Donegal v Kildare NFL semi-final

[Dinny Breen]

P*ssed off big time I won't get to this match. JC will probably name an unchanged team for the semi-final so it will be along the lines of

E Murphy; E Callaghan, D Lyons, A McLoughlin; A Rainbow, M Hogarty, E Bolton; K Brennan, K O'Neill; J Kavanagh, J Doyle, K Donnelly; T Fennin, J Philips, P O'Neill.

Midfield is our biggest concern with our full-back elect Kevin O'Neill filling the hole as we wait for Dermot Earley, Ronan Sweeney, Ross Glavin and Daryl Flynn to return from fitness. Johnny Doyle has been electric so far and has been imho the best player in 1B by some distance, Laois got 4 yellow cards on Sunday, all for fouls on JD, and still couldn't stop him. Podge O'Neill has heaps off ability but is only delivering in patches not sure if he is suited to the corner. The revalation of the SFC in Kildare last year was Jason Philips from Moorefield and it looks like he can do a job for Kildare, a traditional target man who although didn't score against Laois created a heap of chances for the players around him...

Anyway Kildare have a good record against Northern Teams but Donegal will be favourites. Nobody in Kildare can quite believe that we are in the semi's but we have a pretty big band wagon so I'd expect a good support in Croke Park. Kildare will be fit and sharp and I think this will be a high scoring game with Donegal to edge it by 2. All I want from Kildare is to see enough in our performance to know that we go into the Meath game in the right frame of mind. Although not a fan credit has to go to JC for the turnaround so far in Kildare's fortunes...

[aodhruadh]

Anyone know if extra time will be played on Sunday if either game ends level ?

[lynchbhoy]

rem these two sides meeting in the early 90's (1991) in the NFL Semi final
I think kildare won that day if its the same game I'm thinking of (Dublin beat kildare in the final), not sure but my abiding memory of the game was the lesson given to martin lynch at midfield by Brian Murray)

On the Donegal midfield front
Donegal had three very good midfielders on the panel in the last couple of years Neil Gallagher, Brendan Boyle and I cannot rem the third big guy
who was he and is he still on the panel.
I rem being very impressed with the new and young players from as far back as three national league campaigns ago

Kildare- I dont know that much about them Dinny, but from what I have seen, they are much the same standard as meath and it should be a good championship game.
The flour bags are way too over reliant on Doyle.

[aodhruadh]

The 3rd would be Paul McGonigle.

Speaking of which, are either Paul or Brendan B in the picture any more these days ?
I thiink BB is still in the squad, but havent heard of Paul for quite a while

[lynchbhoy]

The 3rd would be Paul McGonigle.

Speaking of which, are either Paul or Brendan B in the picture any more these days ?
I thiink BB is still in the squad, but havent heard of Paul for quite a while

no it wasn't McGonigle

[TG4]

was it steven mc dermott? i think hes the lad who a had last minute goal effort saved in last years ulster final against armagh or am i mistaken in saying that?

[aodhruadh]

probably is alright, he's still knocking around the squad I think... certainly no shortage of options open to McIvor right now.

Seems like ticket sales are v slow for sunday - talk of less than 30k, which surprises me. Thought there would be 40k at least. Maybe the good weather will bring them out.

I presume all the Donegal folk will be visiting Cassidys on Sat night for a few.

[Dinny Breen]

The flour bags are way too over reliant on Doyle

Maybe but all our forwards bar Philips scored from play against Laois so hopefully that will be the norm..

Anyway Kildare have announced as expected an unchanged team against the forgotten county..

[aodhruadh]

Donegal team named

Durcan
N McGee
Campbell
Lacy
McConigley
Monaghan
Dunnion
Gallagher
Cassidy
Bonner
Roper
Kavanagh
McFadden
Devenney
Hegarty

[Captain Scarlet]

Just a thought here but i reckon our full back Lyons (who is ot even a fullback!) will have a good tussle with Devenney.
Lyon ha trouble with the big high ball but that wont b peggd into him against Devenney so I think it will be a good tussle.

Really lookin forward to the match altho Id say Kildare will lose. Should be a good game.

[aodhruadh]

Thought it was a deserved win, but we made heavy weather out of it. Colm Anthony was magnificent, the best Ive seen since his Tyrone performance some years back.

Improvement required to win the final, too much complacency today - lots of very basic errors. Fingers crossed we can see some silverware back in the county next weekend. Its long overdue.

Hopefully Devenney will be fit, Kavanagh will return, and Cassidy wont be suspended (2 yellows but not his first time getting sent off this year - bbc site suggests he could be out? is that right?)

[Captain Scarlet]

Jesus just took a geeze at the KE forum to amuse myself.
we were the better team on the day seemingly even though donegal ate us alive in the middle and lost their top marksman early on.

donegal totally took their foot off the pedal which must be a worry but overall they were by far the best team on show in croker yesterday.

cassidy was huge and seeney made some impact. kildare made some basic and ridiculous errors, no one seems to demand the ball.