Donegal v Dublin AISF 31st Aug 2014

[Keyser soze]

Apparently Lacey did his hamstring early in the Armagh game and is possibly a doubt for the semi. Thought he was less dominant than usual against Armagh, but hopefully he makes it back to full fitness.  We are up against it either way, but we can't afford to be without him!

He has 3 weeks to be fit & I'd say he'll be fine.

Some man to play 70 mins against Armagh with a dodgy hamstring though. Hate to think where we would be if he had done real damage.

If he had done his hamstring early in the game, he would have had to come off or be carried off at some stage. Don't believe a word of mcguinness. Next rumour will be Michael Murphy gets hurt in training, making him a doubt, but against the odds both will start the game against Dublin and finish it as well (unless they pick up an actual injury in the game) and this mysterious knocks will be forgotten

This is exactly why you've gotta love McGuinness. Clearly a load of bull about Lacey, impossible to play 70 mins with hamstring trouble if it happened early in the game. I'd expect McGuinness to engage in serious mind games in the lead up to this game. The build up will involve mud slinging, it even started before the quarter final with Devenney predicting a Donegal win over Dublin. McGuinness is not afraid to do whatever it takes to win this game, no matter what anyone thinks. I'd expect a fiercely physical encounter with Donegal ready for war. If McGuinness pulls off a win he will go down as Donegals greatest manager and deserves to be put up there with Boylan and Harte.

I commented on Lacey trailing a leg in the run up to half time, he was definitely carrying an injury and I was surprised to see him return in the second half.

Unless Jim told him to play injured to mind**** Jim Gavin and those pesky dubs in the semi final!!   

[Rossfan]

yellow card. I certainly wouldn't want your support. You can stick it up your arse as far as I'm concerned.

What a nasty little mainín you are 

[Whitnail]

I don't think we'll be has bad as against Armagh (well hopefully anyway) .
We've been playing blankets ourselves all summer and although our back & half-back line wont relish getting relentlessly pressured as soon as they bring the ball out (like Dublin did to  Monaghan), I do think. for eg McBrearty or Mcloone might enjoy the fact that there probably won't be a static wall in front of them on the counter attack either.

We're in desperate need of pace in midfield so. I can't really see big Neil and Rory on the pitch at the same time.
McFadden needs quick support from the likes of Toye & McHugh or there's no chance of a fortune reversal there.

On the subject of Dublin's short Kickouts ... Yea I think we should conceed them. I don't think we're gonna get much joy from Cluxton in that department.

[Canalman]

Apparently Lacey did his hamstring early in the Armagh game and is possibly a doubt for the semi. Thought he was less dominant than usual against Armagh, but hopefully he makes it back to full fitness.  We are up against it either way, but we can't afford to be without him!

He has 3 weeks to be fit & I'd say he'll be fine.

Some man to play 70 mins against Armagh with a dodgy hamstring though. Hate to think where we would be if he had done real damage.

If he had done his hamstring early in the game, he would have had to come off or be carried off at some stage. Don't believe a word of mcguinness. Next rumour will be Michael Murphy gets hurt in training, making him a doubt, but against the odds both will start the game against Dublin and finish it as well (unless they pick up an actual injury in the game) and this mysterious knocks will be forgotten

This is exactly why you've gotta love McGuinness. Clearly a load of bull about Lacey, impossible to play 70 mins with hamstring trouble if it happened early in the game. I'd expect McGuinness to engage in serious mind games in the lead up to this game. The build up will involve mud slinging, it even started before the quarter final with Devenney predicting a Donegal win over Dublin. McGuinness is not afraid to do whatever it takes to win this game, no matter what anyone thinks. I'd expect a fiercely physical encounter with Donegal ready for war. If McGuinness pulls off a win he will go down as Donegals greatest manager and deserves to be put up there with Boylan and Harte.

How, in the name of God, is Devenny predicting a Donegal win "mudslinging"?  Does the same apply to anyone predicting a Dublin win?
Give me strength. It is going to be a long couple of weeks............

Mud slinging is probably the wrong phrase in this instance but the point is that this match up has been the focus of Donegal's attention since they won the AI title in 2012. It has probably come a year later than they would have hoped but they have arrived at the point where they have the opportunity to get revenge for the defeat to Dublin in 2011 and the unpunished bite on McBrearty in the League campaign of last year. Donegal have lost 3 championship games under McGuinness and if they win the AI they could well have avenged each of those 3 defeats.

I also think that Dublin supporters are over estimating the level of neutral support they have for this one. Every small county that has to fight for resources and make do with a fraction of the level of support that they have will be rooting for Donegal. Its a David v Goliath clash and it will give a bit of hope to every other county if Dublin can be toppled by Donegal. Yes, Dublin play more attacking football but this sanctimonious bullshit that they play football in the proper manner is totally exaggerated. If you need any proof watch the last 10 minutes of last years AI final and plenty of other big games they have been involved in the last few years. They have the resources and population to play in a more attacking manner than most and their sheer strength of numbers has allowed them to replace injured players with replacements who are equally as good (Kilkenny is barely even mentioned now). Donegal play the way they do (which I  am not a fan of) because it is the only way they have a chance of winning. They simply do not have the resources, strength in depth or quality of player that Dublin do. Same applies for every other county as well to varying extents. If there is any manager I'd trust in this situation to maximise his resources and convince his players that his plan will see them to victory then its Jim McGuinness.   

In fairness I can't see any neutral support for us whatsoever. Faic/nada/ zero .......

[BluestackBoy]

Why do Donegal tell the world that Karl Lacey is injured?, they tell us this before every big game, then guess what he plays. Becoming quite boring now!

As one of Donegal's key players, an injury to Lacey would have a huge bearing on the game & is news.

As for telling the world, wow, I didn't think the state of Lacey's health was big news in Guatemala, Zaire & Mongolia!! The Sky deal is really motoring.

As for talking about injuries before big games that is all part & parcel of journalism. Anything that can be printed will be. We were all giving Armagh grief for not talking to the press & now we have complaints that Donegal are talking to the media.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

[Hardy]

In fairness I can't see any neutral support for us whatsoever. Faic/nada/ zero .......

That's a pretty comprehensive dismissal of Zulu.

[imtommygunn]

A lot of people don't like the way Donegal play so there will be a reasonable few neutrals wanting you to win.

Secretly I also think dont matter wants you to win as if you don't then it'll weaken his argument about the money.

[ballinaman]

In fairness I can't see any neutral support for us whatsoever. Faic/nada/ zero .......

Siege mentalities are all the rage this summer

[BluestackBoy]

Truth be told, I don't think anyone in either Donegal or Dublin gives a rat's ass what anyone thinks.

We are both used to being unpopular by now & put it down to begrudgery from people who are secretly jealous.

[ck]

Lacey may well be injured (although I certainly wouldn't listen to Pinocio McGuinness) but if he played an All Ireland quarter final with a pulled hamstring then that in itself is the greatest miracle in GAA.

McGuinness is at it again if you ask me. He does it every year. Last year he was on about Mayos sports psychologist telling Horan what to say and that Mayo were in cahoots with other teams. That all fairly backfired on Jimmy.

[J70]

Assuming, for the sake of argument,  that what you claim is true, CK, how did it backfire?  Donegal were getting a hiding from Mayo in that game no matter what. The writing was on the wall as early as the Down game,  when a McFadden tour de force (his last good game) pulled us through.

[maigheo]

In fairness I think it was Rory Gallagher who was doing all the mouthing before the Mayo game and McGuinness was fairly annoyed with him.Probably was a factor in Gallagher not being part of the set up this year

[J OGorman]

Truth be told, I don't think anyone in either Donegal or Dublin gives a rat's ass what anyone thinks.

We are both used to being unpopular by now & put it down to begrudgery from people who are secretly jealous.

that's a big negatory

[Jinxy]

In fairness I can't see any neutral support for us whatsoever. Faic/nada/ zero .......

Siege mentalities are all the rage this summer

Back in the olden days, when a town was actually besieged, I wonder if the Duke or whatever ever turned around to his minions and said, "D'ya know what lads, this is really going to pull everyone together", as boulders and flaming arrows rained down around him.
Surely a more accurate representation of the siege mentality would involve hiding under a sturdy table with your hands over your ears.

[J70]

Does anyone really, truly believe in this "mind games" shit anyway, especially when it's media quotes? "Did you hear what thon boy said?? Get out there and show them!!!" It might get a war cry going,  but deep down everyone (or at least anyone with even close to an average IQ) knows it's vacuous bollocks and not really an effective motivator.