DUBLIN V DONEGAL PREDICTIONS..

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

Donegal 0.11 Dublin 0.09

[J OGorman]

I've a feeling Dublin's performances in Leinster was a bit like the way Tyrone & Kerry saunter through their province. They realise that the real championship begins in August and so ye just do enough to get by in games to get there. If you lose, grand ye have the back door.
Jim McGuinness said himself that Donegal couldn't get anywhere close to Tyrone in the 1st half back in June/July.
I've watched a lot of Dublin games both in person & on TV and I've never saw such a complete performance from them in my life. A lot of older and wiser men said the same to me as well.
They were immense for 60 mins and then eased up in the last 10 mins.
All over the field they were faster, fitter, stronger, more accurate and had their system down to a Tee. To me the big question is can they perform like that two days running. Tyrone may be getting old and not as hungry but in my eyes Dublin would beat anyone if they can play like that again. The big question is though will Donegal let them
I don't think Kildare are as good as the Dubs, especially on last week's performance so as Donegal struggled to beat Kildare I suppose my head says the Dubs should win. I actually think they'll win the AI.

you do realise Kerry are still in the championship?

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

I've a feeling Dublin's performances in Leinster was a bit like the way Tyrone & Kerry saunter through their province. They realise that the real championship begins in August and so ye just do enough to get by in games to get there. If you lose, grand ye have the back door.
Jim McGuinness said himself that Donegal couldn't get anywhere close to Tyrone in the 1st half back in June/July.
I've watched a lot of Dublin games both in person & on TV and I've never saw such a complete performance from them in my life. A lot of older and wiser men said the same to me as well.
They were immense for 60 mins and then eased up in the last 10 mins.
All over the field they were faster, fitter, stronger, more accurate and had their system down to a Tee. To me the big question is can they perform like that two days running. Tyrone may be getting old and not as hungry but in my eyes Dublin would beat anyone if they can play like that again. The big question is though will Donegal let them
I don't think Kildare are as good as the Dubs, especially on last week's performance so as Donegal struggled to beat Kildare I suppose my head says the Dubs should win. I actually think they'll win the AI.

you do realise Kerry are still in the championship?

& Mayo 

[Donnellys Hollow]

Convinced that Dublin will win this one well. If they get on a roll early then Donegal will have to come out of their shell and Dublin have the quality to pick them off. Whether they will beat Kerry is another matter though.

Dublin 1-12 Donegal 0-08

[J OGorman]

I've a feeling Dublin's performances in Leinster was a bit like the way Tyrone & Kerry saunter through their province. They realise that the real championship begins in August and so ye just do enough to get by in games to get there. If you lose, grand ye have the back door.
Jim McGuinness said himself that Donegal couldn't get anywhere close to Tyrone in the 1st half back in June/July.
I've watched a lot of Dublin games both in person & on TV and I've never saw such a complete performance from them in my life. A lot of older and wiser men said the same to me as well.
They were immense for 60 mins and then eased up in the last 10 mins.
All over the field they were faster, fitter, stronger, more accurate and had their system down to a Tee. To me the big question is can they perform like that two days running. Tyrone may be getting old and not as hungry but in my eyes Dublin would beat anyone if they can play like that again. The big question is though will Donegal let them
I don't think Kildare are as good as the Dubs, especially on last week's performance so as Donegal struggled to beat Kildare I suppose my head says the Dubs should win. I actually think they'll win the AI.

you do realise Kerry are still in the championship?

& Mayo 

of course, I wasnt ruling Mayo out @ all.

[Stevie g 8]

dubs 0-14
donegal 0-08

[Blowitupref]

Dublin by 4. I can't see why any unbiased prediction would go with Donegal, they've been largely unimpressive, bar the kildare game and have enjoyed the rub of the green in a number of matches. I can't see their full forward line making much headway and if Dublin can score a goal in the first 40 minutes and get a 3 or 4 point lead then Donegal could lose by 5 or 6. They undoubtedly have a chance but a lot would need to go right IMO.

you're a marketing man's dream. Dublin produced their annual big game against an aging Tyrone side this year and we're back on a well worn path with so many GAA folk buying into the media lead hype...Donegal may have been largely unimpressive, but bar the Tyrone game, Dublin have stumbled through Leinster inc pipping world beaters (no disrespect intended) Wexford in the final.

Well said Donegal by 1.

[Zulu]

Well said? What are you two boys on? Hype is blowing something or someone beyond what they are, sometimes people, teams and events get close to their billing and Dublin are doing exactly that. Few if anyone have been saying they are anything other than all lreland contenders, which they, and three others, clearly are. Dublin haven't only produced one annual decent performance, they were league finalist, beat Kildare who Donegal pipped after extra time, ran all Ireland and league champs cork very close in an all Ireland semi and league final and have beaten Tyrone two years in a row. If any team left in the championship is being built up on sandy foundations it is Donegal, they have done well but the only teams they've met even close to dublins standard are Kildare and Tyrone and they were fortunate to beat both. Dublin beat both way more easily, despite Derry playing very loose in defence Donegal got a crucial break in getting that penalty to beat them.

Like I said, sport is funny and you can't be sure of anything, I think it will be close and Donegal have a good chance but I find it hard to see how any serious football analyst could pick Donegal when you look at formlines and recent achievements. If someone has a gut feeling for Donegal, fair enough but I don't think you can make a strong caes for them winning on what we've seen over the past two years.

[Blowitupref]

Well said? What are you two boys on? Hype is blowing something or someone beyond what they are, sometimes people, teams and events get close to their billing and Dublin are doing exactly that. Few if anyone have been saying they are anything other than all lreland contenders, which they, and three others, clearly are. Dublin haven't only produced one annual decent performance, they were league finalist, beat Kildare who Donegal pipped after extra time, ran all Ireland and league champs cork very close in an all Ireland semi and league final and have beaten Tyrone two years in a row. If any team left in the championship is being built up on sandy foundations it is Donegal, they have done well but the only teams they've met even close to dublins standard are Kildare and Tyrone and they were fortunate to beat both. Dublin beat both way more easily, despite Derry playing very loose in defence Donegal got a crucial break in getting that penalty to beat them.

Like I said, sport is funny and you can't be sure of anything, I think it will be close and Donegal have a good chance but I find it hard to see how any serious football analyst could pick Donegal when you look at formlines and recent achievements. If someone has a gut feeling for Donegal, fair enough but I don't think you can make a strong caes for them winning on what we've seen over the past two years.

Could be argued both Dublin,Donegal were fortunate v Kildare. Donegal have beaten Tyrone twice this year & in the past have a good record v better Tyrone teams as for running Cork close so did Down in the All Ireland final & the league final is best remembered for how Dublin let a big lead slip.

Only two years ago Kerry hammered Dublin no doubt the improvement is there for all to see however Donegal have also improved greatly under Jim McGuinness.

[ck]

I completely detest the ugly game that Donegal play. However I have watched the whole country underestimate them all year and yet again we now see it against Dublin. Dublin will NOT perform like that again. They kicked points against Tyrone that they only ever dreamt about and got more room than they got all year, they also conceeded 15 points!!
Dublin also have years of track record of not being able to perform when the pressure is on (where they actually under pressure against Tyrone? cos they most certainly will be against Donegal).

I just think people have no idea what this Donegal game is all about and I honestly think Dublin are all set up to blow it yet again. Forget the "fancy" Tyrone performance. Donegal will be a whole different ball game!

[ck]

Well said? What are you two boys on? Hype is blowing something or someone beyond what they are, sometimes people, teams and events get close to their billing and Dublin are doing exactly that. Few if anyone have been saying they are anything other than all lreland contenders, which they, and three others, clearly are. Dublin haven't only produced one annual decent performance, they were league finalist, beat Kildare who Donegal pipped after extra time, ran all Ireland and league champs cork very close in an all Ireland semi and league final and have beaten Tyrone two years in a row. If any team left in the championship is being built up on sandy foundations it is Donegal, they have done well but the only teams they've met even close to dublins standard are Kildare and Tyrone and they were fortunate to beat both. Dublin beat both way more easily, despite Derry playing very loose in defence Donegal got a crucial break in getting that penalty to beat them.

Like I said, sport is funny and you can't be sure of anything, I think it will be close and Donegal have a good chance but I find it hard to see how any serious football analyst could pick Donegal when you look at formlines and recent achievements. If someone has a gut feeling for Donegal, fair enough but I don't think you can make a strong caes for them winning on what we've seen over the past two years.

Dublin promise much and deliver little. Donegal have promised nothing, their performances are lulling everyone into a false sense of security and they will beat Dublin!

[Orangemac]

No doubt Jim McGuinness is cutting and pasting posts writing off Donegal to show the boys in the dressing room before the game.

"Look what these faceless cowards on their twitter machines are writing we'll show them boys".

Dublin by 2 Jim.

[robertemmet]

After watching Cluxton's influence on the Tyrone game, how will he fair out v Donegal

http://mal-sport.blogspot.com/2011/08/first-line-of-attack.html

[skeog]

real close game will ensue with donegal hanging in doggedly and eventually winning by a couple of points

[Dinny Breen]

It really is looking like Cluxton is the key Dublin player, following quote is from the great JD.

"The place you have to start with Dublin is Stephen Cluxton's kick-outs," he says. "Everything comes from him. That's one of the real strong points Dublin have. The thing about them is, you can stare at them and study them all day but there doesn't seem to be any real system to them.

"There's no set pattern, as far as we were able to work out. Lads make the run and he hits them, simple as that. He looks for the runner and picks him out. There's no signal, there's no way that, say, every second one goes to Alan Brogan or anything like that. Two or three lads give him an option and he decides which one he wants to hit.

"He makes a huge difference because it takes the 50-50 out of the thing. Then they break with very strong runners in Bryan Cullen and Paul Flynn. Barry Cahill was there the last day and did some job for them."