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One reason the games were in Croke Park was to avoid having an all-ticket game and to allow kids in free. This seems a valid reason for having the game in Clones too.

Some people in the Ulster council seem to be swayed by the economic advantage the Ulster final (and semi's) have in the town of Clones itself IMO.

it has been suggested that there is an economic benefit to the Ulster Council to do with VAT, and this is relevant too.

Fair enough....if it's cheaper to host the game there then I'd have no complaints.
I just got the impression from Cooney's interview that a major part of the decision was because Clones needed it.

But I would still argue it's not cheaper for the travelling support to always go to Clones for finals/semi finals. This could well backfire, as I think it already has for the semi's this year, and the reduced attendance means reduced income regardless of the VAT savings.
I suppose it would be difficult to get it right either way.

Anyway, we're kind of digressing a bit.

Derry for Ulster! 

I'm not particularly complaining about going to Clones for this final so dont get me wrong.
However, I dont agree with this perception that Clones is the traditional venue for the Ulster final.
Sounds like something the OO would come out with...."its traditional we walk down this road so we'll keep doing it no matter what"...

It wasnt that long ago that the ulster final was played in croker as the need was there.
I think it only makes sense that the same logic is applied when deciding venue for games with lower attendances. Surely from an economic point of view this argument stands. Some people in the Ulster council seem to be swayed by the economic advantage the Ulster final (and semi's) have in the town of Clones itself IMO. I think this is skewed logic....why are the good people of Clones any more/less entitled to the cash bonus provided by big games than those of Belfast/Omagh/Armagh or even Derry. Cooney said as much himself in his interview about bringing the semis to Clones....he said Clones needed this.

Should our supporters, most of whom will have further to travel than any Derry men,

They're not all travelling from the states for the game?

That aside the venue is fine for the game - this time.

Its the fairest option every time. Which is why the Ulster Council correctly doesn't drag us to Belfast anymore if we're not playing Antrim.

Coleraine: to Clones 85 miles; Belfast 55 miles
Derry: to Clones 75 miles; Belfast 70 miles
Limavady: to Clones 85 miles; Belfast 65 miles
Maghera: to Clones 65 miles; Belfast 40 miles

Letterkenny: to Clones 80 miles; Belfast 95 miles
Donegal: to Clones 60 miles; Belfast 110 miles
Ardara: to Clones 85 miles; Belfast 120 miles
Gweedore: to Clones 105 miles; Belfast 125 miles
Carndonagh: to Clones 100 miles; Belfast 95 miles

Data from Google maps.

Definitely Clones is more central for BOTH teams for this match. However, would Omagh not have been sufficient for this game?
I cant see it being a sell out in Clones, Omagh would have been closer to both counties and i'd say it's capacity would be enough for this game (18500). If derry triple their support form the last game that would still only be about 6K....so I think it should be more than capable of hosting it.
I dont have a major gripe with the final being in Clones given it's not favoring one team over the other. It's more that I dont agree with the financial aspect of it for the supporters.

Yous Donegal boys doin a Derry? It's usually us that bate up our county players before a big match!

Already a thread on this....

http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=19621.0

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.

Have a feeling that it will be a bad day for Donegal diehard Ian McCrea.
Derry by 5.

Not sure who'd be favorite for this game. Probably Donegal having beat the outgoing ulster champions.
A very difficult game to call. We'll need a good referee that's for sure.

jeez he'd put you off watchin! And could he crawl any further up peter's arse?

We'd take a last minute goal to win it this time too!

It was a dire game to watch from a neutral point of view.
Both teams were poor today IMO and Donegal won it on fitness.

That lad who just came on and hit mcmahon was lucky to stay on the field. McFadden should have had a penalty. Hughes cant have any complaints IMO, was def 2 yellows.

Not much else to say....I'd rather have had tryone in the final but wasnt to be.
Donegal are bad for the game playing like that but they'll keep doing it as long as they keep winning.

Derry ultra offensive....Donegal ultra defensive....interesting!
At least there will be a new name on the Anglo-Celt Cup this year.

I never rated Monaghan that highly.....they've had a few exceptional players in the Freemans and Paul Finlay and McManus but the remainder of the team was average at best IMO. Banty had them playing a brand of football which worked though was hard to watch.... but without him and the Freemans its a very ordinary team beatable by anyone. In saying that I'm surprise about this result.
Fair play to Offaly....keep er lit!

I think its a good idea....should hopefully cut out the louts at matches.
It'll be easy enough to enforce as the law is aimed at the bus companies...its them who get the fine from what I understand. It'll be them that do the enforcing. They just wont let people on the bus with drink.
It should also cut out some of the crap that goes on around the 12th with our bigoted members of the community. If they're not able to go drinking all day they wont walk as much and maybe they'll all just stay at home

Diver was clean through could have shot for goal as he'd only the keeper to beat but tried to fist it over the bar and fisted it wide!

You're being harsh on Diver there, watch the match again, he had about three Armagh defenders bearing down on him with at least two of them on the goal side.

Not trying to be harsh on him but from where he fisted it he could have kicked it for goal is all I'm saying. A forward would have.
Diver had a great game IMO, I was just trying to highlight to the previous poster that we had more than 3 goal chances.