Cork v Donegal Semi Final

[squire_in_navy_slacks]

Mark McHugh must be the fittest footballer in the country.
Some engine.

McCauley would give him a run

[SBH1983]

Congrats Donegal

By the way, if anyone is coming this way (Yorkshire - Leeds, Sheffield, Hull, Bradford, etc) for work or studies in the coming months and are interested to get involved with a competitive and friendly football club with close ties also to other local Hurling and Ladies Football teams then please get in touch.

Gaelic Life article - http://freepdfhosting.com/d48e49e299.pdf

St Benedict's Harps website - http://stbenedictsharps.intheteam.com

[seanog]

How does drug testing work for county players, are they all tested for enhancers after the game?

[cadence]

Absolutely delighted for Donegal. Great county and great people. I'll be rooting for them in the final regardless of who they play.

the borderfox has been sniping away for donegal here for a while! fair play to you!

hilarious to hear that spillane has been complimentary. don't know what he's said, and could care less either.

make your transition!!!!!

who won motm?

[Jinxy]

How does drug testing work for county players, are they all tested for enhancers after the game?

Players from each side are randomly selected for testing after the game.

[Wildweasel74]

1 thing i never understood, why is there drug testing in Gaelic football anyway? its an amateur sport, any recreational drug would show up, inhalers too apparently wouldn't pass, take the wrong cough medicine etc too would lead to a positive test. i understand it in the world of professional sports but the GAA has always stated we are the premier amateur sports organisation. If a player ever did test positive for some substance, does he get outed, is he banned? i remember the episode with Frankie Sheenan getting banned for taking an inhaler.He had asthma all his life, was he gaining an unfair advantage or just trying to play the sport he loved! Hell i played Gaelic football 20yrs puffing on inhalers just to give me breathe. I been on inhalers since i was 4, would i have to stop using them to play intercounty football. I still believe unlike most sports that there still is a high degree of honesty in Gaelic sports unlike the plague in track and field and cycling!

[emmetryan]

I've put together a tactical take on today's game for anyone interested http://action81.com/blog/?p=6154

[cadence]

I've put together a tactical take on today's game for anyone interested http://action81.com/blog/?p=6154

always look forward to your stuff emmet and it's a great read yet again. thanks.

your blog is becoming a ritual btw. 

[ONeill]

There was a point in the first half - I think it was on 30 minutes - when you knew Cork's goose was cooked. Up until then I thought they'd met the Donegal blanket head on and were making gains with every other attack to keep the scoreboard ticking over. Like rugby league, they'd have a runner who'd break the outer rainbow and gain enough ground to generate a scoring opportunity. It was impressive strength and fitness on both sides and Cork showed no signs of early wilting.

Then, at that time around the 30, for the first time they simply hadn't the energy to sustain that effort and started to fanny about passing backwards hoping someone would put together some manner of lung-bursting run, but it wasn't there. The ball was turned over and that was that. You could almost see the collective nod/smirk from the O'Donnell men as if to say that's them broken. At half time Cork knew it was over. Well, I did.

After that Cork simply ran into trouble or just hit the ball straight up into the Dublin sky. We've seen that exasperation so many times now. Against Tyrone and Kerry it occurred around the 40-45 min mark. I was surprised how quickly Cork gave up the ghost but I suppose Donegal are primed to further improve on their system at this time of the year. Cork were shell-shocked - it was liked getting a slap across the lug every five seconds. Donegal never lulled at all. The more Cork tired, the harder Donegal hit and tackled to the point that Cork actually looked a smaller, weaker side.

It was magnificent to watch and quite frightening in terms of what a team will have to do to match that. Donegal has raised the physical bar to breaking point surely.

[Syferus]

Mayo play a running game not unlike the one that troubled Donegal in the first half today and probably have the second tightest defence in the country right now. Those two teams are very well suited for a serious war of attrition in a final.

Likewise it'd be interesting to see how Dublin would respond to the new revision of Donegal football after last year's war games.

Donegal are favourites but I'm not willing to write anyone off, especially before next Sunday.

[BennyCake]

Great day in Croker today. Great win and performance by Donegal. Bring Sam back to the hills. Best of luck in the final.

Now, everybody... Jimmy's winning matches...

[ONeill]

I think the difference between the 'pack of ravenous hounds' of Tyrone 03 v Kerry and this was that Donegal had 13 Doohers today. Then add on the physicality. Dara O'Se managed to relatively stay on his feet having been shoulder by 7 Tyrone players collectively. Gallagher would've sent him into the stands if he'd wanted to. Also, in the tackle they're all individually adept.

Phillip Jordan said today they're the fittest side he's ever seen on a field.

[Gold]

Some game and some team. Brick Molloy, Christy toye and Kevin Rafferty not even used.

[yellowcard]

Delighted for Donegal and Jim McGuinness, hope they take Sam now. On the other hand seriously worried about the way Gaelic football is headed if preparation and systems become more important than individual flair.

[emmetryan]

Ah Donegal don't lack flair, sure just look at Frank McGlynn's season