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

[In the Onion Bag]

We havn't a chance but I'll go to Clones in hope nonetheless. I will remember 91 when we were distinct underdogs but somehow won very easily.   

Best memory of that game was when 5' nothing James McHugh came on as sub with about 10mins to go.  On arriving at his marker, POR, he foolishly decided to try a punch on Paddy that resulted in a serious & physical slap from 6'3" Paddy.  Don't think poor Martin touched the ball after that.  Wee man syndrome think. 
Com'on Down. 

[western exile]

Ulster final appearances may be a more regular occurrence for Donegal, but it hard to believe that it is 9 years since Down last were there.  So please forgive a bit of reminiscing   

Down team Ulster Final 2003
         M McVeigh,
   J Clarke, B Burns (0-1), M Cole,
   J Lavery, A O'Prey, A Molloy,
       S Ward, G McCartan (0-1),
   L Doyle (1-4), M Walsh, B Coulter (1-0),
   R Sexton, D Gordon (2-1), R Murtagh.
Subs:
   J McCartan, S King, M Linden, P McCartan
Bainisteoir:
   Paddy O'Rourke

Those in bold are still involved in 2012.
Dan Gordon was aged 19 years, Benny Coulter aged 20, Liam Doyle aged 22.
Of the subs, James McCartan was aged 32 and Mickey Linden was aged 40.

[extra time]

brendy mac reserve keeper 2003

[CitySlicker11]

Is Colm McFadden the longest serving Donegal player, what about Christy Toye noticed he is still about and came on against Tyrone, any Donegal posters care to elaborate.

[Aristo 60]

Hell I can't remember J Clarke at corner back.... must go check the programme to jog the old memory.  Happier with our options in 2012 than the 03 team listed.

Speaking of Clarkes does the aussie football season end anytime soon??

[cadence]

how long will mcfadden get for being sent off?

[sheamy]

how long will mcfadden get for being sent off?

two yellows I thought?

[Wildweasel74]

Donegal got the defence to hold Down, the same cant be said vice versa, too much been put into the 2nd half against monaghan and no one really looking at the way down played against monaghan in the 1st half! the way donegal play may keep the game tight, but cant help but think donegal will win pulling up

[RadioGAAGAA]

Hmm... my musings are:
- Donegal forwards too physically strong for the Down full back line. Who marks Michael Murphy, Colm McFadden and Patrick McBrearty? I'm not sure if our lads are big enough to go 1 on 1 against them.

- Too many Donegal defenders to allow Conor Laverty room to run. Although I did notice Donegal did tend to leave the square unguarded vs. Tyrone.



A possible plan might be Dan Gordon on edge of the square with Donal O'Hare right around him for breaks - at the very least it'll suck 2 or 3 Donegal defenders back into their goal, hopefully leaving a bit more room for switched balls around 40 yards out to give room for long range points. We need the likes of Aidan Carr, Danny Hughes, Ambrose and Benny to have their shooting boots on. Lav and Mark Poland will need to have the thinking caps on - I see them needing to operate as out and out creators than score takers in this one.

Still, that plan leaves the question - who marks the 3 big Donegal forwards?

[cadence]

how long will mcfadden get for being sent off?

two yellows I thought?

aye, sorry, two yellows... how long for that? couple of hail marys and an act of contrition?

[RMDrive]

how long will mcfadden get for being sent off?

two yellows I thought?

aye, sorry, two yellows... how long for that? couple of hail marys and an act of contrition?

That'll be about it. No suspension for 2 yellows.

[cadence]

how long will mcfadden get for being sent off?

two yellows I thought?

aye, sorry, two yellows... how long for that? couple of hail marys and an act of contrition?

That'll be about it. No suspension for 2 yellows.

ah good, we need him. he's playing great stuff. cheers.

[Orangemac]

Mickey Harte had 12 months to try and crack the Donegal problem and couldn't find an answer. Not many teams in the country may be able to.

Tyrone were well set up defensively but Donegal gradually wore them down. Unbelievable levels of fitness and strength on display. It is a machine in the way Armagh were for a few years. Armagh had more natural forwards though.

The Donegal system is built around not conceding goals. They rode their luck against Kildare and Dublin last year, goals which were disallowed and missed respectively would have finished them. Down need to find a way to get 1 or even 2 goals and keep the concession of frees to a minimum.

Maybe go with a new approach. You are not going to run through Donegal. Maybe play a 3 man full forward line of Coulter,Gordon and Poland with half forwards of Carr,Laverty and Hughes as a screen in front of midfield to stop Donegal runners.

[Sidney]

Maybe go with a new approach. You are not going to run through Donegal. Maybe play a 3 man full forward line of Coulter,Gordon and Poland with half forwards of Carr,Laverty and Hughes as a screen in front of midfield to stop Donegal runners.

I don't think there's much point playing a full forward line against Donegal. Mulligan and O'Neill were worthless for the entire game on Saturday. Drag three men back, play a 3-4-4-3 formation, control the middle or maybe draw them out a bit, make it way harder for them to break at pace and make it easier for your own players to make runs from deep and find some space.

Donegal just love it when teams throw players forward. It's their trap. The way they break at speed is reminiscent of Real Madrid and I'd bet anything McGuinness has showed his players videos of them.

Sooner or later some team is going to work put how to deal with Donegal's players sweeping forward. They've have clearly developed a devastatingly effective system but the difference between them and Tyrone at their best is that they have almost totally sacrificed individual flair and creativity and an ability to think individually in favour of a relentless adherence to the system. Tyrone enabled individual flair and creativity to flourish within a system. Time and again Tyrone over the last decade Tyrone have, through football intelligence, turned games that were going against them completely in their favour. Donegal have yet to do that. There is no Plan B and when faced with a situation where they needed a goal against Dublin last year, no imagination or intelligent thinking. There is only one-track thinking, a relentless adherence the system they have.

[western exile]

Still, that plan leaves the question - who marks the 3 big Donegal forwards?

Benny McArdle, Dan Gordan, Aidan Brannigan.
Two of this trio were missing for the Monaghan game through injury and suspension.