Ulster Senior Football Final 17th July - Derry v Donegal

[The Stallion]

Derry are going to win this game easily.

For all the talk of Murphy and McFadden, they are actually quite easy to keep quiet, and aren't as heavy scorers as their reputations would suggest. Flat-track bullies.

Even if Lacey snuffs out the threat of Skinnner, Derry have so many players capable of contributing scores that they will prevail.

[Craigyhill Terror]

Derry are going to win this game easily.

For all the talk of Murphy and McFadden, they are actually quite easy to keep quiet, and aren't as heavy scorers as their reputations would suggest. Flat-track bullies.

Even if Lacey snuffs out the threat of Skinnner, Derry have so many players capable of contributing scores that they will prevail.

Allianz FL Division 2
At Celtic Park
Derry 2-12
Donegal 2-18
Donegal: P Durkan; P McGrath, N McGee, K Lacey (0-1); A Thompson, F McGlynn, K Cassidy; R Kavanagh (0-1), M McElhinney (0-1); M Hegarty, M McHugh, D Molloy (0-5, frees); R Bradley, M Murphy (1-7, six frees), C McFadden (1-3). Subs: J Noctor for McGee (39 mins), N Gallagher for Hegarty (55), D Walsh for McElhinney (55).
Derry: D Devlin; C Mullan, K McCloy, D McBride; G O'Kane (0-2), J O'Kane, A McAlynn; PJ McCloskey, M Friel; C McGoldrick (0-1), SL McGoldrick, M Donaghy; E Muldoon (0-1), C O'Boyle (2-1), C Gilligan (0-6, all frees). Subs: C Kielt (0-1) for McAlynn (26), B McGoldrick for C Mullan (ht), M Lynch for C McGoldrick (43), P Bradley for McCloskey (49), J Kielt for M Donaghy (62).
Ref: P Hughes (Armagh).

[Goldengreen]

Derry are going to win this game easily.

For all the talk of Murphy and McFadden, they are actually quite easy to keep quiet, and aren't as heavy scorers as their reputations would suggest. Flat-track bullies.

Even if Lacey snuffs out the threat of Skinnner, Derry have so many players capable of contributing scores that they will prevail.

Really hope the Derry management think the same as you ;-)

[Goldengreen]

While I don't think this will be a great game I think it will be interesting from a tactical perspective.

John Brennan hasn't really faced anyone yet who have really implemented the blanket defense.

Skinner thrived the last day with no sweeper in front of him. How will he play with such a packed defense and will he keep his cool are two big questions to be answered.

I think this is a game Mark Lynch can stand up and be counted in. Also I don't think Derry have any defenders physical and mobile enough for Murphy so could be problems there.

Midfield should maybe slightly be swayed by Derry based on the last day but they need to perform again.

This is my reading of the game too. When Skinner is getting snuffed out will he keep his cool.

can see derry winning mid-field. Donegal did not even win much breaking ball there the last day

But Donegal learned alot the last day too. It will be a tight game and not an easy win for who ever wins.

My vote goes for Donegal but hey i am biased :-)

[Main Street]

Derry were very convincing in their sf win but at a crucial stage of the game, a simple twist of fate and they were 7 points ahead instead of one and that was against an Armagh team that was struggling to find a rhythm.
Somehow I think Donegal will go into the final, more grounded as to what they have achieved and as to the improvements they need to make.
I'm looking forward to the game. Atm, I think Donegal will shade it

[Atticus_Finch]

For me Donegal have got to an ulster final with out having played particularly well and that scares me a bit.

I've been particularly disappointed by Murphy so far in this championship, I know some of you may say that he hasn't always been played in his natural role ... but even so I think he's a far better player than he's shown so far.

Donegal are bound to click at some stage, I just hope it's not the Ulster final.  I would have rather Derry played Tyrone.  Derry have already got the better of them this year in the McKenna cup and the league.  I know Championship is a different kettle of fish but i don't think it would have been a case of third time lucky for Tyrone.

Derry need Gerard O'Kane back and close to full fitness. 

If Derry are to win - while Murphy, McFadden and McBreaty all obviously need to be watched closely - i'd be a bit concerned about Karl Lacey and McHugh causing damage by their foraging runs.

[J70]

Derry are going to win this game easily.

For all the talk of Murphy and McFadden, they are actually quite easy to keep quiet, and aren't as heavy scorers as their reputations would suggest. Flat-track bullies.

Even if Lacey snuffs out the threat of Skinnner, Derry have so many players capable of contributing scores that they will prevail.

Easy win for Derry? Brave words, just like some of the Tyrone lads last week. At least those boys had a track record on which to base their arrogance. Unlike Derry, some of whose supporters on this board dismiss Donegal out of hand every time we play them. And yes, they squeaked passed us in 2008, but not so much in 2006 or 2009.

As for the apparently highly over-rated McFadden and Murphy, I hope for your sake your backline does a better job this time around than they have in recent meetings. 

[J70]

For me Donegal have got to an ulster final with out having played particularly well and that scares me a bit.

I've been particularly disappointed by Murphy so far in this championship, I know some of you may say that he hasn't always been played in his natural role ... but even so I think he's a far better player than he's shown so far.

Donegal are bound to click at some stage, I just hope it's not the Ulster final.  I would have rather Derry played Tyrone.  Derry have already got the better of them this year in the McKenna cup and the league.  I know Championship is a different kettle of fish but i don't think it would have been a case of third time lucky for Tyrone.

Derry need Gerard O'Kane back and close to full fitness. 

If Derry are to win - while Murphy, McFadden and McBreaty all obviously need to be watched closely - i'd be a bit concerned about Karl Lacey and McHugh causing damage by their foraging runs.

Quiet and all as Murphy was against Tyrone, he still scored an important (and excellent) point just after half time and played a pivotal role in both goals. The lad can't do it on his own every week, especially when he's generally got two lads around him every time the ball comes his way. I thought he did much better in the second half anyway, winning a good bit of ball, albeit way out on the wings.

[Rav67]

I was hoping Tyrone would win at the weekend, I would much rather be playing them than Donegal.  Derry's defeats under Brennan have come against Donegal and Laois in the league, both were hammerings and both came when playing teams with very defensive systems.

I think Skinner will find it hard to get in the game, with a sweeper to play quite close in front of him and either McGee or Lacey on him who both appear to be in great form.  Hopefully that should free up space further out the pitch and a lot could depend on whether Derry can take points from range.

Murphy and McFadden are both class forwards, Murphy has been sacrificed for the team somewhat this season but it's working for them so fair play to McGuinness.  I expect Donegal to stifle Derry and win this one ugly in a low-scoring game.

[J70]

The long range points is the key. Tyrone, for all their possession in the first half, couldn't take them, bar the couple of early ones from Dooher and Jordan. If Derry can, Donegal will have problems, as they will at some point if they do reach August against the likes of Kerry or Cork.

[sheamy]

Derry are going to win this game easily.

For all the talk of Murphy and McFadden, they are actually quite easy to keep quiet, and aren't as heavy scorers as their reputations would suggest. Flat-track bullies.

Even if Lacey snuffs out the threat of Skinnner, Derry have so many players capable of contributing scores that they will prevail.

Really hope the Derry management think the same as you ;-)

I would hope the Derry management would think they can win to be honest.

That point aside, pay no attention to comments above.

Look at the facts:

Donegal hammered Derry in Celtic Park and won easily.
Last week they beat a team going for three Ulsters in a row.
They're a division one outfit.
Armagh were naive beyond belief (Donegal won't be)
Derry have never beaten a team in the championship playing the basketball mass defence.

The bookies have Donegal as favourites and rightly so.

[tbrick18]

Derry are going to win this game easily.

For all the talk of Murphy and McFadden, they are actually quite easy to keep quiet, and aren't as heavy scorers as their reputations would suggest. Flat-track bullies.

Even if Lacey snuffs out the threat of Skinnner, Derry have so many players capable of contributing scores that they will prevail.

Really hope the Derry management think the same as you ;-)

I would hope the Derry management would think they can win to be honest.

That point aside, pay no attention to comments above.

Look at the facts:

Donegal hammered Derry in Celtic Park and won easily.
Last week they beat a team going for three Ulsters in a row.
They're a division one outfit.
Armagh were naive beyond belief (Donegal won't be)
Derry have never beaten a team in the championship playing the basketball mass defence.

The bookies have Donegal as favourites and rightly so.

+1
The main difference between the league and now though is that we played the way we did against Armagh whcih should give the players confidence. Also we now know what to expect from Donegal and Brennan has time to work on how to play against it.
Donegal on the otherhand, havent played a team as attack orientated as Derry have become so it'll be a new test for them too.
A really difficult one to call, but I think you have to put Donegal as favorites at this stage....but only just.

[Bogball XV]

They're a division one outfit.

I'd agree with all your other points, but that's hardly relevant when they played in the same division as derry and went by virtue of score difference.

I'd also rather be facing Tyrone but always thought Donegal would sneak through that tie.  I think maybe we're overstating the skinner factor.  We've a few lads there who can take scores now, Gilligan, Lynch, even the likes of mcgoldrick and o'kane (and I expect him to be fully fit for the final) can pop over a few from half back Muldoon will be hanging about the middle of the park and he's been known to take a point or two as well.
Diver will be a key player, he's always had the potential but never really delivered at county level, he's had two great games so far this year, a third would go a long way to victory.

Defensively, we know we can leak scores, but if donegal set themselves up as defensively as the last day, that won't do us any harm, I don't think they will though as they know that they've 3 inside forwards who could wreak havoc, given a decent supply of ball. 

All in all, you'd have to fancy Donegal, but it's no foregone conclusion. Derry have the players to win, but as a supporter, I can't say they will, too many false dawns over the past 10 years.  Five ulster semi final defeats in the last six years does that to a supporter.

[AZOffaly]

Can Derry kick long range points? That's one way of drawing packed defences out to play.

[ExiledGael]

Been at both Derry games so far and Eoin Bradley and Enda Muldoon hit some of the longest range points I've seen. James Kielt also has a huge kick so don't imagine that being a problem. Conleith Gilligan will not be as careless with the frees as Tyrone were either.
That said I can't see Derry beating Donegal.