All Ireland Gaelic Football Final 2014 Kerry v Donegal

[muppet]

Midfielder is where it will be won and lost.

Gallagher is a very influential player but this year's version of Moran is so amazingly consistent that I think think this can be decisive. However, often when two in form high profile midfielders come up against against each other like this,  they can be outshone by the other two. Think Colm Cavanagh and Seamus O'Sé in last year's semi-final. It is hard to see Moran's game dipping that much though.

I was impressed with Kerry in their games with us. They fight for everything, before the ref has taken the field, long after the whistle is gone. A lot of it is annoying, but the message is crystal clear. They will fight to the death and you know you are in a game.

Donegal's defeat of Dublin has changed everyone's opinion of them. But I think it might be over-estimated.

Kerry for me.

[SouthDublinBro]

A lot of sour Mayo fans still posting here for some reason. Either Donegal or Dublin would have massacred you in the final.

[lynchbhoy]

While Kerry have a fantastic midfield- I'd say McGuinness will flood men into that area a la Tyrone and negate the Kerry adv
It might be a cagey soccer style game with men behind the ball and fast raiding counter attacks

If they cope without the underdog tag and guard against complacency - I'd tip Donegal to shade it maybe after a replay!
I hope it is a draw!

But I predicted Dublin to hammer mayo in the final so I'm way off this season with my predictions!

Looking forward to it !

[From the Bunker]

A lot of sour Mayo fans still posting here for some reason. Either Donegal or Dublin would have massacred you in the final.

Chill man there is little or no bitter comment from the Mayo Posters. A slight dig here and there, but nothing to upsetting! We are all big boys here and can call it as it is. If you want us to hide behind some makey up analysis and tell lies, sure what good would that be to the forum? And you are probably right, both Donegal and Dublin would probably have bet us if we made the final!

[Farrandeelin]

A lot of sour Mayo fans still posting here for some reason. Either Donegal or Dublin would have massacred you in the final.

I posted giving my opinion on how I think the game is going to pan out. Bhfuil tú sásta leis sin?

[muppet]

A lot of sour Mayo fans still posting here for some reason. Either Donegal or Dublin would have massacred you in the final.

When was the last time anyone massacred us? In fact there have been very few 'massacres' between the top teams in recent years and if anything we are more likely to be a giver rather than a receiver these days. If we had got out of Limerick, who knows how things would have gone. But it is mere conjecture now.

[charlieTully]

the wifes holiday fund has been stuck on the draw  15/2, biting the nails alreay.

[lawnseed]

I'd like Donegal to win but I think this is another easy sam for Kerry. they did their duty and put the losers mayo out of it so I think they'll take Donegal handy enough. but for Armagh's goalkeeper's kickouts Donegal were gone. I wanted to see Dublin v Kerry in the final. it would have been very open and high scoring. a kingdom win this year only drives home the notion that an open draw is in the pipeline.
      play the championship as is but starting with 4 groups of eight. (with back door) as your knocked out you enter your provincial championship which could be drawn after the quarter finals of the all Ireland series allowing for some games to be played in tandem with the race for sam. the provincial finals could be played after the all Ireland final which could be a little earlier. so this year connaght and leinster finals would be over.. ulster and munster would be at least semi final stage waiting on Kerry or Donegal. 

[Jinxy]

the wifes holiday fund has been stuck on the draw  15/2, biting the nails alreay.

Where was she heading?

[screenexile]

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..

As evidenced by the fact Moran and Maher completely cleaned them out over the course of 2 games??

[whitey]

Hope Cormac Reilly chokes on his cornflakes tomorrow

[charlieTully]

the wifes holiday fund has been stuck on the draw  15/2, biting the nails alreay.

Where was she heading?

navan.

[orangeman]

Brendan Devenney was on RTE radio today. He said that Kerry will have to go out and keep it tight from the start to save Donegsl from pulling away early in and building up a lead cos if Donegal get a few points us, Kerry will struggle. Which is all fair and well but part of me sees Donegal as underestimating the Kerry challenge. After beating Dublin, Donegal are entitled to be favourites and could choke Kerry. But Kerry will be well prepared. I'm hoping for a good final and don't mind who wins. Kerry with a load of wins won't mind Donegal winning this one.

[BennyHarp]

Brendan Devenney was on RTE radio today. He said that Kerry will have to go out and keep it tight from the start to save Donegsl from pulling away early in and building up a lead cos if Donegal get a few points us, Kerry will struggle. Which is all fair and well but part of me sees Donegal as underestimating the Kerry challenge. After beating Dublin, Donegal are entitled to be favourites and could choke Kerry. But Kerry will be well prepared. I'm hoping for a good final and don't mind who wins. Kerry with a load of wins won't mind Donegal winning this one.

With the level of preparation that goes into this Donegal set up, I just can't see them going into this game with any sort of complacency. They will be as prepared for Kerry as they were for Dublin and I just can't see how Kerry can win this game. They have been mightily impressive in how they have improved this year but their main strengths are strengths which Donegal can cope with. Jim will never allow the midfield dominance they experienced against Mayo and the role Donaghy plays is meat and drink to that Donegal defence. The only danger I see is O'Donoghue who I believe is as good as we've seen in years but like any player he can't do a huge lot which smothered up and starved of possession. If he's held to 2 or 3 from play then it's job done. Other than that the match ups favour Donegal and I can see Murphy spending a bit more time at full forward than the last day - if he does I just don't see how Kerry stop him, especially if they leave O'Mahoney back there, who is 3 or 4 years past his best. I hope it's a great game and Kerry have shown impressive fighting qualities this year but it's Donegal by 5 or more for me.

By the way, whoever said Mayo have the best midfield in the country, man for man, would need to go and lie down.

[rrhf]

Safe travel to all.  Heres to a great day and may the best Ulster team win...