Donegal V Dublin

[Maximus Marillius]

No disrespect, but i don't see what your seeing

[heffo]

No disrespect, but i don't see what your seeing

None taken.

It's only our opinions - I don't believe either of us have been officially appointed as the Oracle.

[Declan]

We never seem to do well up there so wouldn't be overly optimistic. That's tough news on the third Brogan brother

[INDIANA]

Allow me to help you max. Tyrone break 90% of the ball at midfield because they have no obvious fielders. Its a system they've perfected but even in the 2nd half of the national league this year against dublin, we hemmed them in their half for 20mins because they can't catch aerial ball its the only weakness in the tyrone team. But because of the excellence of the personnel around it they get away with it. Mc Ginley is literally on his own in there. and he's not a natural but he does a teriific job in stopping other midfields catching clean ball.
Kerry have daragh o se and precious little else
Derry have Fergal Doherty and little else
Galway don't have a midfield
Mayo have Mc Garrity and nothing else
If Cork played Nick Murphy and Piaras O Neill togther then they would have an awesome pairing . But they don't which is a mystery.

Find me  a better partnership today because you won't. Dublin have always had good midfields ranging from the days of Des Foley to Brian Mullins to Brian Stynes to Ciaran Whelan. Its other areas of the park we struggle. You will not find a better midfield pairing in the country at the moment.

[RMDrive]

Ah I think I understand. In the "purest" form ... if other teams stood back and let midfielders play uncontested in the middle of the field, then some lads think that Dublin would have the best pair of midfielders. I guess we'll never know then.
But if unsubstantiated claims can be bandied about then I'm going for big Neil and Ciaran Bonar as the 2 best "pure" midfielders in the world.   

[Donegal Danny]

Don't know enough about some of the new Dublin players or their form or training programme to say they will beat Donegal on Sunday What i will say with some certainty is that this Donegal team is very very poor. I strongly feel that Ray Sweeney, or  Owen Wade wouldn't get on the St Eunan's senior team. Christy Toye and Ciaran Bonner are simply not midfielders, and Kevin Cassidy can't be fit since he is only back training, but because of all our injuries in defence he gets a game. I strongly feel that the St Eunans team that won last years championship would beat this particular Donegal team for Sundays game. Dublin at 11/10 look like a great bet but as i said before i don't know enough about them to chance a big bet to set me up for Cheltenham next week.

[RMDrive]

I wouldn't be that negative Danny. Up front Donegal are looking good. Walsh, Griffen and Murpy are all playing well as is Kavanagh. Conal Dunne is always lively and if he can start to get better ball into FF's then he has a big role to play this year. Our problem is in the single digits.  I have no confidence in our FB line and I'm worried that Ray Sweeney will not be able to hold that central channel. Cass will likely not have the fitness to make a major impact on Sunday.
If we can break even in midfield and get early ball inside then I'd say we have a good enough chance.

[INDIANA]

Don't know enough about some of the new Dublin players or their form or training programme to say they will beat Donegal on Sunday What i will say with some certainty is that this Donegal team is very very poor. I strongly feel that Ray Sweeney, or  Owen Wade wouldn't get on the St Eunan's senior team. Christy Toye and Ciaran Bonner are simply not midfielders, and Kevin Cassidy can't be fit since he is only back training, but because of all our injuries in defence he gets a game. I strongly feel that the St Eunans team that won last years championship would beat this particular Donegal team for Sundays game. Dublin at 11/10 look like a great bet but as i said before i don't know enough about them to chance a big bet to set me up for Cheltenham next week.

Why are you so pessimistic? Dublin have a defence with 4 relative  newcomers, a debutante up front and a new midfield pairing. All of the guys you named on the donegal team are proven inter county performers. I'd say a point or two either way. I'm travelling in hope, we've a bloody awful record up there.

[Hound]

Don't know enough about some of the new Dublin players or their form or training programme to say they will beat Donegal on Sunday What i will say with some certainty is that this Donegal team is very very poor. I strongly feel that Ray Sweeney, or  Owen Wade wouldn't get on the St Eunan's senior team. Christy Toye and Ciaran Bonner are simply not midfielders, and Kevin Cassidy can't be fit since he is only back training, but because of all our injuries in defence he gets a game. I strongly feel that the St Eunans team that won last years championship would beat this particular Donegal team for Sundays game. Dublin at 11/10 look like a great bet but as i said before i don't know enough about them to chance a big bet to set me up for Cheltenham next week.

Why are you so pessimistic? Dublin have a defence with 4 relative  newcomers, a debutante up front and a new midfield pairing. All of the guys you named on the donegal team are proven inter county performers. I'd say a point or two either way. I'm travelling in hope, we've a bloody awful record up there.

Just as Danny had cheered me up no end, you go and spoil it! 

[J70]

Saw the deferred coverage on TG4 there. Neither side looked up to much, but Dublin just about shaded it overall. Some nice scores from both sides with the breeze, but Donegal, in particular, struggled big time against it. Indeed, quite a few Dublin scores in the first half came from Donegal attacks breaking down. The lack of pressure on the Dublin forwards was worrying. Tough day for Stephen Griffin from frees, but the conditions were difficult and hopefully he will learn from it. Young Murphy looked very good though and is one of the few really bright spots in the immediate future of this side - took a few nice scores from play. Given that all of the momentum had been with them for the previous 15 minutes, when they cancelled an eight point Dublin lead, Donegal will be very disappointed that they didn't go on to take the points in the last ten. Its going to be a big struggle from here on with only one point from two winnable home games.

They didn't show it on TG4 (at least not that I saw), but, according to the Highland coverage, Sherlock was very lucky to get away with a kick to Ciaran Bonner's head.

[Karl Kennedy]

What do you Donegal people think of Ballyshannon as a venue? Is there ever a good game of football played there as the weather always seems to be bad i.e. blowly conditions. Players hardly enjoy having to play there as passing, shooting etc is a lottery.

[Hound]

Watched it on TG4 also.

I thought Donegal were awful in the first half, and the Dubs took advantage reasonably well. The Dubs completely went to sleep in the second half (appaling decision making from the players in possession), and Donegal came into it. But we didnt feel at all threatened until the goal (great finish). It gave Donegal a boost and they played well for a while.

The bright side for Dublin was in the last 5/10 minutes when Donegal got level, we upped our game and dominated that period.

Ross McConnell had an interesting game. Some great moments and great scores, but a few silly/poor mistakes also, including one that led to the goal. Overall, given the low quality on offer, he'd still probably just edge man of the match for me.

[J70]

What do you Donegal people think of Ballyshannon as a venue? Is there ever a good game of football played there as the weather always seems to be bad i.e. blowly conditions. Players hardly enjoy having to play there as passing, shooting etc is a lottery.

For late winter/early spring league games, its a dump. The facilities are nothing to write home about and it must be one of the coldest, windiest pitches in the country . Add the fact that anyone coming from Inishowen or the Gweedore/Cloughaneely area has a fifty to seventy mile drive home and back to get there!

[GalwayBayBoy]

Galway don't have a midfield

That'll be news to Joe Bergin.

[INDIANA]

Saw the deferred coverage on TG4 there. Neither side looked up to much, but Dublin just about shaded it overall. Some nice scores from both sides with the breeze, but Donegal, in particular, struggled big time against it. Indeed, quite a few Dublin scores in the first half came from Donegal attacks breaking down. The lack of pressure on the Dublin forwards was worrying. Tough day for Stephen Griffin from frees, but the conditions were difficult and hopefully he will learn from it. Young Murphy looked very good though and is one of the few really bright spots in the immediate future of this side - took a few nice scores from play. Given that all of the momentum had been with them for the previous 15 minutes, when they cancelled an eight point Dublin lead, Donegal will be very disappointed that they didn't go on to take the points in the last ten. Its going to be a big struggle from here on with only one point from two winnable home games.

They didn't show it on TG4 (at least not that I saw), but, according to the Highland coverage, Sherlock was very lucky to get away with a kick to Ciaran Bonner's head.

pretty good analysis. Sums my view up. Only good thing is Dublin showed some bottle.