Donegal V Derry, June 1st

[J70]

Don't think we've a thread of this yet...

Derry obviously favourites, but one would hope that Donegal will put up a good fight in Ballybofey. The vital areas for Donegal are midfield and our forwards. We've struggled at midfield over the past few years, and if Derry get control here, it doesn't matter how well Karl Lacey does on Bradley, as there is only so much a back can do against a man of his class. At the other end, McFadden needs to have a good day, but at this stage it is anyone's guess as to the identity of the rest of the forwards. Kavanagh will obviously start (apparently had a good game at the weekend for Eunan's), while Roper seems to have featured heavily again this season (is that good when you're talking about a man who's been in the squad since 1996?). Apparently Devenney did well at the weekend too, but who knows if he'll start. Michael Murphy is still young (and presumably sitting his Leaving), while Leon Thompson got his jaw broken against Dungloe a few weeks back. There's plenty of other options who have featured under McIvor, such as Michael Doherty and Kevin McMenamin, but none of them have set the world alight so far. The likes of Toye needs to regain his form as well, as he has been very up and down, especially as the half-forwards will need to do well around the middle of the field.

Line-up for Donegal...(a lot of question marks!)

1. Durcan or Boyle?
2  Barry Dunnion? (he'll play, but where?)
3. Neil McGee
4. Karl Lacey
5. Frank McGlynn?
6. Eamon McGee
7. Kevin Cassidy
8. Neil Gallagher
9. Kevin Rafferty?
10. Rory Kavanagh
11. Michael Hegarty?
12. Brian Roper?
13. Michael Murphy?
14. Colm McFadden
15. Brendan Devenney?

Other possibilities: Christy Toye, Ryan Bradley, Kevin McMenamin, Michael Doherty, Stephen Griffin, Paddy McDaid, David Walsh, Barry Monaghan etc.

[orangeman]

I thought Devenney was injured again ??

[Hoof Hearted]

Don't think we've a thread of this yet...

Derry obviously favourites, but one would hope that Donegal will put up a good fight in Ballybofey. The vital areas for Donegal are midfield and our forwards. We've struggled at midfield over the past few years, and if Derry get control here, it doesn't matter how well Karl Lacey does on Bradley, as there is only so much a back can do against a man of his class. At the other end, McFadden needs to have a good day, but at this stage it is anyone's guess as to the identity of the rest of the forwards. Kavanagh will obviously start (apparently had a good game at the weekend for Eunan's), while Roper seems to have featured heavily again this season (is that good when you're talking about a man who's been in the squad since 1996?). Apparently Devenney did well at the weekend too, but who knows if he'll start. Michael Murphy is still young (and presumably sitting his Leaving), while Leon Thompson got his jaw broken against Dungloe a few weeks back. There's plenty of other options who have featured under McIvor, such as Michael Doherty and Kevin McMenamin, but none of them have set the world alight so far. The likes of Toye needs to regain his form as well, as he has been very up and down, especially as the half-forwards will need to do well around the middle of the field.

Line-up for Donegal...(a lot of question marks!)

1. Durcan or Boyle?
2  Barry Dunnion? (he'll play, but where?)
3. Neil McGee
4. Karl Lacey
5. Frank McGlynn?
6. Eamon McGee
7. Kevin Cassidy
8. Neil Gallagher
9. Kevin Rafferty?
10. Rory Kavanagh
11. Michael Hegarty?
12. Brian Roper?
13. Michael Murphy?
14. Colm McFadden
15. Brendan Devenney?

Other possibilities: Christy Toye, Ryan Bradley, Kevin McMenamin, Michael Doherty, Stephen Griffin, Paddy McDaid, David Walsh, Barry Monaghan etc.

Alex ferguson and arsene wenger would be proud of ye J70 ! getting the psycological dig in early 

[Rav67]

I haven't seen all that much of him but I think wee Wappa McMenamin could be useful for Donegal if they played in the right role, like a roving corner-forward the way Gilligan does for Derry, his size wouldn't count against him much and his eye for a pass would be utilised well.

For Derry the big decision will be whether McCloy will start.  He is captain and current all-star and would be very hard to drop, but he has been out of sorts this season (perhaps due to not being 100% fit) and McCusker has proven that he'd be able to slot in FB very easily.  IMO this is Derry's game to lose, I don't think Donegal have the inside forwards to really hurt us.  I wouldn't necessarily say Derry will lord midfield even though Fergal Doc is a much better player than anyone likely to start there for Donegal, as Donegal's HB and HF lines are pretty tenacious and should win a fair proportion of breaking ball.

[Donegal Danny]

Devenney isn't injured and played well for St Eunan's against Glenswilly in the championship play off at the weekend. In reality Devenney isn't in the offical Donegal panel of 30 which was in all the local papers last week. The Derry People then ran a story with Devenney saying he wasn't fit for the Derry game but if Donegal won he hoped to be in the set up for the Ulster Semi Final. Devenney wil not start against Derry and i doubt if he will even be a sub. Walse might start because i think Mc Iver has good time for him. I also Think Paddy Mc Daid will start in the corner instead of Dunnion who missed a league game at the weekend with some injury. Also think he will go for Durkan instead of Boyle. After that it's hard to know but i think J70 has it pretty close. A big decision is will he start Toye or Roper?

[the green man]

Lads, lets stop kidding ourselves here. We all know what happpens to Derry when they're praised to high heaven.

Donegal will stroll through this one. We'll take our traditional route through the qualifiers

[J70]

Devenney isn't injured and played well for St Eunan's against Glenswilly in the championship play off at the weekend. In reality Devenney isn't in the offical Donegal panel of 30 which was in all the local papers last week. The Derry People then ran a story with Devenney saying he wasn't fit for the Derry game but if Donegal won he hoped to be in the set up for the Ulster Semi Final. Devenney wil not start against Derry and i doubt if he will even be a sub. Walse might start because i think Mc Iver has good time for him. I also Think Paddy Mc Daid will start in the corner instead of Dunnion who missed a league game at the weekend with some injury. Also think he will go for Durkan instead of Boyle. After that it's hard to know but i think J70 has it pretty close. A big decision is will he start Toye or Roper?

I didn't see the panel Danny, and was wondering when it was going to be finalised.

Do you have any links to it?

[Donegal Danny]

Sorry J70 I am no good at that kind of thing but it was in last Thursday Donegal Democrate. They had previously said there were 29 players certain with 1 place left which lead to all the talk about Devenney getting it after his 2 goals against Glenswilly in the first game but after playing poorly and coming off injuried in the second leg i think Mc Iver gave up on him and included Niall Mc Cready as the last man according to the paper.

[mattockranger]

Louth played yous there the weekend in a challenge
any reports your end?

[J70]

So Devenney's gone!

Any surprises? What about Stephen Griffin? He played in the Wexford challenge I think, although he wasn't in the league panel.

[tbrick18]

From a Derry point of view I am really worried about this game. Two very major factors which havent been mentioned yet....firstly Brian McIvor will know the Derry team inside and out and will know exactly how to play against them and can make the tough calls, Crozier will be at a disadvantage here. Secondly, I worry about how complacent the players will feel after beating Kerry in a League final...time and again over the years Derry have had a good result and then go out and get tanked by a team they should beat.
Add to that, a defeat by Offally in a challenge match and the confidence gets very shaky.

Derry should win regardless of team selections, but a draw wouldnt surprise me nor would a comprehensive Donegal victory.

[Against the Breeze]

Anyone know what time throw in is for this game?

[Croí na hÉireann]

Any more info on de Derry Offaly challenge game, what teams lined out, etc???

Edit: Just found this on hoganstand

Offaly defeat the league champions
19 May 2008

A very determined and full-strength Offaly side produced a storming second-half performance to record a five points win over Derry - 2-13 to 0-14 - in a senior football challenge game at the weekend.

The league champion dominated the opening half of this game with Paul Murphy hitting three first-half points and Paddy Bradley hitting four as they raced into a four points lead - 0-8 to 0-4 - ten minutes from the interval. However, Offaly got themselves right back into the game just before the interval break when Paschal Kellaghan got in for the first goal of the game just before the interval to leave the sides going in at the break with Derry narrowly ahead by one point 0-9 to 1-5.

Derry started the second-half well with an early Conleith Gilligan point. However, that was as good as it got for the Derry side as the Faithful county upped their game all over the field with their top scorer Niall McNamee - he finished the game with a personal tally of 1-8 goaling two minutes into the half.

Paddy Crozier the Derry manager rung the changes in that second-half but all to no avail as Pat Roe's side ran out comfortable and deserving winners at the opening of the new pitch at Slaughtmanus.

Anyone got de list of de teams???

[screenexile]

AZ here's the teams ans scorers. Derry were well below strength only McGuckin, McEldowney, Bradley and Gilligan started the league final. No one in the half-backs, midfield or half-forwards started against Kerry. Having said that ye looked very sharp Niall McNamee got 1-6 from play, okay he was given plenty of room but still. From the way your management were going on you could tell they were taking it seriously. Ye'll give Westmeath their fill of it

Derry: John Deighan; Kevin McGuckin, Kevin McCloy, Francis McEldowney; Paul Cartin, Michael McGoldrick, Joe Keenan; James Conway, Patsy Bradley; Ryan McElhone, Paul Murphy (0-3), Enda Lynn; Collie Devlin (0-1, free), Paddy Bradley (0-4, two frees, sideline), Conleith Gilligan (0-4, 45, two frees)

Subs: Michael McIver (0-1) for Keenan, Michael McBride for McGoldrick, Ryan Dillon for McGuckin, Enda Muldoon for Murphy, Raymond Wilkinson for Lynn, Fergal Doherty (0-1) for Patsy Bradley, Mark Craig for McEldowney, Rian Kealey for McElhone

Offaly: Padhraic Kelly; Ger Rafferty, Shane Sullivan, Brian Darby (0-1); Paul McConway, Scott Brady, Nigel Grehan (0-1); Alan McNamee, Alan Smith (0-1); Ciaran McManus (0-1), Pascal Keelaghan (1-0), Karl Slattery; Thomas Deehan (0-1), James Keane, Niall McNamee (1-9, three frees)

Subs: Willie Mulhall for Deehan, Niall Darby for Sullivan. Blood sub: Gerry Grehan for Brady.

[billy the kid]

From a Derry point of view I am really worried about this game. Two very major factors which havent been mentioned yet....firstly Brian McIvor will know the Derry team inside and out and will know exactly how to play against them and can make the tough calls, Crozier will be at a disadvantage here. Secondly, I worry about how complacent the players will feel after beating Kerry in a League final...time and again over the years Derry have had a good result and then go out and get tanked by a team they should beat.
Add to that, a defeat by Offally in a challenge match and the confidence gets very shaky.

Derry should win regardless of team selections, but a draw wouldnt surprise me nor would a comprehensive Donegal victory.

I agree totally and think that Donegal away is the worst possible Draw Derry could have got in the first round.
Donegal are a top quality team, with a ruthless manager who probably knows the derry team better than PC and they have floated in under the radar.

Hoping that Derry will have learned from Donegals mistakes last year and that the defeat by Offaly will have knocked them a little and that they are 100% focused on whats ahead.

Should be a cracking game and Ballybofey should be filled I think.

Honestly cant wait.