Ulster Final Donegal V Monaghan

[Captain Obvious]

I think this game may be a lot closer than some people expect. Monaghan are the type of 'sluggers' who ape the Donegal style of play and this will mean that scores are at a premium and I would expect something similar to the Donegal v Down match. Malachy O'Rourke is one of the best managers around and is very tactically astute and I'm sure he will have a plan for this match. Ultimately I'm not sure Monaghan have sufficient quality to actually get the scores to win the game though.

That's what I'm thinking.

Don't know why so many pundits are dismissing Monaghan out of hand.

I only saw the highlights from Saturday, but if lads like McManus can take scores like that on a regular basis, Monaghan must be in with a shout, even if Donegal do go in as strong favourites.

In fairness Down are better side than Monaghan and Donegal should win this game by six or more points.

[charlie linkbox]

We may have one weapon that Donegal will struggle to counteract; the daily rosaries I am saying between now and 21st July.

Let's see how McGuinness deals with God!

[Main Street]

Our players could rub rancid flax oil over their bodies.
Genetically, Monaghan folk have a tolerance to the odour of rotting flax

[babarino]

Our players could rub rancid flax oil over their bodies.
Genetically, Monaghan folk have a tolerance to the odour of rotting flax

We should have done this in the finals against Tyrone. Why did nobody think of it? Unless the Tyronies tolerate the stuff too.

[Main Street]

Tyrone don't need to to artificially enhance their naturally aspired, repelling odour.

[GrandMasterFlash]

Our players could rub rancid flax oil over their bodies.
Genetically, Monaghan folk have a tolerance to the odour of rotting flax

We should have done this in the finals against Tyrone. Why did nobody think of it? Unless the Tyronies tolerate the stuff too.

The opposite of the Lynx effect?

[BluestackBoy]

We may have one weapon that Donegal will struggle to counteract; the daily rosaries I am saying between now and 21st July.

Let's see how McGuinness deals with God!

I think JMcG will focus on the weak link, the man saying the rosaries. Expect a visit from the McGees any day now

[Onion Bag]

Has the venue been sorted yet for this ?

[babarino]

Has the venue been sorted yet for this ?

Yes it has been sorted: Sunday 21st Jul 2013
Monaghan (---)v(---) Donegal
Ulster GAA Football Senior Championship 2013 Final
Clones 4:00 PM
Referee: David Coldrick

See here http://ulster.gaa.ie/fixtures-and-results/

[GrandMasterFlash]

Has the venue been sorted yet for this ?

Yes it has been sorted: Sunday 21st Jul 2013
Monaghan (---)v(---) Donegal
Ulster GAA Football Senior Championship 2013 Final
Clones 4:00 PM
Referee: David Coldrick

See here http://ulster.gaa.ie/fixtures-and-results/

Good choice of ref IMO. Hopefully there'll not be as much pre-match chat or post match analysis of the man-in-the-middle and his trusty associates in white coats as there was for the Ceeeeaavan game.. 

[babarino]

Expect a visit from the McGees any day now

Hope whoever Neil McGee's marking is wearing shin guards. Last year's Ulster Final, he drove his boot into Conor Laverty's foot, off the ball, and got away with it.

[BluestackBoy]

Expect a visit from the McGees any day now

Hope whoever Neil McGee's marking is wearing shin guards. Last year's Ulster Final, he drove his boot into Conor Laverty's foot, off the ball, and got away with it.

They may be sons of bitches, but they are our sons of bitches.

[babarino]

Expect a visit from the McGees any day now

Hope whoever Neil McGee's marking is wearing shin guards. Last year's Ulster Final, he drove his boot into Conor Laverty's foot, off the ball, and got away with it.

They may be sons of bitches, but they are our sons of bitches.

We have a couple of sons of bitches too. 

Hopefully we'll have none of "that sort of thing."

[Ruby Molloy]

They may be sons of bitches, but they are our sons of bitches.


Em hello??? Sons of bitches? Hould your horses there fellas. There's no fighting yet. Key word yet.

[charlie linkbox]

Right, I think it's time for a bit of serious chat about this game.

I've put a lot of thought into it and have decided that this is the team that must start for Monaghan.

Goals: Rory Beggan.

Full back line: Drew Wylie, Darren Hughes and Colin Walshe.
Most of Donegal's scores will come from their full forward line so it's only common sense to play your three best man markers on their three best scorers. I'd put Wylie on McFadden, Walshe on McBrearty and Hughes on Murphy. Now people will say that we need Hughes out the field but Murphy has to be watched and Hughes is our best man for the job. And Murphy often comes out the field anyway so that will bring Hughes into the game where he can exert more of an influence.

Half back line: Dessie Mone, Vinny Corey and Karl O'Connell.
Mone and Corey are a given. Karl O'Connell is the man to track Mark McHugh. McHugh will spend all day running between the two 13m lines. O'Connell is our fastest back and will be well able to stick with McHugh. Not the most gifted footballer ever but if all he does is stick to McHugh all day then he'll have done his job.

Midfield: Dick Clerkin and Eoin Lennon.

Half forward line: Stephen Gollogly, Paul Finlay and Gavin Doogan.
No. 11 is Finlay's best position and we'll need him to land a few points from distance and deliver good ball to the inside men. Gollogly and Doogan are two worker bees who will have to do the dirty unseen work; tackling back, winning breaking ball and all that.

Full forward line: Tommy Freeman, Kieran Hughes and Conor McManus.
Hughes to come out the field and leave the other two inside. Hughes is a great ball winner, works very hard off the ball and will need to carry the ball at Donegal like he did against Cavan when he was the only one in the first half who really took on the Cavan defence. Tommy isn't the Tommy of old but he is a finisher and we will need to finish every chance we get. Plus his reputation will help take a bit of heat off McManus; Donegal will have to be mindful of what Tommy can do as well.

I'm convinced that this lineout gives us our best chance of winning this game.