Ulster Senior Football Final, Donegal v Down 22nd July .

[Aristo 60]

Anyone have confirmation on Garvey ?

[rory]

Anyone have confirmation on Garvey ?

1 match ban.  Failed appeal.

[meatsy86]

Conor Garvey is expected to miss Down's Ulster SFC final against Donegal on July 22 after his appeal against a two-match ban was rejected.

The Mayobridge defender received a retrospective ban from the CCCC for an alleged stamp on Monaghan's Karl O'Connell during last month's dramatic Ulster semi-final, which saw Down come from nine points down to win by a point. He appealed the suspension to the Central Hearings Committee, who decided to uphold his ban on Tuesday night, meaning he will miss the Ulster final as well as the Mourne County's next game in the championship.

It remains to be seen if the wing back will take his appeal to the Central Appeals Committee or, if that fails, the Disputes Resolution Authority.

[bcarrier]

Good post from Wobbler.

I think James said something about Down being a team capable of getting beat by anyone earlier this year and you never know what you are going to get  (even within the same game as the Monaghan match showed).  I would still be worried about our full back line but think the Donegal set up might not expose them so much ...a 50:50 match imo.

[DownFanatic]

A neanderthal approach could win it for us I think. The long high ball into a target man full forward could undo Donegal.

[Captain Obvious]

The loser of this game are back out again in six days?

[stew]

Norabeag asks if there is any point in Down turning up, and Paddy Power seems to think that the answer is no. He quotes us as rank outsiders at 4/1, with Donegal at a prohibitive 2/9.

Fair enough, Donegal are the form side going into the final, but they have never won back to back Ulster titles and the last time the Anglo-Celt was retained by anyone other than Armagh or Tyrone was Derry back in 1976.

While Donegal have not conceded a goal from play in this year's USC, Tyrone managed four or five decent chances today. We have a good recent record against Donegal, and, if we can get our strongest team out, 4/1 looks generous.

For the first time in my life I put money on Down to win, those odds are ridiculous.

[southdown]

I really think James will have to try out something a little different on the 22nd.  The long, high balls have been mentioned here and on HS also.  James has so far been quite conservative in his managerial approach and it will be very interesting to see how he approaches this.

The last time we were in an Ulster Final big Dan caused havoc on the edge of the square (in the drawn game anyway!) - King has also shown glimpses that he can throw his weight around on the edge of the square. 

Carr seems to have a good delivery of accurate long (high) balls whilst Poland has the ability to split open a defence with a pass.  Poland and Hughes will be worth their weight in gold picking up breaks but cannot under any circumstances dwell on the ball or they will be overturned so fast ball is key.  The best way to get the ball to our scoring forwards me be over the top.

Tactics will be winning or loosing of this game.  Donegal will not be changing theirs.

Not overly confident of winning as we are rightly underdogs but I really think we still have a chance.  Goals will bey key.  CANNOT WAIT.

[cadence]

I really think James will have to try out something a little different on the 22nd.  The long, high balls have been mentioned here and on HS also.  James has so far been quite conservative in his managerial approach so far and it will be very interesting to see how he approaches this.

The last time we were in an Ulster Final big Dan caused havoc on the edge of the square (in the drawn game anyway!) - King has also shown glimpses that he can throw his weight around on the edge of the square. 

Carr seems to have a good delivery of accurate long (high) balls whilst Poland has the ability to split open a defence with a pass.  Poland and Hughes will be worth their weight in gold picking up breaks but cannot under any circumstances dwell on the ball or they will be overturned so fast ball is key.  The best way to get the ball to our scoring forwards me be over the top.

Tactics will be winning or loosing of this game.  Donegal will not be changing theirs.

Not overly confident of winning as we are rightly underdogs but I really think we still have a chance.  Goals will bey key.  CANNOT WAIT.

and defensively... any thoughts on how to limit our attacks?

[thewobbler]

Long high balls are not the answer. The long ball works when percentages are tilted in your favour, or even not entirely against you.

Donegal will have up to 14 men inside their 45 at any given time. If Big Dan / AN Other manages to pluck a clean ball he'll be swamped on hitting the floor, for an inevitable free out. If Big Dan/ AN Other tries to break a ball down, all he'll see are green and yellow shirts, which 9 times out of 10 will result in a turnover and counter attack.

So the best option for Big Dan/ AN Other is to try and fist the ball towards the net / over the bar - a tactic which is throughly dependent on the right ball being played into the right zone, and the target not being marked by someone smaller who can't read the game. That's not Niall McGee by the way.  McGee only needs any touch to nullify this tactic, Gordon needs an accurate and clean touch.

[Aristo 60]

What way do we see the back 6 taking shape if Garvey doesn't make it on the day?

[SHEEDY]

What way do we see the back 6 taking shape if Garvey doesn't make it on the day?

i would expect brannigan to replace garvey if his undeserved ban isnt overturned. the other 5 defenders remaining the same.

[orangeman]

Dublin, Kildare equally if not more driven in my opinion.



It is often said in a sporting context that success comes in cycles. This is particularly true in a GAA context. During the 70's and early 80's the great Dublin and Kerry teams held sway before giving way to Meath who won the All-Ireland title in 1987 and '88 with the best team ever to have represented the county.

It was Cork's turn to reign when they collected the Sam Maguire Cup in 1989 and 1990 before Down made it five titles in all by taking delivery of the 'big one' in 1991 and '94.

Meath again surfaced as kingpins (1996 and '99) prior to Galway (1998 and 2001) showing their mettle as worthy All-Ireland champions before Kerry and Tyrone became the dominant forces from 2000 until the present day.

Similarly, on the provincial front certain teams have tended to rule the roost for spells and Ulster is a prime example.

Since 1999 Armagh have won the Anglo Celt Cup seven times while Tyrone have sat on the provincial throne on five occasions in that period.

But the balance of power has switched significantly. Now Donegal hold all the aces and will make history should they collect what would be back-to-back Ulster titles when they meet Down in this year's decider on July 22.

It is debatable though if any team has suffered as much Championship heartbreak as the north-west side. Under successive managers they struggled to get their hands on the Ulster crown since 1992 when Brian McEniff (pictured, far right) worked the oracle.

But Jim McGuinness (pictured, right) has changed all that. A team that were dubbed 'nearly men' have become supermen, an outfit on a mission.

In his debut season as boss, McGuinness plotted the route to glory last year even if his team's strategy did not offer any great aesthetic value. The fact that the title famine had ended was all that mattered — it was a classic example of the end justifying the means.

Not only will Donegal enter the Ulster final later this month as firm favourites but since last Saturday's win over Tyrone they have not surprisingly found themselves thrust into the All-Ireland title frame.

And for a very good reason too. After all, what team would fancy pitting its tactical blueprint against Jim McGuinness's complex yet hugely effective tactical plan?

And how many managers honestly feel they are capable of nullifying the potent threat that players such as Michael Murphy, Colm McFadden, Patrick McBreaty and Mark McHugh can pose?

If patience is a virtue, Donegal have had it in spades. Time and again they reached Ulster finals and semi-finals in the past twelve years only to suffer excruciating heartbreak.

McGuinness has single-handedly changed all that.

Donegal were the laughing stock of football on occasions with tales of their socialising – particularly after defeats — doing the rounds, thus heaping further embarrassment on the squad. They became proficient at celebrating defeats, indeed.

But those days are firmly in the past. It would be difficult indeed to find a more driven, focused, fixated side than Jim McGuinness' outfit.

When they won the Ulster title last year, the manager made it clear that he did not want this to be regarded as a flash in the pan.

The chances are that back to back titles will now accrue and

this will pave the way for a concerted shot at the All-Ireland title. It's worth remembering that Donegal are now an even wiser, fitter and even more ambitious outfit than they were last term when they came within a whisker of reaching the All-Ireland final.

Like everyone else in football, McGuinness is continuing to learn his trade except perhaps that he is absorbing lessons at a faster rate than most other folk.

When his side played Dublin in the All-Ireland final last year they enjoyed a three-point lead and should have been more than capable of pushing on to record what would have been a fairy-tale victory.

Instead they retreated into a defensive shell and lost a game that been there for the taking by the incongruous margin of 0-8 to 0-6. I don't think that we will see the same safety-first mentality prevail to the same extent this time round.

Donegal have acquired a sharper edge and a greater variety to what was a previously latent attacking concept and this has already taken them to championship victories over Cavan, Derry and Tyrone.If they win the Ulster title, they will have done it the hard way. After all, Kerry won several All-Ireland titles by playing just five games!

With a number of players waiting in the wings to sample action, McGuinness clearly has the resources at his disposal to keep Donegal at the top.

I cannot see them being easily dislodged from their perch and if as expected they retain their Ulster crown, then this will provide further impetus for their drive for All-Ireland glory.

Success indeed comes in cycles and right now Donegal have their foot on the pedal.

It would be difficult to find a more driven, focused, fixated side than Jim McGuinness' team

Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/columnists/joe-kernan/joe-kernan-donegal-destined-for-top-16181433.html#ixzz1zsG7lsnY

[thebuzz]

Did Kerry not beat Donegal quite easily in the League? Were they playing with a weakened side or do Kerry just know how to handle the blanket defence? Or did it not matter because 'It's only the league'?

[rrhf]

kerry are gone. crap team this year