Donegal v Down Ulster Semi June 23

[Jinxy]

Football is gas.
I'd fancy Dublin to beat Donegal or Kerry.
I'd fancy Kerry to beat Cork or Mayo.
I'd fancy Mayo to Beat Tyrone or Donegal.
I'd fancy Donegal to beat Cork or Kerry.
I'd fancy Cork to beat Mayo or Tyrone.
It's all about the match-ups.

[macdanger2]

Good result for Donegal, keeps them out of the spotlight for the next few weeks and gives them plenty to work on.

It just shows how much of a difference a few missing players makes to even the best teams - Dublin, take say MDMA and O'Carroll out of the team and they would be up against it against the other top teams.

[From the Bunker]

Football is gas.
I'd fancy Dublin to beat Donegal or Kerry.
I'd fancy Kerry to beat Cork or Mayo.
I'd fancy Mayo to Beat Tyrone or Donegal.
I'd fancy Donegal to beat Cork or Kerry.
I'd fancy Cork to beat Mayo or Tyrone.
It's all about the match-ups.

That it is Jinxy! That it is. That's why Mayo won't win Sam. They will (probably) have to beat the Top two - Donegal in Semi and Dublin in Final. For once (and probably the only time) the Ulster/Connacht side will be the stronger side of the draw! Not that Connacht and Ulster Football is strong - Just that Mayo and Donegal are strong. Who would have said that 3 years ago? Not I for one.

[rodney trotter]

Football is gas.
I'd fancy Dublin to beat Donegal or Kerry.
I'd fancy Kerry to beat Cork or Mayo.
I'd fancy Mayo to Beat Tyrone or Donegal.
I'd fancy Donegal to beat Cork or Kerry.
I'd fancy Cork to beat Mayo or Tyrone.
It's all about the match-ups.

That it is Jinxy! That it is. That's why Mayo won't win Sam. They will (probably) have to beat the Top two - Donegal in Semi and Dublin in Final. For once (and probably the only time) the Ulster/Connacht side will be the stronger side of the draw! Not that Connacht and Ulster Football is strong - Just that Mayo and Donegal are strong. Who would have said that 3 years ago? Not I for one.

Ulster football would still be a higher then Connacht.

[ardtole]

As a Down man id love to see us meet Donegal later in the championship. I think McCartan will learn a lot from todays game. On a sidenote if that was Benny last ulster championship game surely be must go down as the best player never to win an Usfc medal. Some amazing performances over the years and 100% every time he took the field. I saw him play for the bridge a good few times, but the supporters from his club have been spoilt over the years watching a true legend week in week out.

[Ard-Rí]

I enjoyed today's game, despite the criticism I hear others giving it. Both defences were superb, and Donegal's attack was better than Down's, that's what gave them the win in my opinion. I thought the Donegal myth took a bit of a battering as well.

[Minder]

I enjoyed today's game, despite the criticism I hear others giving it. Both defences were superb, and Donegal's attack was better than Down's, that's what gave them the win in my opinion. I thought the Donegal myth took a bit of a battering as well.

What's the myth?

[thewobbler]

Absolutely delighted with what Down did today. James has threatened to go against the grain since he took the job on, and I always got the feeling that the players either wouldn't or couldn't do spoiling football. Today showed that Down (players and management) are willing to go the extra yard and do things unnatural, in order to win.

This doesn't mean that we have to play like this every week. But it does mean that we can actually approach the qualifiers and want to prolong the summer. Eventually we would have to meet 2 or more of Mayo, Dublin, Donegal or Cork. And now we might potentially give them a game.

The only difference between the teams was not the ability of McFadden or Murphy, as suggested, but simply experience and composure. Donegal's forwards have been fine tuned into performing in these conditions for almost 3 years. Down's forwards are only getting started in this way of thinking. They turn up where Keith Quinn, Mallon and Boyle kept turning up, because they know how it pans out.

One last thing, without sounding like I think 15 man defences are the way forward, I'd point out that today King and Turley looked like superstars. Two men who the average Down fan would normally turn their noses up to. Here's the thing, they'll always get exposed in a team that doesn't defend as a unit - but their power is significant in a team that does. Here's hoping a few more Down fans start understanding this.

McCartan, Rogers, Laverty and Poland were also immense.

[ardtole]

I have to agree with you wobbler. I hate the shite talk about the down way and the aristocrats of ulster football, it was always bullshit to me. Every game is there to be won regardless of what system you use to get desired result. I remember posting at the start of the year that King had been found out and opposing players knew not to take the ball into contact with him, but im delighted to say I was wrong he has been exceptional in the two games this year in the championship. Im looking forward  to the qualifiers Im hoping for an away tie against a div 3 /4 team. A win away from home in the qualifiers can really bring a team on and a good day out. Having said that I wouldnt mind tyrone in newry either.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Football is gas.
I'd fancy Dublin to beat Donegal or Kerry.
I'd fancy Kerry to beat Cork or Mayo.
I'd fancy Mayo to Beat Tyrone or Donegal.
I'd fancy Donegal to beat Cork or Kerry.
I'd fancy Cork to beat Mayo or Tyrone.
It's all about the match-ups.

That it is Jinxy! That it is. That's why Mayo won't win Sam. They will (probably) have to beat the Top two - Donegal in Semi and Dublin in Final. For once (and probably the only time) the Ulster/Connacht side will be the stronger side of the draw! Not that Connacht and Ulster Football is strong - Just that Mayo and Donegal are strong. Who would have said that 3 years ago? Not I for one.

Ulster football would still be a higher then Connacht.

Wouldn't be hard in fairness. London were 1 minute away from the Connacht final today.

[mylestheslasher]

I've long been of the opinion that the only way to beat the blanket defence is to do it better than the other team. That's why more and more teams are changing their tactics like Down today and my own county.  The result is the muck we watched today. If that is the product the GAA want to produce and market well in my opinion they will lose the hearts and minds of the next generation. In my opinion the GAA needs to address this through the rule book. No doubt this won't happen until each and every team in playing this system but I imagine that is at the most 2 years away.

[J70]

I enjoyed today's game, despite the criticism I hear others giving it. Both defences were superb, and Donegal's attack was better than Down's, that's what gave them the win in my opinion. I thought the Donegal myth took a bit of a battering as well.

What's the myth?

I'm wondering that too, especially given that most people had Dublin ahead of them in likely winners this year and their squad depth has been questioned all year.

[whitegoodman]

I would agree with wobbler as well.  I didn't think that this team was capable of playing with that level of intensity.  If we can match that intensity the rest of the year we will beat most teams outside of the top 5.

Was very impressed with Rooney, Turley, King and Ambrose.  Coincidently all big strong men who were able to match Donegals tackling and power.

However let's get it straight, from 5 mins in Down didn't get within a point of Donegal.  They had chances but were not capable of taking these chances.  We never looked like winning this game because of the machine that is Donegal.  Fair play to them, they know how to win ugly, do whatever it takes to get over the line and that's all they care about and rightly so.

[Sheedy]

disappointed but proud after todays performance. none of the experts in the media or on here gave us a chance. if only we had a bit more belief especially in the 1st 15mins the result could have been different. a lot of turn overs and silly mistakes cost us. thought murphy and McFadden were the difference between the teams. we have a lot of positives to take into the qualifiers though. hopefully we can get an easy draw to get a bit of momentum going and get some of our injured players back.
one downside was the performance of the ref, thought he was really poor and clearly gave Donegal a lot of easy frees.

[Wildweasel74]

Well in Downs case they showed they can play football the conventional way and win against Derry, i wait to watch Donegal do that some day and see if they actually have a plan B, still THINK MAN FOR MAN there about 3 teams possible ahead of them in the playing stakes in an open game of football