All Ireland Gaelic Football Final 2014 Kerry v Donegal

[larryin89]

I see most of the papers going for a Kerry win tomorrow.

Some people never learn..............

Yeah because Kerry hardly ever win all Irelands.

[From the Bunker]

Kerry should win handily enough - 6/7+.  Dubs should have put Donegal away in first 20 mins and had they taken their chances there would have been no Donegal comeback.

This is a far better Kerry team than even I had given them credit and even though they had Reilly in Limerick to help them they were impressive in both games. They have players with ability to vary the game and are far less predictable than the Dubs. If Kerry take their chances this game could be over with 15 mins to go and the Gooch may even appear for a few mins.

Kerry beat ye fair and square. Mayo had chances to win it and bottled it.
Get over it.

[seafoid]

I see most of the papers going for a Kerry win tomorrow.

Some people never learn..............

Yeah because Kerry hardly ever win all Irelands.

For the last 4 they had the mental advantage over their opponents but they won't tomorrow.

[Mayo Mick]

Kerry should win handily enough - 6/7+.  Dubs should have put Donegal away in first 20 mins and had they taken their chances there would have been no Donegal comeback.

This is a far better Kerry team than even I had given them credit and even though they had Reilly in Limerick to help them they were impressive in both games. They have players with ability to vary the game and are far less predictable than the Dubs. If Kerry take their chances this game could be over with 15 mins to go and the Gooch may even appear for a few mins.

Kerry beat ye fair and square. Mayo had chances to win it and bottled it.
Get over it.

Long over it but no harm in keeping in mind the vital role Reilly played in bailing out the Kingdom when they were in trouble in the first period of extra time. Anyway I think we saw the two best teams in action in those two games.  Kerry have too much in the locker for Donegal especially around midfield where I expect Moran to dominate.

[yellowcard]

Donegal to win and I suspect it may be a lot more comfortable than many are predicting. If Kerry aren't ahead with 20 minutes to go the game is effectively over. May the best team win but I'd like it to be Donegal.

[ballinaman]

Kerry might have used up their luck by this stage getting to the final this year a few years ahead of schedule.
I like Jim McGuinness every time i hear him speak, must be brilliant to play for.
Donegal 2-14
Kerry 1-12

It'll be a particularly hard watch for me seeing a team that we ran over last year(granted Dongeal are different animal this year) or a team that the game was over if had closed it out, lift Sam. 

[macdanger2]

Kerry should win handily enough - 6/7+.  Dubs should have put Donegal away in first 20 mins and had they taken their chances there would have been no Donegal comeback.

This is a far better Kerry team than even I had given them credit and even though they had Reilly in Limerick to help them they were impressive in both games. They have players with ability to vary the game and are far less predictable than the Dubs. If Kerry take their chances this game could be over with 15 mins to go and the Gooch may even appear for a few mins.

Kerry beat ye fair and square. Mayo had chances to win it and bottled it.
Get over it.

Long over it but no harm in keeping in mind the vital role Reilly played in bailing out the Kingdom when they were in trouble in the first period of extra time. Anyway I think we saw the two best teams in action in those two games.  Kerry have too much in the locker for Donegal especially around midfield where I expect Moran to dominate.

Midfield will be crucial, if Moran & Co can dominate the way they did against mayo, Kerry will win. I'm not sure they will though, I expect Gallagher and macniallas to edge it, Donegal to win more breaks and donegal to win their 3rd all Ireland

[Farrandeelin]

I'm leaning towards Donegal myself. I can't see Kerry racking up as high a score as they did against us even if they do win midfield. I think Donegal will win by 6 or 7.

[larryin89]

I fancy kerry to steamroll Donegal.

[Syferus]

Kerry should win handily enough - 6/7+.  Dubs should have put Donegal away in first 20 mins and had they taken their chances there would have been no Donegal comeback.

This is a far better Kerry team than even I had given them credit and even though they had Reilly in Limerick to help them they were impressive in both games. They have players with ability to vary the game and are far less predictable than the Dubs. If Kerry take their chances this game could be over with 15 mins to go and the Gooch may even appear for a few mins.

Kerry beat ye fair and square. Mayo had chances to win it and bottled it.
Get over it.

Long over it but no harm in keeping in mind the vital role Reilly played in bailing out the Kingdom when they were in trouble in the first period of extra time. Anyway I think we saw the two best teams in action in those two games.  Kerry have too much in the locker for Donegal especially around midfield where I expect Moran to dominate.

Midfield will be crucial, if Moran & Co can dominate the way they did against mayo, Kerry will win. I'm not sure they will though, I expect Gallagher and macniallas to edge it, Donegal to win more breaks and donegal to win their 3rd all Ireland

Moran is head and shoulders the best midfielder on the two teams at the moment, though. His delivery has been of a level you rarely ever see, I remember him being a stand-out at minor and you're almost rooting for him regardless of Kerry because it's become one hell of a comeback story at this stage.

MacNiallas is a bit of a HF conversion and for all his good stuff I don't know if battling it out in the middle would be playing to his strengths. Lots of the balls he's got in the middle this year have been where he's broken away from his man and won cheap uncontested ball, I'd doubt Kerry will be as naive as some other teams have been. Aerially anyways Maher and Buckley would be more imposing. I think Donegal have a worse midfield than Mayo (who man-for-man have the best midfield in the country so it's no slight) so the challenge being presented to Moran isn't really increasing.

He was so dominant in the two Mayo games that you're tempted to assume it was some anomaly or match-up failure on Mayo's part but, yeah, it probably will come down to who wins the middle and gets the better ball to the Murphys and JO'Ds of both teams.

Both teams play quite defensively so both teams might end up leaving unmarked backs as outlets for short kick-outs for the opposition..

[seafoid]

Interesting videos

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/darragh-%C3%B3-s%C3%A9-on-kerry-we-re-fighting-the-elements-as-well-as-everyone-else-1.1931851

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/the-hills-are-alive-donegal-prepares-for-the-all-ireland-final-1.1928569

[BluestackBoy]

Kerry should win handily enough - 6/7+.  Dubs should have put Donegal away in first 20 mins and had they taken their chances there would have been no Donegal comeback.

This is a far better Kerry team than even I had given them credit and even though they had Reilly in Limerick to help them they were impressive in both games. They have players with ability to vary the game and are far less predictable than the Dubs. If Kerry take their chances this game could be over with 15 mins to go and the Gooch may even appear for a few mins.

Kerry beat ye fair and square. Mayo had chances to win it and bottled it.
Get over it.

Long over it but no harm in keeping in mind the vital role Reilly played in bailing out the Kingdom when they were in trouble in the first period of extra time. Anyway I think we saw the two best teams in action in those two games.  Kerry have too much in the locker for Donegal especially around midfield where I expect Moran to dominate.

Midfield will be crucial, if Moran & Co can dominate the way they did against mayo, Kerry will win. I'm not sure they will though, I expect Gallagher and macniallas to edge it, Donegal to win more breaks and donegal to win their 3rd all Ireland

Moran is head and shoulders the best midfielder on the two teams at the moment, though. His delivery has been of a level you rarely ever see, I remember him being a stand-out at minor and you're almost rooting for him regardless of Kerry because it's become one hell of a comeback story at this stage.

MacNiallas is a bit of a HF conversion and for all his good stuff I don't know if battling it out in the middle would be playing to his strengths. Lots of the balls he's got in the middle this year have been where he's broken away from his man and won cheap uncontested ball, I'd doubt Kerry will be as naive as some other teams have been. Aerially anyways Maher and Buckley would be more imposing. I think Donegal have a worse midfield than Mayo (who man-for-man have the best midfield in the country so it's no slight) so the challenge being presented to Moran isn't really increasing.

He was so dominant in the two Mayo games that you're tempted to assume it was some anomaly or match-up failure on Mayo's part but, yeah, it probably will come down to who wins the middle and gets the better ball to the Murphys and JO'Ds of both teams.

Both teams play quite defensively so both teams might end up leaving unmarked backs as outlets for short kick-outs for the opposition..

Big Neil Gallagher is I think the pick of the midfielders on show tomorrow based on consistency of performance & is up there with the best midfield operators at the moment. His fielding & distribution are first class & he also sweeps very well.

However I don't think this game will be decided by individuals, good and all as they may be. My own feeling is that it is the team that puts it's manager's plan into action best is the team that will win out in the end.

The ability to, as Kipling put it,  "Keep you head while all about you are losing theirs" will be the deciding factor & to that end I am giving Donegal a hesitant vote. The have the miles behind them & while this is, without doubt, a great Kerry team in the making I am hoping that it will be a case of the old dog for the hard road.

[Syferus]

Finally got the tickets - one in the bloody Davin and one in Hogan! First world problems - disappointed with getting AI final tickets.

[rrhf]

Just got the tickets. Taking the football mad cub to his first all Ireland final. Precious.

[Whitnail]

For the last time this year I might as well keep backing  McFadden to come good and hopefully make the difference. ...when it really matters