What can you do that Kerry and Cork couldn't?

Even someone who isn't from Mayo but gives them a chance. And none of this cute hoorism of giving it a lash. McGuinness shites lashes.

Play as Dublin Played last Year .... Dublin won.  The template is their... no need to reinvent the wheel !!!

You're going down the route of orthodox footballers. You have to look at what makes a good inter-county player today. For me, a better footballer is someone who plays effectively.

I'm sorry. I'd have the whole Donegal full back line and half back line, in terms of what is required in the modern game. I think the Donegal half-back line have scored 2-18 as opposed to something like 0-6 for Mayo (figures not accurate). I know they're making up for the non-scoring forwards but, as you'll find out next week, you're going to need scorers outside 10-15. I also think Cafferkey is in for a torrid day. I thought Keegan was poor v Dublin.

As for O'Shea - whereas the Donegal midfield will put in a 75 minute shift, Aiden was a goner after 50 minutes v Dublin. Underestimate the Donegal midfield at your peril. Would I pick O'Shea over whatever pairing Donegal put out - no. You can be assured the Donegal 8&9 will do their job til the whistle goes. O'Shea is a hit and miss player.

I'll give you Dillon and O'Connor. That's it.

I'm afraid your a little bit "donegal" tinted here in you assessment ...

K Higgins a better corner back the P McGrath.
L Keegan a better half back than McGee or Thomson

Re: O'Shea come back next Monday ... I think you may have to eat a little humble pie. He has the ability to dictate this game.

Re: Murphy v Caffrekey ... you may be correct here but it may not be One on One... ( system and all that !!!)
      (Murphy would go to town on all full backs in a One on One including McGee )


Tell me this how will Karl Lacy cover both wings of croke parke as Dillon & McGloughin have the ability to go to town on donegals 2 wing half backs.

Just a quick reply here ...
" I thought Keegan was poor v Dublin"  ... he played for 12 minutes !!!!

[Kepper]

Can any of the Mayoites then explain how you can win this?

Donegal are fitter, mentally and physically tougher and have better footballers all over the field. If you deny any of those advantages for Donegal then ye are smoking something optimistic down there. I know there'll be 'disrespect' posted in response but it's not. Just my opinion which may be totally inaccurate in 8 days. I'll hold my hands up. I just have never witnessed a side as well drilled as a unit as this Donegal side. The Tyrone 05 side was much more talented individually but I think they'd have floundered on the McGuinness rock. They reduce sides to a mumbling mess by the 50 minute mark. There is a lot of hyperbole around them too and McGuinness will be loving it but they're a fine team.

There is a small, small chance that everything Mayo hit from 35 out will go over the bar. Possible. Miraculous but maybe. Perhaps Mayo will keep their heads when 3-4 don't go over and remain calm. Then perhaps Mayo will maintain the 150mph approach for 75 mins, because Donegal will. Mayo will need to keep getting up and hit them again. And then do it again, all of them. They cannot hide for 25 minutes as they did v Dublin. Possibly McFadden will kick over no placed balls, Murphy will be tied up again, the Donegal raiding game will be met head on, again for 75 minutes. Maybe Donegal's defensive machine will inexplicably fall to pieces on the big day. Perhaps big O'Shea will lord it on the biggest stage- play like he did as a minor and waltz around the Hills. Donegal chasing a game after a miraculous start by the Westerners? We don't really know how they'll react to a 4-5 point deficit in an AIF. Last year Tyrone led them 0-6 to 0-1 and Donegal were spinning. The referee's whistle saved them. McGuinness reminded them of their duties and they went out and strangled Tyrone, albeit with slight fortune and skulduggery.

Houl on, Mayo can do this. Up Mayo.

Lets deal with this "lazy" line "better footballers all over the field".....


Kepper
Both decent no discernible difference.

Full Backs
Most people would choose Higgins & McGlynn as their two corner backs.
Again Full back .. Cafferkey & McGee Both decent no discernible difference.

Half Backs
Keegan Lacey & one other would be most people choice.

Midfield
By far and away the best footballer here would be A o'Shea.
As a pairing Gallagher /O'Shea would be most people choice.

Forward
Murphy, McFadden, Dillon, McGloughin would be automatic ....(D'ont shout re McHugh as an ortodox half forward he would not be as good football wise as Dillon or McGloughin)
That leave one one full forward position .... Conroy would be the choice here i believe.
Finally who plays chf ..... again football wise i believe O'Connor has the most football ability to play here.


So looking at the above the comment "Donegal .... have better footballers all over the field" is nonsense and it is lazy commentary.


I look forward to counter argument !!!!