Donegal V Derry Ulster Quarter Final June 16th

[Captain Obvious]

I sympathize with the Derry people. We've been exactly where you are after awful, soul-destroying hammerings many times, including in recent years. Its only two years since Crossmaglen. Whatever you say about his tactics, a strong leader and organizer like McGuinness can work wonders.

The best teams have the best managers. McGuinness v Harte makes for a good tactical battle.

[eddie d]

Donegal have the wind in their sails. The Anglo Celt and an AI semi-final last year made them believe in McGuinness! McGuinness has proved he takes no sh1t and this has made his ship stable. Derry have been floating in no-where land a couple of years now and this showed today. Donegal have a plan and a mission, Derry have neither!

got to the ulster final last year

Derry have been hit this year by key players retiring, injuries throughout the league which had the back 6 changed about constanly, would affect many teams, plus quality players in derry are not in the squad

Yes, but so have Monaghan, Fermanagh and Antrim been in Ulster finals the last couple of years.

''Derry have been hit this year by key players retiring, injuries throughout the league which had the back 6 changed about constanly, would affect many teams, plus quality players in derry are not in the squad'' Only goes to prove Derry are in a no where place at the moment!

quoting me proves nothing, you said last couple of years 

Ah, but it does. You have said all the things that are affecting Derry at the moment and have been slowly part of their decline!

again u said last couple of years, last year derry could have won ulster, had the bradleys not been injured, agree?

Totally agree, the Bradleys (especialy Paddy) are very important to Derry and last year could have been the year. When i say that Derry have been in no where land, I'm not saying they have been at the bottom or the top! They've just been floating between both. As i said ''Donegal have a plan and a mission, Derry have neither!''

ah rite, fair enuf

[emmetryan]

Hi guys, I've put together a tactical take on yesterday's game here:
http://action81.com/blog/?p=5888

[Rawhide]

I sympathize with the Derry people. We've been exactly where you are after awful, soul-destroying hammerings many times, including in recent years. Its only two years since Crossmaglen. Whatever you say about his tactics, a strong leader and organizer like McGuinness can work wonders.

The best teams have the best managers. McGuinness v Harte makes for a good tactical battle.

The best teams have good footballers with good managers, in that order. Mc Guinness nor Harte would turn Derry into an Ulster championship winning team, why because they haven't the players.

[cadence]

Hi guys, I've put together a tactical take on yesterday's game here:
http://action81.com/blog/?p=5888

bookmarked! loving your column btw. the 45-45 tactic better explains what was happening in our games last year than all the other so-called punditry put together imho. i've only been able to see us against cavan in this year's championship, but it's noticeable that we've done work on our transitions from when we win the ball to getting it up into a scoring position. our game against the dubs in the league was the first time i saw us under mcguinness letting loose more players for counter attacks. i thought one of the reasons we became unstuck that day was the space out wide, especially our right defensive flank. dublin shifted the ball really quickly that day when they broke our counter attacks up and the swarm/defensive cover couldn't get into position quickly enough to cover threats on the flanks when the ball was got there at speed. it's asking a lot of the same players to operate in the swarm and take part in lung-bursting counter attacks. against cavan, the variety of players we have going forward has upped from the dublin game in the league. i'm sure i saw neil mcgee get a point against cavan, although i had a few pints in me and that may have been an illusion. the point i'm trying to make is that mcguinness has figured out a way of making our transitions into scoring areas less taxing on certain players by widening out that responsibility to others it seems. i think that's what's been happening, although it may all be an illusion and we could just be playing sh'ite football all along.   

[donegal_abu]

Cadence

It wasnt the drink, Neil McGee did score ! And was maiking plenty of burst forward yesterday aswell. Same with McGlynn in the last two games.  alot of rotating going on, neil mcgee and mcglynn making bursts forward and then sometime neil gallgher in watching their place. very promising to have 9 different scoreres yesterday.. not as dependant on murphy and mcfadden... important to have those players that can kick a wee point here and there, cud be crucial in tight game

[donegal_abu]

Hi guys, I've put together a tactical take on yesterday's game here:
http://action81.com/blog/?p=5888

Brilliant! Thats a true analysis of the game, not a lazy "jump-on-the-bashing-wagon" analysis.

[Blowitupref]

I sympathize with the Derry people. We've been exactly where you are after awful, soul-destroying hammerings many times, including in recent years. Its only two years since Crossmaglen. Whatever you say about his tactics, a strong leader and organizer like McGuinness can work wonders.

The best teams have the best managers. McGuinness v Harte makes for a good tactical battle.

The best teams have good footballers with good managers, in that order. Mc Guinness nor Harte would turn Derry into an Ulster championship winning team, why because they haven't the players.

Most would have said Donegal didn't have the players before McGuinness arrived. First Ulster title won last year for 19 years & as said above on the receiving end of some soul destroying hammerings.

[cadence]

Cadence

It wasnt the drink, Neil McGee did score ! And was maiking plenty of burst forward yesterday aswell. Same with McGlynn in the last two games.  alot of rotating going on, neil mcgee and mcglynn making bursts forward and then sometime neil gallgher in watching their place. very promising to have 9 different scoreres yesterday.. not as dependant on murphy and mcfadden... important to have those players that can kick a wee point here and there, cud be crucial in tight game

haha... that's reassuring... i nearly choked on me pint when i saw him score. he can play a bit, and like mcglynn, is as fit as fiddle.... our fitness and physical presence in general looks top notch. we look like we're on a mission. players must be absolutely loving it. i'm hyped up about us and the summer ahead. can't help it. 

the only thing i'm a bit upset about these days is the less mouthin' going on about us. bring back slating donegal!!! more fuel for the fire!!!!!

[donegal_abu]

Cadence

It wasnt the drink, Neil McGee did score ! And was maiking plenty of burst forward yesterday aswell. Same with McGlynn in the last two games.  alot of rotating going on, neil mcgee and mcglynn making bursts forward and then sometime neil gallgher in watching their place. very promising to have 9 different scoreres yesterday.. not as dependant on murphy and mcfadden... important to have those players that can kick a wee point here and there, cud be crucial in tight game

haha... that's reassuring... i nearly choked on me pint when i saw him score. he can play a bit, and like mcglynn, is as fit as fiddle.... our fitness and physical presence in general looks top notch. we look like we're on a mission. players must be absolutely loving it. i'm hyped up about us and the summer ahead. can't help it. 

the only thing i'm a bit upset about these days is the less mouthin' going on about us. bring back slating donegal!!! more fuel for the fire!!!!!

hahahah He's going forward a lot this year... mad a good few runs yesterday ! Good to see him an d frank scoring!! Bth fit as fiddle and able to force their way through anything.. Neil isn't called the ram for nothing!!! Defo look like we're on amission and the boys are in great shape. so fit, strong and mentally prepared. far ahead of where we were this time last year even. Looking good so far. I know derry and cavan have been 2 poor teams so far but we're looking well so we are!

ahahaha your right there.. i'd say it spurs jim & the lads on even more when we're being slated alright!!! Although I was looking on hoganstand forum.. lot of dubs on slating us... I can smell the fear from here haha;)

[squire_in_navy_slacks]

Fair play to Donegal, I thought they were excellent in their win yesterday........................even though Derry were poor, Donegal drove the victory home........................looking stronger than last year, physically and in an attacking sense

Oul Jim loves that all in black tracksuit 

[cadence]

Fair play to Donegal, I thought they were excellent in their win yesterday........................even though Derry were poor, Donegal drove the victory home........................looking stronger than last year, physically and in an attacking sense

Oul Jim loves that all in black tracksuit 

you love jim in that oul tracksuit.

[emmetryan]

Thanks lads for the comments on the analysis, much appreciated.

[Newbridge Exile]

Hi guys, I've put together a tactical take on yesterday's game here:
http://action81.com/blog/?p=5888

Excellent informed article

[cadence]

Cadence

It wasnt the drink, Neil McGee did score ! And was maiking plenty of burst forward yesterday aswell. Same with McGlynn in the last two games.  alot of rotating going on, neil mcgee and mcglynn making bursts forward and then sometime neil gallgher in watching their place. very promising to have 9 different scoreres yesterday.. not as dependant on murphy and mcfadden... important to have those players that can kick a wee point here and there, cud be crucial in tight game

haha... that's reassuring... i nearly choked on me pint when i saw him score. he can play a bit, and like mcglynn, is as fit as fiddle.... our fitness and physical presence in general looks top notch. we look like we're on a mission. players must be absolutely loving it. i'm hyped up about us and the summer ahead. can't help it. 

the only thing i'm a bit upset about these days is the less mouthin' going on about us. bring back slating donegal!!! more fuel for the fire!!!!!

hahahah He's going forward a lot this year... mad a good few runs yesterday ! Good to see him an d frank scoring!! Bth fit as fiddle and able to force their way through anything.. Neil isn't called the ram for nothing!!! Defo look like we're on amission and the boys are in great shape. so fit, strong and mentally prepared. far ahead of where we were this time last year even. Looking good so far. I know derry and cavan have been 2 poor teams so far but we're looking well so we are!

ahahaha your right there.. i'd say it spurs jim & the lads on even more when we're being slated alright!!! Although I was looking on hoganstand forum.. lot of dubs on slating us... I can smell the fear from here haha;)

i thought we've looked in even better shape physically this year too. and i suppose the players have to be. there's no-one being carried because everyone puts a shift in to make it work. it's more nuanced and varied work now though, but it doesn't look like the work rate has dropped significantly. hopefully, in games that are tighter and more challenging physically, it'll mean we have enough in the tank to play hard right to the end. be tough to beat. even the oul dubs, with their penchants for us in our trackies, will be pleasantly surprised if nothing else i'm imagining.