Dublin v Mayo - AISF

[Sportacus]

And a word for Dublin, apart from all the shite they were up to, they eventually made a game of it.  And mayo were as cynical as they come.  Good luck to them and donegal in the final.

[From the Bunker]

Mayo don't want to be favs for the final.

They made sure of that with the last 15 minutes. We're in another final. Jez, it's hard to believe looking at us 18 months ago!

[ross4life]

Best sort of match to win really. A great test of Mayo's character.
Lots to work on. And Donegal will be favourites.

And it's a long way from Pearse Park in Longford.

A long way from last year's Ruislip game. Superb match Mayo almost let it slip but fully deserved the win. Donegal will be favourites for the final & that will suit Mayo fine.

[seafoid]

Poor second half-we could've buried them earlier.

It's a real shame that we're meeting the best Gaelic Football team in the world ever in the final.

Brolly confirms that Donegal are the winners from today.

I don't care - this Mayo team have something I've never seen ( I was there in 89, 96, 97, 04)

We'll win the All Ireland.

That's the spirit. It could end up being really ordinary, scoring points for fun in the last 10 minutes.

I can't wait to see Horan's tactics against super puke fuball/rugby league.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Well done Mayo. Hope they win the final now. I thought Higgins, Cafferkey and in particular McLoughlin were excellent. They fell apart when he was off the field. 

I'm sure Gilroy will regret not starting with O'Gara and McManamon. How big a loss was Mickey Whelan to the management? McAuley might look a bit awkward on the ball but he is some player.

I hope Cian O'Neill will be part of the Kildare backroom team in the years to come.

[stephenite]

McLoughlin is absolutely HUGE for us. Another big game and he's in line for POTY

[From the Bunker]

Great to be in a Final. A final without Kerry for a change! Donegal are a different animal, but this is their first final (in a long time). The Hype in Donegal is mental at the moment. Believe it or not the hype has been drained out of us from other AI finals, so i expect a lower key run for us compared to Donegal. This could be key!

McLoughlin is absolutely HUGE for us. Another big game and he's in line for POTY

Mayos bench was used fully today, most of the time not by choice. We have more dept than we thought.

[bcarrier]

Well done to Mayo.

I think the All Ireland is nicely set up for them this year against the best team ever  . I expect this will be hardest All Ireland to get tickets for in years.

Actually enjoyed both semi finals  (to my surprise). After a summer of Euros and Olympics the GAA finally strike back.

[Shamrock Shore]

Well done Mayo but ye almost blew it. Seafoid is correct. A long road has been travelled from Longford and for that, respect!

Many non Dubs shedding tears?
Don't think so.

[laoislad]

Many non Dubs shedding tears?
Don't think so.

[Hardy]

Poor second half-we could've buried them earlier.

It's a real shame that we're meeting the best Gaelic Football team in the world ever in the final.

Brolly confirms that Donegal are the winners from today.

I don't care - this Mayo team have something I've never seen ( I was there in 89, 96, 97, 04)

We'll win the All Ireland.

You're halfway there with your prediction anyway. Quite right too that Mayo do have something that was never there before. I don't agree with others here that we saw a second half collapse from Mayo in the traditional sense of mentally going to pieces. It was just that they were worn out physically. Far from a mental collapse, it was only mental resolve that kept them in it as well as a tremendous defensive performance and Dublin's almost complete absence of scoring potential, apart from their goalkeeper.  Superb contest, though.

I still think the physical difference is a worry for the final, even if Mayo are unrecognisable from the lads who had the life shaken out of them like rag dolls by Cork in the league final.

Betfair odds for the final:
Donegal 1.52
Mayo 2.84

[FL/MAYO]

Dublin came back into the game after Mayo lost their shape due  to all the injuries, McLoughlin, Varley, Keane, Keegan were all injured at some stage in the second half. Glad it was close in the end it will keep their feet on the ground.

[Capt Pat]

Mayo deserved that. They will get some of the players who went off injured back for the final and the O Ses will be playing themselves back into form too.

Donegal should be favourites but if they cough up a couple of goals they mightt not be good enough to win it.

[The Insider]

Announcement from Big Phil Hogan , The Red Cow Roundabout in Longford will be a tolled junction from the 21st to the 24th of September to take advantage of the Mayo and Donegal traffic converging where the N5 meets the N4. Local blue-shirt TD James "Ab Lincoln" Bannon has welcome this announcement

[stew]

Mayo deserved that. They will get some of the players who went off injured back for the final and the O Ses will be playing themselves back into form too.

Donegal should be favourites but if they cough up a couple of goals they mightt not be good enough to win it.

Delighted for Mayo but they shat the bed in the last 25 minutes.................................... in the semi final, they do that for 10-12 minutes against Donegal in the final and they are fcuked.

Donegal are a machine but Mayo will take great heart that they beat the AI champions, despite dunging the togs for a large portion of the second half.