All Ireland Quarter Final Ard Mhacha v Dún na nGall

[grounded]

What has happened to Mc Fadden this year? He seems a different player from 2012/13, total form dip. I suppose eventually players do emerge from this sort of slump but to do so against the Dubs is a real ask.

[brokencrossbar1]

The difference between the 2 teams was that Donegal have got the extra few years working on the system and have perfected what they need to do and have got it down to a tee.  Armagh have developed a system and are only 3-4 months into it. 

There were negatives to our game and they have been highlighted before so I won't go into them.  On the positives I thought that over the year CV has turned into a fine FB.  I have had my doubts about him because of his tendency to try to do things he isn't capable of when he is further out the field.  He is playing the game very very simply now and is excelling.  Having Andy Mallon beside him has been a great help as he is experienced and clever. 

The MF is very young for a MF pairing and it showed yesterday the way Gallagher bullied them around for the kickouts but they are both very good footballers and as they develop the strength that develops through playing the game  (a different strength to gym strength) then they will be a very useful MF. 

People are saying need a few forwards but the reality is that yesterday is not a game to judge the forwards on.  Any forward in Ireland would struggle against 12 defenders.  What is maybe needed is a proper target man like Murphy. 

I don't comment negatively on refs generally but yesterday was shameful, absolutely shameful.  McQuillan is a disgrace and his bias was clear.  A yellow card count of 6-0 sums it uo.  McGee really should have had a card for pushing Grugan over the hoardings,  McQuillans linesman Hickey booked Aaron Cunningham against Garrycastle for doing the same thing.  The thing about the McGee incident was that he had 2 attempts at it so it was a clear yellow. 

Finally,  I watched this game in Donegal yesterday and as I would expect there was a very clear and fervent DOnegal support.  We weren't the only Armagh ones there but we were in the minority.  I unfortunately was beside the most detestable gobshite I have ever come across.  There is only 1 thing worse than a bad loser and that is a bad winner.  Donegal deserved the win and had the outstanding performer in Murphy but that does not give idiots the right to abuse other fans in front of children.

[Dont Matter]

A fine game of football yesterday, a real battle. I wouldn't worry about fellas criticising the style of play, it's all within the rules. It's disapointing to see people say they'll support Dubl$n against Donegal as Dubl$n are the team that are opposing the very ethos of the GAA ie. going professional.
Armagh have really improved from the league and will only get better with McGeeney taking over. It takes time to get the whole system working smoothly. Players can't learn it overnight. I look forward to seeing what Jimmy has planned for the next day.

[orangeman]

Armagh were brilliant yesterday. I thought the ref was sore on Armagh. Clarke couldn't get a free not for the first time when Mc Quillan was refereeing him but that's a different story. Twice he brought the ball forward for Donegal to make the frees simple tap overs.

Armagh have shown some resilience and character this summer after a poor league campaign. Armagh gave Donegal all they wanted particularly down one wing where Forker got on a lot of ball and could have caused more damage.

Armagh defensively have come on leaps and bounds and up front are doing ok. Donegal supposedly have the blanket off to a fine art according to a lot of people and it has taken 3/4 years to get it to this stage. Armagh have effectively done it in 3/4 months which is testimony to the players and management.

But in the end fair play to Donegal for not panicking when lesser teams might have done so, hitting 3 vital scores, Mac Niallais, Murphy and Mc Brearty when there little margin for error.

[SouthDublinBro]

It's disapointing to see people say they'll support Dubl$n against Donegal as Dubl$n are the team that are opposing the very ethos of the GAA ie. going professional.

Yes, none of Dublin players have day jobs and are able to get by entirely on their huge GAA salaries! You are a bitter nugget living on cloud cuckoo land.

I agree with tyroneman's comment. Armagh have done nothing particularly impressive this year.  This is a false dawn for them, just like Cavan last year.

[Rossfan]

It's because Donegal are far worse than pretty much anyone else. Most opponents have to play defensive football against Donegal due to the way they set up which leads to some god awful games. I would normally love to see Donegal win an All Ireland but as long as you play like you under Jimmy I hope you don't. I'll be supporting Dublin in 3 weeks time and I think most neutral supporters will also.

They will not!!!
I enjoyed the Donegal/Armagh game yesterday - a tough tense down to the wire winner takes all championship game. Plenty of good football in it too despite the second half deluge.
I gave up on the second game at half time as I knew the familiar script for the second half.
Can't see the 2014 Donegal team beating 2014 Dublin but for the sake of competitiveness and for keeping sport unpredictable I will be hoping they do.

[anfheardubh]

Armagh were fantastic in the first 20 minutes and should have built up a bigger lead, in saying that i reckon the game last week had Armagh up to speed

Donegal lorded the 20 minutes after half time,  kicked 15 wides and still won which was impressive and bodes well

Dublin look to be crowned already but we will give them a rattle!!!

Well done to Armagh, have a lot of character and have mimicked Donegals style and will go well next year, however a lot of the team is 31, 32 and they still need to rebuild

Donegal still a work in progress but need to sharpen up for the Dubs

[T Fearon]

No disrespect to Donegal,they just about dererved the win yesterday,but I can't see them getting within 10 points of Dublin.Struggling to beat Monaghan and a relevantly inexperienced Armagh team missing its captain doesn't augur well

[Throw ball]

Armagh were fantastic in the first 20 minutes and should have built up a bigger lead, in saying that i reckon the game last week had Armagh up to speed

Donegal lorded the 20 minutes after half time,  kicked 15 wides and still won which was impressive and bodes well

Dublin look to be crowned already but we will give them a rattle!!!

Well done to Armagh, have a lot of character and have mimicked Donegals style and will go well next year, however a lot of the team is 31, 32 and they still need to rebuild

Donegal still a work in progress but need to sharpen up for the Dubs

Of the outfield players for Armagh yesterday only Moriarity, Mallon and Kernan are the wrong side of thirty. Moriarity is no longer a regular but he and the other two, as well as McKeever have a couple of years left in them. I do not think the experience this year can be under estimated in bringing others on.

On the matter of the referee. I have said before on other threads that I am not his biggest fan. At Croker yesterday we could hear the toss between Clarke and Murphy. After it McQuillan say 'good luck lads, good luck Michael'. I assume I am going deaf and he said good luck Jamie as well?

[J70]

No disrespect to Donegal,they just about dererved the win yesterday,but I can't see them getting within 10 points of Dublin.Struggling to beat Monaghan and a relevantly inexperienced Armagh team missing its captain doesn't augur well

We did NOT struggle to beat Monaghan.

But yeah, we are unlikely to beat Dublin.

[anfheardubh]

Armagh were fantastic in the first 20 minutes and should have built up a bigger lead, in saying that i reckon the game last week had Armagh up to speed

Donegal lorded the 20 minutes after half time,  kicked 15 wides and still won which was impressive and bodes well

Dublin look to be crowned already but we will give them a rattle!!!

Well done to Armagh, have a lot of character and have mimicked Donegals style and will go well next year, however a lot of the team is 31, 32 and they still need to rebuild

Donegal still a work in progress but need to sharpen up for the Dubs

Of the outfield players for Armagh yesterday only Moriarity, Mallon and Kernan are the wrong side of thirty. Moriarity is no longer a regular but he and the other two, as well as McKeever have a couple of years left in them. I do not think the experience this year can be under estimated in bringing others on.

On the matter of the referee. I have said before on other threads that I am not his biggest fan. At Croker yesterday we could hear the toss between Clarke and Murphy. After it McQuillan say 'good luck lads, good luck Michael'. I assume I am going deaf and he said good luck Jamie as well?

Well good luck throw ball, great improvement from last year when Cavan beat you  and hope we have more tussles in the years to come

[anfheardubh]

No disrespect to Donegal,they just about dererved the win yesterday,but I can't see them getting within 10 points of Dublin.Struggling to beat Monaghan and a relevantly inexperienced Armagh team missing its captain doesn't augur well

We did NOT struggle to beat Monaghan.

But yeah, we are unlikely to beat Dublin.

We beat Monaghan easily with the handbrake on FEARON , your not exactly a great reader of a game

[yellowcard]

Well done to Donegal, I felt Armagh deserved at least a draw but if you don't take your opportunities then you have no one to blame but yourself. That said I felt we were raped by McQuillan and his bias towards Donegal. Six yellows to nil suggests Armagh were massive aggressors in the physicality stakes when the reality was there was no difference in the sides. Donegal might play a defensive brand of football but you have to cut your cloth based on the players you have at your disposal and McGuinness is getting the last drop out of that side. I honestly believe they have a good chance if beating Dublin though and the destination of Sam will be decided on 31 August. They could well take defensive football to previously unseen levels in an attempt to beat Dublin because if they stand toe toe they will get destroyed. I'm really looking forward to what should be a great occasion.

[Wildweasel74]

That team will not beat Dublin, they give Dublin the same start Armagh did yesterday the game will be over before halftime

[J70]

You can't just judge McQuillan on the yellow card disparity. You have to look at the incidents where the cards were awarded. And apart from missing Eamon McGee on Grugan at the end, were there other incidents where Donegal men should have got yellow?