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

[Aristo 60]

And post a picture on gaaboard ?

[Catch the high ball]

Down team named to play Donegal

1 Brendan Mc Veigh

2 Daniel Mc Cartan 3 Brendan Mc Cardle 4 Darren O Hagan

5 Daniel Hughes 6 Dan Gordon 7 Aidan Brannagan

8 Ambrose Rodgers 9 Kevin Mc Kernan

10 Donal O Hare 11 Mark Poland 12 Aidan Carr

13 Brendan Coulter 14 Conor Laverty 15 Eoin mc Cartan

[knockitdown]

Strange decisions at 5 and 10. Least we won't have to worry about mckernans man gettin alot of free space in the forward line. Also surprised at king, thought he was one of the players of the second half v Monaghan

[southdown]

What is the logic in dropping King??? 

[J70]

Does McCartan stick to his named line ups?

[DownFanatic]

Does McCartan stick to his named line ups?

Going on experience that lineup could very well be 'subject to change.'

[Sheedy]

it'll be strange to see danny hughes playing with no.5 on his back.

[donegal_abu]

Even if Donegal were to beat Down on Sunday, and go on to win the AI, it will not change the fact that they are not a good team. They win ugly, albeit within the rules. Outside of Donegal, who would pay money to watch them. No flair,limited skills and a win at all cost cynicism. If God forbid this proves successful and other Counties hungry for success adopt this model, it will lead to the death of Gaelic Football as a popular spectator sport. Indeed it would also be a very unattractive sport for young people to take up. I believe that Down will win on Sunday, because we have the better footballers, but if it is not to be our Day, i would rather lose than play like Donegal.

In fairness, what lifts  a counties spirits more than always losing ? In donegal we didnt win for 19 years and they were without doubt better then last year when we on ulster again and got to the semi's!!!!! And whats gets children out proud in their county colours better than the senior county team losing??!! And what wud draw a child to something like a gaa camp better than the oppurtunity to meet their hero's who... won nothing compared to the anglo celt to bring to the kids. And without doubt i know every footballer in the county LOVES putting in the hard time and effort they do to get no reward at the end of it. Training 4 times a week, gym sessions everyday, controlled diets and sleep patterns, time away from famillies and partners to go out and lose is the way go lads

[Lucifer]

2. Donegal have a policy of running in to the opposition ball carrier. When an opposition player gets the ball, a Donegal player will run at him and indeed into him. He does not wrap him up and does not drag or pull the player. He simply runs into him. Then he steps back and starts to defend as best he can. This has the effect of slowing down the player but without the obvious dragging that would trigger a free. It is just enough contact to impede the player and allow the defence to organise their positions but not enough to encourage most referees to award a free. It is cunning but against the rules. It is not an accident which indeed should go unpunished; it is a deliberate charge (just not a very powerful or dangerous one). As it is systematic the referees should be told to punish it. Again the same applies as above, it is tough for a referee to award a free every single time as he would start to get serious abuse both on an off the pitch. It would seem he is being overly fussy. There is a rule to allow a player to be slowed down, it is the shoulder charge. The shoulder charge isn't there to hurt people or even knock them over, it is intended really just to slow someone down/knock them off stride in an acceptable fashion. But it is much easier to run into a fellow with your chest. The skill of the shoulder charge is being circumvented by Donegal by replacing it with a full frontal charge instead.

I am not sure whether Donegal have employed this 'tactic' systematically or not.  To me it simply sounds like tackling and the ability to hold up a player in possession, and I am not sure where the rules deem this illegal.  It seems that you believe the only form of acceptable contact, within the rules, is the shoulder charge?  If that is the case then every single team in Ireland performs this 'illegal tactic.'  Albeit maybe not quite as well as Donegal.

There is NOTHING left to chance on that team every single thing they do on that pitch has been introduced, coached, implemented, tweaked and then implemented again to near perfection in McGuinness' eyes.

Paul's analysis would seem to be spot on and fair play to him for noticing something I didn't see. It's no secret that refereeing in our game is probably at an all time low and it was only a matter of time until a team took full advantage of this huge weakness!!

So Donegal are the first team to take full advantage of refereeing 'weakness?' (Personally I feel the weakness equally lies with the rules.)  What about Armagh in 2002 'checking the runner?'  Or the Tyrone 2003 'swarm?'  Did they not take full advantage of a weakness (i.e. other teams had applied these tactics before but not in such a systematic way?)  This is not even mentioning the likes of the Meath teams in the late 80's and 90's.  My point is that Donegal are not the first to take advantage of a poor definition of the tackle and the subsequent inconsistent application of it (nor other aspects of the rules.)  Donegal are indeed pushing the boundaries, but they are not the first team to do this (they are simply the most obvious exponents currently.)  If you were in Casement Park for St Galls v Crossmaglen you would have seen another side exemplary in doing this.

In regards to the policy of 'running into the opposition ball carrier' I have some thoughts.  Firstly you commend Paul on seeing something that you have not, but how can you affirm this if you have not seen Donegal play since?  (Pedantic I know, but it is a valid point.)  I agree nothing is left to chance, however I feel there is too much hyperbole attached to everything Donegal do.  Are they trying to slow the opposition down?  Most certainly.  A lot of teams employ this tactic and Donegal are very good at it.  However it is not specific to Donegal.  I have played and trained under-age teams where we attempt to slow the opposition down.  Unfortunately it is part and parcel of our game, and not a tactic invented by Jim McGuinness and co.  Employed by them, yes (and by many others) but it was not engineered by Donegal,  they are merely another team to take advantage of it.  Personally I don't see how it is outside the rules of the games, and the furore that surrounds such a tactic, is as much a by- product of the distaste towards Donegals overall style of play (as the tactic is not new IMO.)

[Agent Orange]

This will be the most one sided final since 1999. Down fans will be back in Newry to see the start of the Leinster final.

Cheers for that Agent Orange, indeed if Down win by the margin you suggest I may even book a room in the CC for the night !!

Down will be on the end of another hammering in Clones. You'll be heading for the CC about 2.30. This crop of Down players have never won a final at senior level.

McKernan at midfield lol

[snoopdog]

ah sure if we get beat we get beat. We will probably still get to a QF. How are Armagh getting on? Long summer eh waiting on your neighbours to get beat

[Aristo 60]

This will be the most one sided final since 1999. Down fans will be back in Newry to see the start of the Leinster final.

Cheers for that Agent Orange, indeed if Down win by the margin you suggest I may even book a room in the CC for the night !!

Down will be on the end of another hammering in Clones. You'll be heading for the CC about 2.30. This crop of Down players have never won a final at senior level.

McKernan at midfield lol

Kernan sitting on his ass watching it at home lol

[BennyCake]

OK, need confirmation of stadium layout in Clones:

Gerry Arthurs stand is the covered one.
Pat McGrane - seats in front of the hill.

So which is the O'Duffy terrace and which is the Eastern stand?

[Agent Orange]

OK, need confirmation of stadium layout in Clones:

Gerry Arthurs stand is the covered one.
Pat McGrane - seats in front of the hill.

So which is the O'Duffy terrace and which is the Eastern stand?

If you are sitting in the Gerry Arthurs stand, the O'Duffy terrace is behind the goals on your right. The Eastern stand is at the opposite end.

[BennyCake]

Thanks, AO.