USFC Final - Donegal v Monaghan - Sunday 20th July - St. Tiernachs Park Clones

[Main Street]

Apparently Hughes will start anyway but that's only pub talk(mind you it was correct about Mc Manus v Tyrone). I was over at the Armagh v Monaghan replay and afterwards told anyone that'd listen to get on Donegal to beat them,the defence was  leaky and Armagh could easily have had 3 goals and i'd rate the Donegal forwards a lot more dangerous.

Then fecking Armagh have gone and beat both Tyrone and Roscommon and i didn't fancy them to beat either so kind of boosts Monaghans form. It means i'll be having a smaller punt on Donegal but i will definitely still be backing,6/5 today as opposed to 1/8 this time last year  They have to be backed.

If BB is to believed (and he tends to know his stuff about betting), Donegal were slight outsiders for the final

On July 11 it was 50/50
On the days up to the final Monaghan were 10/11 and Donegal were 11/10. However, in the betting for the USC since April or so, Donegal were favourites, right up to last couple of weeks.
Monaghan only joined Donegal after they finally beat Armagh.
There was a chorus of pundits plumping for Donegal to win the final.
McHugh "and we were going in as underdogs" The underdog /outsider thing for Ulster was a load of bull which apparently the team and fans took on board.

[J70]

The only reference I can find to us being moved to favourites is from AFTER the Derry game, and that was significantly affected by our relatively easy semi final draw.

[Main Street]

The only reference I can find to us being moved to favourites is from AFTER the Derry game, and that was significantly affected by our relatively easy semi final draw.

Before that game, yourselves and Derry were the top two favourites for Ulster. at least that's what I noted and entered in the 2014 USFC thread
it was only natural  that Donegal became sole favourites after beating them. You are clutching at straws looking for way to justify Donegal being regarded as outsiders/underdogs for the Ulster title. At no stage was that even a remote possibility.
From Sept 2013 onwards Donegal were on average  10/1 for the 2014 AI,
then they drifted out to 20/1 for one month before the Derry game, after the Derry game they were back in at 10/1 on average and has stayed that way since.

[J70]

The only reference I can find to us being moved to favourites is from AFTER the Derry game, and that was significantly affected by our relatively easy semi final draw.

Before that game, yourselves and Derry were the top two favourites for Ulster. at least that's what I noted and entered in the 2014 USFC thread
it was only natural  that Donegal became sole favourites after beating them. You are clutching at straws looking for way to justify Donegal being regarded as outsiders/underdogs for the Ulster title. At no stage was that even a remote possibility.
From Sept 2013 onwards Donegal were on average  10/1 for the 2014 AI,
then they drifted out to 20/1 for one month before the Derry game, after the Derry game they were back in at 10/1 on average and has stayed that way since.

Well, I guess the entire county of Donegal has been in a state of trauma/delusion after all that's gone on in the past year then!

If it was indeed only our perception that we were being dismissed as challengers (including by many of ourselves!), I think the pendulum is starting to swing a little too quickly the other way after Sunday!