All Ireland Quarter Final Ard Mhacha v Dún na nGall

[J70]

The key to Armagh winning this game is to have McKeever out. He's a liability.

Don't agree ONeill. McKeever would be a massive addition to Armagh against Donegal.

This will be a lot tighter than the bookies predict. Armagh are improving and Donegal put so much into winning the Ulster final that the focus won't be what's required for this one.

You are basing this on what, exactly?

[J70]

The pressure is on Donegal for this one. If Donegal beat Armagh by 2 or 3 points, most people would say that Armagh had a decent season and onwards from here. If Armagh beat Donegal then there will be talk of McGuinness leaving etc.

Well the agitation for Jim to step down won't come from within the county.

[T Fearon]

Highly pressurised few days for Jim,with Celtic having to turn round a 3 goal deficit in the Champions league on Wednesday as well.

This game on Saturday is reminiscent of the 2004 and 2010 qtr finals in which no one gave the winners ,Fermanagh over Armagh,and Down over Kerry ( reigning All Ireland champions), a chance before the games.

[rrhf]

The key to Armagh winning this game is to have McKeever out. He's a liability.

Interesting point. Jury's out on this one. Certainly a good impact sub.

[anfheardubh]

Donegal by 5 points, Armagh are doing well but nowhere near the class of the early noughties

CLASS will prevail 

[JP]

This could be Armagh's equivalent of Donegal's 2011 summer. A galavanised squad reaching new heights before getting knocked out narrowly by Dublin. Can always hope!!

[yellowcard]

Donegal by 5 points, Armagh are doing well but nowhere near the class of the early noughties

CLASS will prevail 

I don't think anyone could describe Donegal as CLASS. Methodical, organised and military like but it's more about the system than the players. I do agree though that they will probably control this game and win by 4 or 5 points. I just hope that if Armagh do go out that it's out with a bang and not a whimper.

[Zip Code]

Big ask for Armagh, Saturday's display, as good as it was, was magnified by Meath's ineptness.  If Armagh switch off against Donegal like they did in the last 6 minutes of the first half it will be game over.  However if Armagh can keep their intensity going for the 70 minutes they will run Donegal close, unfortunately I think it will be Donegal by 3 or 4 in the end.  Saying that it has been a heck of a run and I have enjoyed being on the road for every game with my son who has been enthralled with the whole experience, there might be a few tears when it all ends - my son might shed a few too!!

[J70]

Donegal by 5 points, Armagh are doing well but nowhere near the class of the early noughties

CLASS will prevail 

I don't think anyone could describe Donegal as CLASS. Methodical, organised and military like but it's more about the system than the players. I do agree though that they will probably control this game and win by 4 or 5 points. I just hope that if Armagh do go out that it's out with a bang and not a whimper.

Right, so the likes of Lacey,  Murphy,  McFadden, McGlynn etc. etc. are irrelevant?

That's great so. ..Ulster titles for years to come!

[naka]

Lacey will probably pick up dyas which could blunt a fair bit of the Armagh attack
Mallon and mc fadden
Armaghs problem will be that Donegal will be wise to their tactics with 3 games on sky etc
Still think though the orchard will give it one hell of a rattle,

[Zip Code]

On a croke park note, are there lifts to the upper tier or can you only access it via stairs?

[J OGorman]

On a croke park note, are there lifts to the upper tier or can you only access it via stairs?

escalators to premium and there are lifts to the top level

[yellowcard]

Donegal by 5 points, Armagh are doing well but nowhere near the class of the early noughties

CLASS will prevail 

I don't think anyone could describe Donegal as CLASS. Methodical, organised and military like but it's more about the system than the players. I do agree though that they will probably control this game and win by 4 or 5 points. I just hope that if Armagh do go out that it's out with a bang and not a whimper.

Right, so the likes of Lacey,  Murphy,  McFadden, McGlynn etc. etc. are irrelevant?

That's great so. ..Ulster titles for years to come!

They are not irrelevant but are all pieces of the jigsaw that forms the all important system. Which is far more important than any individual player. Hence the use of Murphy in the midfield sector for long spells in matches. If McGuinness quit Donegal in the morning they would struggle to remain a top 10 side imo.

[J70]

Donegal by 5 points, Armagh are doing well but nowhere near the class of the early noughties

CLASS will prevail 

I don't think anyone could describe Donegal as CLASS. Methodical, organised and military like but it's more about the system than the players. I do agree though that they will probably control this game and win by 4 or 5 points. I just hope that if Armagh do go out that it's out with a bang and not a whimper.

Right, so the likes of Lacey,  Murphy,  McFadden, McGlynn etc. etc. are irrelevant?

That's great so. ..Ulster titles for years to come!

They are not irrelevant but are all pieces of the jigsaw that forms the all important system. Which is far more important than any individual player. Hence the use of Murphy in the midfield sector for long spells in matches. If McGuinness quit Donegal in the morning they would struggle to remain a top 10 side imo.

Yeah, everyone points to Murphy,  but never to Lacey,  who was switched from a man-marker par excellence to the fulcrum and playmaker of the team, or McGlynn from solid corner back to superb attacking halfback, to name but two. Indeed, the injury problems of those two were very significant factors in last year's failures. As for us reverting to non top ten status,  well that assumes that everything that McGuinness brought in terms of dedication, commitment and coaching would be instantly lost, whatever about his tactical abilities. It also presumes there are ten other teams who are better than us.

[yellowcard]

Donegal by 5 points, Armagh are doing well but nowhere near the class of the early noughties

CLASS will prevail 

I don't think anyone could describe Donegal as CLASS. Methodical, organised and military like but it's more about the system than the players. I do agree though that they will probably control this game and win by 4 or 5 points. I just hope that if Armagh do go out that it's out with a bang and not a whimper.

Right, so the likes of Lacey,  Murphy,  McFadden, McGlynn etc. etc. are irrelevant?

That's great so. ..Ulster titles for years to come!

They are not irrelevant but are all pieces of the jigsaw that forms the all important system. Which is far more important than any individual player. Hence the use of Murphy in the midfield sector for long spells in matches. If McGuinness quit Donegal in the morning they would struggle to remain a top 10 side imo.

Yeah, everyone points to Murphy,  but never to Lacey,  who was switched from a man-marker par excellence to the fulcrum and playmaker of the team, or McGlynn from solid corner back to superb attacking halfback, to name but two. Indeed, the injury problems of those two were very significant factors in last year's failures. As for us reverting to non top ten status,  well that assumes that everything that McGuinness brought in terms of dedication, commitment and coaching would be instantly lost, whatever about his tactical abilities. It also presumes there are ten other teams who are better than us.

I'm not saying they don't have some top quality players cos they do, Lacey and Murphy to name but two would get on any side in the country. All I'm saying is that the system is the most important factor in their success. McGuinness does what he can to give Donegal the best possible chance of success as possible and there is nothing wrong with that. For me it would be fascinating to watch a Dublin v Donegal semi final purely from a tactical perspective and I really feel that Donegal are the only side capable of beating Dublin this year.