Stopping Donaghy ?? Easy Peasy...

[ardmhachaabu]

If he isn't on the pitch he can't play. Simple

[the Deel Rover]

If he isn't on the pitch he can't play. Simple

Ah i can see it next year Dublin meet Kerry and the Pillar arrests "star" for been too tall he is sentenced to 2 weeks in prison and the dubs go on to loose another Ai semi Final

[GrandMasterFlash]

Stick Francie Bellya on him - job done.

[AbbeySider]

Stick Francie Bellya on him - job done.

You beat me too it...
But David Brady seems to be the only man for the job!

It seems "Francie Bellya" bit the dust too...

...With that move, Heaney was on his back, and David must have felt that sinking feeling Francie Bellew had experienced a few weeks previously...

[Jinxy]

In some cases (not all) I think defenders would be better off letting him win the ball and then applying pressure when he hits the ground (forcing him away from goal).
....
He can't run at you if you are on top of him when he lands. Bear in mind that he will nearly always be jumping away from the goals when he is going up for a ball. You can use that momentum (a la Gormley in the Railway Cup) to force him out or stall him where he is when he lands.

Well The experts would agree to differ there.... In the previous article they discussed how Donaughy employs "Putting the backside into you – basketball style"

"In the All-Ireland final, Mayo's David Heaney attempted to play Donaghy from behind, hoping to break ball away from the big man. This approach is fraught with danger."

Although the pass into Donaghy comes from a little further out than might normally be the case, Donaghy firstly employs the well-worn basketball tactic of drifting wide to the far side of the large square – creating space behind him.

When the pass is floated in for Donaghy's goal, Heaney is behind him and never had a chance. Donaghy rose, fielded, and by the time he hit the turf, he had already begun the drop-step. He pushes backwards into Heaney, while swivelling onto his left foot. With that move, Heaney was on his back, and David must have felt that sinking feeling Francie Bellew had experienced a few weeks previously. In basketball, if you get the defender on your back – with your body between him and the basket, then it's Goodnight Irene. That player is no longer able to stop you without fouling.

It's not just about a big man sticking his backside into the defender – though that's certainly half the battle. The key to employing the drop-step efficiently is maintaining balance on landing and really pinning your man behind you using the leg you are swivelling with. Donaghy drop-steps naturally off his left foot and most players will have a favourite side."

As you can see from the above article he already has his arse in your face with the "drop-step" and pushing backwards while spinning and heading for goal! 

Resistance is futile... 

I know how Mick Lyons would have handled the "drop-step".......

[AbbeySider]

I know how Mick Lyons would have handled the "drop-step".......

LMAO!! 

[RadioGAAGAA]

Well The experts would agree to differ there.... In the previous article they discussed how Donaughy employs "Putting the backside into you – basketball style"


As you can see from the above article he already has his arse in your face with the "drop-step" and pushing backwards while spinning and heading for goal! 

Resistance is futile... 

Yeap - IMO you have to let him get half turned, then close in - then he has no leverage to turn ye.

But, letting a player get turned (or half turned) is very contrary to what most defenders do - especially when they are under pressure, aggression will tend to dominate over ice-cold thoughtful defending.

[RadioGAAGAA]

I know how Mick Lyons would have handled the "drop-step".......

"Drop-kick" of ball - with full forward still attached, to the 40' 

[topgun]

if u stop the ball going in u stop donaghy, i think people are getting too focused on one player on the kerry team, there is more to kerry than donaghy, altough they do play better when he is playin they have match winners all over the forward line so u have to stop the ball going and slow it down, good quick ball into a numbers of teams and it would be goodnight irene for alot of teams

[DUBSFORSAM1]

Agree with Topgun - it is all about the quality of ball coming into Donaghy - the problem with playing Kerry though is when you double up on Donaghy who do you decide to leave as the free man?

I would tend to stand slightly behind but at an angle but staying goal side so that if the ball is coming cross field you can get a run and a jump to break the ball clear or if you know you can't do that you are behind him and blocking the route to goal if he gets possession and turns....the other option if you want to get really close is to try and get him under the flight of the ball and when he starts pushing back you just step aside and he will lose balance as expecting you to block the move...

[thejuice]

I know how Mick Lyons would have handled the "drop-step".......

Ya know, I always argued that Meath players werent dirty, yet I was thinking the exact same thing, "just burst em with a fist across the jaw, we've won with 14 men before"

[Zulu]

I think the best way to play him is more or less as the Liam Hoaran article suggested. Try stay between ball and man at an angle such that you can still see the man, with the corner back closest to Donaghy closing in (i.e. the CB to Donaghy's left if the ball is coming from the right) to add support should he win it cleanly. If the ball is floated across the other CB and the centre back should be making there way into the square to pressurize Donaghy and pick up forwards waiting for the break

[orangeman]

Big Raymond for Tyrone next year

[AbbeySider]

if u stop the ball going in u stop donaghy
...
they have match winners all over the forward line so u have to stop the ball going and slow it down

Easier said than done.

Its not easy to stop Darragh Ó Sé from winning primary possession around the middle which allows Kerry to send in good ball to the forwards.

When Kerry are on form they are near impossible to stop around the middle so the idea of "stop the ball going in" isnt as easy as it seems.

[Jinxy]

Agree with Topgun - it is all about the quality of ball coming into Donaghy - the problem with playing Kerry though is when you double up on Donaghy who do you decide to leave as the free man?

I would tend to stand slightly behind but at an angle but staying goal side so that if the ball is coming cross field you can get a run and a jump to break the ball clear or if you know you can't do that you are behind him and blocking the route to goal if he gets possession and turns....the other option if you want to get really close is to try and get him under the flight of the ball and when he starts pushing back you just step aside and he will lose balance as expecting you to block the move...

I know exactly what you mean.