Dún na Gaill V Maigh Eó..All-Ireland Final..23/09/2012. Official Thread...

[Boxtyeater]

60 odd years on from the last Connacht/Ulster confrontation on football final day, 2012 throws up Donegal V Mayo fiinale...

The last Head to Head was in 1948....Next...

[OMAR]

Copper face Jacks will be busy regardless of result

Donegal team will be drowning sorrows in the Burlington. - Omars speculative reservation in the Mespil last Sunday (at €300 less than current Burlo rates) now looking a good call
Omar+14 have fond recollections of entering the Grand Hotel in Malahide in 1992 courtesy of one ticket and a fire escape.

Next challenge is tickets.
Last week all requests were greeted with - "it will be tough if Dublin win"
Same spoofers ducking for cover this morning

[OMAR]

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[Boxtyeater]

Donegal @ 1/2 aren't as hot as the Cats @ 4/11

The double is as near to 11/10 as possible....

[Boxtyeater]

FAO OMAR or mayo mick.........Is there a website for either county that I could irritate folk on apart from here?

[OMAR]

FAO OMAR or mayo mick.........Is there a website for either county that I could irritate folk on apart from here?

Website

There isn't a mobile phone signal once you North of the Iron bridge on Rosguill

[mayo.mick]

FAO OMAR or mayo mick.........Is there a website for either county that I could irritate folk on apart from here?

You can join Brolly over at the sunday game

[Boxtyeater]

You can join Brolly over at the sunday game

You might be better off inventing excuses....

[bocerty]

its going to be a tough one to call but having said that i jsut cant see what sort of system Mayo are going to put in place to overcome the Donegal system of play.

I dont envy James Horan one little bit, there will be plenty of sleepless nights over the next few weeks. Plenty of watching dvds of Donegal and looking for weaknesses if there are any.

If i was to offer him any advice i would tell him to take McHugh out of the game somehow and Mayo might have a chance.

Its Donegal for me barring any major injuries or mishaps!!!!

[bocerty]

some daft goings on in Donegal were a row has broke out regarding the homecoming of the team and which town will host it. Best to win the feckign thing first and then visit every town in the county several times over if need be. Never ceases to amaze me some of the ar5eholes out there who have their own separate agenda and dont realise the possible impact on the team and their preparations.

Will this act as a distraction to the players? I very mcuh doubt that Jim will let this happen but it serves nobody any good indulging in this point scoring exercise in the lead up to the biggest game in the countys history for 200 years

[OMAR]

Since The 1812 Mckenna Cup triumph over Tyrone

[OMAR]

some daft goings on in Donegal were a row has broke out regarding the homecoming of the team and which town will host it. Best to win the feckign thing first and then visit every town in the county several times over if need be. Never ceases to amaze me some of the ar5eholes out there who have their own separate agenda and dont realise the possible impact on the team and their preparations.

Will this act as a distraction to the players? I very mcuh doubt that Jim will let this happen but it serves nobody any good indulging in this point scoring exercise in the lead up to the biggest game in the countys history for 200 years

I remember when they brought Sam to our club in 1992 - It was mid November (based on current ticket allocations we are about 28th in order of priority) - The four pubs in the town were packed with music blaring till about 7.00 am with most of the players still going till that time to !
When you think back it was no wonder that non of the Ulster teams retained their title !!

[Boxtyeater]

[I remember when they brought Sam to our club in 1992 -The four pubs in the town were packed with music blaring till about 7.00 am with most of the players still going till that time to !

Thinly veiled "I'm considering an option on a 6 month lease on a boozer in XXXXXXX. What should I do?" from OMAR here.

Go for it OMAR, we can hold the forum AGM there before the Christmas to keep her lit.....

[OMAR]

Forum AGM
I'll provide the sandwich

[Parouisa]

It is a novel final indeed and credit to both counties for getting there. Both have quite similar stories. Mayo with a miserable 2010 – out to Sligo in first Connaught game and then out to Longford in first qualifier. Donegal fared no better with a first round exit to Down and a heavy first round qualifier defeat to Armagh.

The change of management in both counties for 2011 brought about seismic change. Both won their provinces and their quarter finals but came up short in the semis. Mayo beat the All Ireland champions en route while Donegal won no friends with a shockingly defensive ‘style’. But there was progress.

The progress has continued apace and both retained their provincial titles this year and after impressive wins in the knockout stages find themselves in the final!

Donegal have impressed me hugely this year. They remind me of Tyrone in 2008 and though they may have less class in the forwards they have a better midfield presence. The interchangeability of the XV has been very impressive. Anyone can pop up anywhere and at any time. Neill McGee appeared in the final third twice in the last 10 minutes of the semi. But it is intelligent and measured too. Nobody bombs up and down all day. It might be McGlynn, McHugh, Lacey or Thompson – but they will always be covered. It is hard to mark. They have two powerful midfielders and in Murphy and McFadden have real class up front. But the scores can come from all over the pitch (a la Tyrone). McGuinness has meticulously planned for every scenario and their application and buy-in to the system and style has been massive. They literally squeeze the life out of teams and hit them on the counter or simply over-run them when they have exhausted and frustrated them. It is impressive and powerful and interesting to watch. I was a fierce critic of Donegal last year but have enjoyed watching them this year.

Mayo have been impressive in their own right though maybe less so. Horan has instilled a steeliness and belief (and a cynicism) that was not always present in Mayo teams. Make no mistake they will believe they have every chance and rightly so. They demolished Down in the quarters and then took care of Dublin in the semis. Their taking of scores highly impressive in both games. They have coped brilliantly with the massive loss of captain Andy Moran – an achievement in itself. However I would worry that when Dublin finally cut loose at 10 points down they swathed through Mayo. If the Westerners had lost that one it would have been a massive blow but to their credit they held out. When the hard questions have been asked they have had the answers. They have some very good players in Clarke and Higgins; Moran and O’Shea are very capable in midfield and up front Dillon, O’Connor, McLoughlin and Conroy all know where the posts are.

Hopefully it will be an entertaining final. My fear for Mayo is that Donegal will run at them from minute one – unlike Dublin – and will not stop. My gut feeling is a 6 point or so win for the North Westerners. But anything is possible.

[OMAR]

Good analysis P the outcome being similar to my hope rather than expectation.
The hope is that the game plays out like cork game but without the three bad misses and without the soft goal - mayo stand toe to toe for 40 mins but donegal push on in the third quarter. But donegals last four games have run to that script so surely an unknown is in the wind. whilst you say Jim has every scenario covered - the permutations have not been tested.

1. Tyrone or Down could have been six points up if they took two first half goal chances
2. Cork could have been 4/5 points up if their long range shooting matched mayos against dublin
3. Kerry would have led at half time by 2 if Gooch had gone for goal
4. Donegals purple patch against Cork was nullified if the ball was 6 inches lower.

The concern is that donegal have never had more than 1/2 point arrears to overcome and have never trailed after the 40th minute. If mayo can keep 2 points ahead in first half and hold their own for first ten minutes of second half donegal are out of their comfort zone and then need to attack rather counter attack. The other game changer is of course early mayo goals.

Though being frankly honest i would be much more concerned at the thought of facing Dublin with a narrow defecit with 20 mins to go rather than Mayo.
Mayo will have to keep coming and playing orthodox. If that works for seventy minutes they will deserve it.

[Parouisa]

I would accept that Omar but it should be pointed out that Donegal's very style does not lend to opponents getting easy scores. Cork missed scores because they weren't easy. Donegal will not cough up 19 points like the Dubs did nor will Mayo's forwards get the time and space Dublin gave them.

In those matches Donegal also missed goal chances or went for points when a goal may have been on. I don't see them panicking too readily (especially v Mayo and that's not disrespectful to Mayo - just pointing out that they do not have the pedigree of Cork/Kerry). They also have an infinitely greater spread of scorers this year and their style is creating far more chances. They got 1-12 against Kerry - the same score that won Dublin Sam against the same opposition - and 16 points v Cork - good scoring by any standards and even more so at this juncture in the Championship.

[Boxtyeater]

they do not have the pedigree of Cork/Kerry)

Cork have never, in the history of football, ever had pedigree...A lock of fine players through the generations, YES, but pedigree NO.

Tis' close to 40 years ago since the last great Cork footballer, a really great Cork footballer, even tho' he was an hurler, JBM, in a quick duck, feint and swerve move left Robbie Kelleher on the flat of his arxe....S/F day somewhere in the mid/70's.....

Kerry, on the other hand, have what you term pedigree.....Get a grip man, you're imagination is playing tricks on you...You OK

[OMAR]

they do not have the pedigree of Cork/Kerry)

It would be novel to see Colin corkereys languid kicking of points from range once again as he did on manys a paddys day club encounter, though it is hard to gauge how much of this would be nullified by a rabid half back line of half a dozen.

Cork have never, in the history of football, ever had pedigree...A lock of fine players through the generations, YES, but pedigree NO.

Tis' close to 40 years ago since the last great Cork footballer, a really great Cork footballer, even tho' he was an hurler, JBM, in a quick duck, feint and swerve move left Robbie Kelleher on the flat of his arxe....S/F day somewhere in the mid/70's.....

Kerry, on the other hand, have what you term pedigree.....Get a grip man, you're imagination is playing tricks on you...You OK

[emmetryan]

I've put together a tactical profile of Donegal for anyone interested [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Mayo one on the way tomorrow.

[OMAR]

I've put together a tactical profile of Donegal for anyone interested [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Mayo one on the way tomorrow.

Good stuff as alway Emmet.
You have made the point about long ball to Murphy and resultant frees
Ive also read comment (not sure if it was you) that the long ball tactic against Cork may have been used To spare legs for the deeper runners until later in the game.
Frees,s aside in my view the long ball has not been fruitfull as unless mcfadden feeds off murphy the attack is too isolated.
However the Mayo tactic against dublin of prevent goals at all cost meant they gave away almost half a dozen frees from positions where there was no major threat.

In my view playing a few hail marys to Murphy and Mcfadden may well be worth a go in the first half hour - just to see can Donegal draw easy fouls.

[emmetryan]

I think part of the reason Kerry stopped it was because of their lack of size. Much harder for a bigger back to avoid fouling.

[emmetryan]

Hi lads, as promised here's my tactical profile of Mayo [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

[bocerty]

I've put together a tactical profile of Donegal for anyone interested [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Mayo one on the way tomorrow.

great analysis there Emmet, the funny thing is we all know what needs to be done to beat Donegal, but actually executing that plan is nigh on impossible the way they organise themselves.


I see they were away for a 4 day training camp at a cost of €20K, would have been great to have been a fly on the wall.

[Real Kerry Fan]

[I see they were away for a 4 day training camp at a cost of €20K, would have been great to have been a fly on the wall.
[/quote]

Was it the same place as the Labour Party had their holidays, sorry think tank.? I suppose Donegal and Labour party have alot in common. Defensive.

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