Derry vs Donegal USFC Final

Argrgh no Armagh or Tyrone.

Well its going to be a tough one to call!

17th July is the final.

Congratulations to both teams.

Derry Derry Derry.

Derry should win this. All you need to do is practice taking points unchallenged from 40 yards for the next few weeks.

Derry will win this.

Don't want to lose this game.

Six day turn around until next game - which will be against a team who've won their last two matches.

This final will be intersting both on and off the pitch.
What we have is Jim McGuinness the new softly spoken modern era guru who has copied and pasted the Tyrone/Armagh blueprint from the previous decade and implemeted it in his own county with players who are willing to listen and learn from past mistakes and gung-ho tactics in order to achieve success. The Donegal changing room prior to the match would have a mellow ambiance and possibly soft pan pipe music playing in the background as McGuinness issues his carefully thought out instructions.

Contrast this to the Derry changing room that has a team mostly made up of 6+ footers and an old hardened general belting out blood and thunder superaltives such as "Fill him in", "Dig a hole for him" etc... Brennan imbues his team with toughness, loyalty and an unflagging sense of adventure - Like him Derry will become self confident bullies.

The game will take its own course and in a strange way it is good to see a new Ulster final pairing for one year anyway but what will be facinating is the opposite characters that are guiding both teams. Both gaining respect of their charges from entirely different methods and certainly one to look forward to. Having now seen Donegal close up I now wouldn't back against Brennan and the Dark side to win through on this occasion. Hate to say it but its probably Derry for me.

ps Hate Derry....

Muldoon, Bradley, Gilligan, kielt, Lynch can all score from distance on a good day.

Donegal do not challenge people until they are about 30 yards out and heading toward goal.

antrim had no one who could score from distance, and despite a promising start, neither did Tyrone. Look at the acres of space afforded to Davy Harte, Jordan, Dooher and McGuigan some 40 yards out, but they couldn't score.

I think Derry will.

Derry for me too. Don't really rate Donegal at all.

They're a very good side Jayo.

I detect some envy on behalf of Thomas Clarke, Mugsys Barber, Redhandman and Bocerty.

They will get some shock when Derry win the All-Ireland.

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:They're a very good side Jayo.

I detect some envy on behalf of Thomas Clarke, Mugsys Barber, Redhandman and Bocerty.

They will get some shock when Derry win the All-Ireland.

So will I......

[quote="Loyal2TheRoyal"]They're a very good side Jayo.

I detect some envy on behalf of Thomas Clarke, Mugsys Barber, Redhandman and Bocerty.

They will get some shock when Derry win the All-Ireland.[/quote

if they continue to play like they did against Armagh and went onto win an All Ireland i would be the first to congratulate them Loyal even though some of their supporters are the biggest cnuts you could meet (i suppose Tyrone has their fair share of the same).

Londonderry Abu

i see a row is brewing in Donegal after the county board decided to go ahead with a round of championship fixtures this weekend. Jim McGuinness is not a happy man at all but it seems his call to have the games postponed has fallen on deaf ears.

I know the club scene should not be neglected at the expense of the county but it seems a strange decision to make, but it then it seems many GAA adminstrators are bereft of common sense............

Not convinced on either of these teams yet....although beating Tyrone was a fantastic result for Donegal! New managers, in Ulster at least, appear to bring a spike in performance and it remains to be seen if the definite improvement in Derry and Donegal can be maintained and built on. In Eoin Bradley Derry possess probably Ulster's most lethal forward but despite the fact they are less reliant on him than in the past I expect that Donegal will adopt the game plan that Armagh should have adopted: defence. Derry have been quite similar to us over the years in that they are wonderful to watch when everything goes their way but in the face of real adversity tend to crumble. The real measure of this 'reborn' Derry team will be their ability to weather the frustration that comes with trying to get round an organised and entrenched defence. This is not to say that Donegal will not attack, they surely will. But, far be it from me to say of course, if I was Jim McGuinness I would stay defensive, frustrate Derry, get in their faces, and don't let them run through, let them pass about on the fringes. I would expect Donegal to operate largely on the counter, and they have 3 quality strong forwards in McBrearty, Murphy, and McFadden to do this effectively provided they are given early and direct ball.

Although I actually think Donegal have more of a chance than most here seem to think (I would consider the Tyrone game a decent test of their ability while Derry are yet to face quality opposition), it is very hard to call because this is a novel final in terms of the past decade and it's hard to know how either team will react to this opportunity.

Whoever wins though might just get that boost of confidence that could bring them into the top levels.

Boxtyeater wrote:

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:They're a very good side Jayo.

I detect some envy on behalf of Thomas Clarke, Mugsys Barber, Redhandman and Bocerty.

They will get some shock when Derry win the All-Ireland.

So will I......

I have spoken Boxty. Derry for Sam.

bluearmy1 wrote:Not convinced on either of these teams yet....although beating Tyrone was a fantastic result for Donegal! New managers, in Ulster at least, appear to bring a spike in performance and it remains to be seen if the definite improvement in Derry and Donegal can be maintained and built on. In Eoin Bradley Derry possess probably Ulster's most lethal forward but despite the fact they are less reliant on him than in the past I expect that Donegal will adopt the game plan that Armagh should have adopted: defence. Derry have been quite similar to us over the years in that they are wonderful to watch when everything goes their way but in the face of real adversity tend to crumble. The real measure of this 'reborn' Derry team will be their ability to weather the frustration that comes with trying to get round an organised and entrenched defence. This is not to say that Donegal will not attack, they surely will. But, far be it from me to say of course, if I was Jim McGuinness I would stay defensive, frustrate Derry, get in their faces, and don't let them run through, let them pass about on the fringes. I would expect Donegal to operate largely on the counter, and they have 3 quality strong forwards in McBrearty, Murphy, and McFadden to do this effectively provided they are given early and direct ball.

Although I actually think Donegal have more of a chance than most here seem to think (I would consider the Tyrone game a decent test of their ability while Derry are yet to face quality opposition), it is very hard to call because this is a novel final in terms of the past decade and it's hard to know how either team will react to this opportunity.

Whoever wins though might just get that boost of confidence that could bring them into the top levels.

i'd agree with a lot of what you say here bluearmy and definitely the biggest factor is that Derry have a lot to prove in terms of putting two good performances back to back. Many of us thought Armagh had turned the corner after the performance against Down and yet against Derry they were awful, and one has to think that O' Rourke is pretty limited as an inter county manager. Which brings me to the point i was going to make, the one thing that separates this Derry team from previous teams which were hailed as the next big thing is their manager. Brennan is a wily cute man when it comes to football and despite his years can be quite innovative when it comes to tactics.

people talk about McGuinness getting Donegal ready for Derry but Brennan will have a surprise or two up his sleeve for them,he pulled a great stunt against Tyrone earlier in the year were we dropped Gormley back as an extra defender to double mark Paddy Bradley, so Brennan decided the best way to negate this was to deploy a 7th forward who would occupy Gormley and it worked a treat. I fancy Derry for this one,

This Brennan chap seems to have an excellent reputation, after only six months in the Derry job.

Sounds as if he's a some kind of expert in preparation, organisation and motivation, with a daring disregard for modern tactics.

But this is a talented bunch of players he has at his disposal too. Back in 2002, Mark Lynch, Barry McGoldrick, Gerard O'Kane and Ruairi Convery destroyed a Meath minor team containing amongst others, Joe Sheridan, Brian Farrell, Caoimhin King and Barry Regan. It's hard to believe that Lynch and McGoldrick will only play in their first senior Ulster final nine years later. Their Meath counterparts have done an awful lot more since.

bluearmy1 wrote:although beating Tyrone was a fantastic result for Donegal!

On what basis BA? I think even the ardent Tyrone lads here recognise that this Tyrone team is 'functioning' way below previous levels. Would have been a fantastic result 3/4 years ago - not now though. Good - not fantastic.

In three championship games, Michael Murphy has scored 0-1 from play, Colm McFadden has scored 1-4 from play and Paddy McBrearty has scored 1-3 from play. These are Donegal's three marque forwards so if the averages are to be trusted we can expect the three of them to get 0.66-2.666 between them which is just over four points. It's simple for Derry - don't foul. What do Omar and RMDrive make of that?

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:In three championship games, Michael Murphy has scored 0-1 from play, Colm McFadden has scored 1-4 from play and Paddy McBrearty has scored 1-3 from play. These are Donegal's three marque forwards so if the averages are to be trusted we can expect the three of them to get 0.66-2.666 between them which is just over four points. It's simple for Derry - don't foul. What do Omar and RMDrive make of that?

It's fair Loyal. But remember that fouling is often a choise between giving away a scoreable free and giving away a certain point. So, limit the fouls may be the real advice to Derry.

I can see a very very physical game, Ugly blanket defence by donegal which will ruin the oak leaves attacking play, I can see donegal running away with it But It wont be easy, I'd say their roughness and physicality will do it for them.. Hope Derry wins thats all I can say! No chance am I listening to the blabbers in Downings slag my native Derry! doire abu

Jayo Cluxton wrote:

bluearmy1 wrote:although beating Tyrone was a fantastic result for Donegal!

On what basis BA? I think even the ardent Tyrone lads here recognise that this Tyrone team is 'functioning' way below previous levels. Would have been a fantastic result 3/4 years ago - not now though. Good - not fantastic.

totally agree Jayo beating Tyrone is not the achievement it was over the last 7-8 years, we are very much back in amongst the chasing pack. We are probabaly still capable to taking a big scalp or two on our day but in the main we are mediocre. The starting 15 against Longford may tell us something about Mickets mindeset at the minute in terms of how he is going to progress things but something tells me he is going to dig the heel sin even further and stick to his guns, an admirable quality and shows a lot of respect for the senior members of the squad but could also be accused of showing a lack of respect to the young guns coming through the ranks.

So Ulster Final week begins with the news that Eoin Bradley is out. Bad news for Derry.

Gutted for Bradley horrible to hear...

Would really have preferred to have met Derry with Bradley as they were more of a known quantity with him in the team. I believe the intensity of the Tyrone game will stand to Donegal and Derry will find it very difficult to break down what is in my opinion the best defence in the country at present. Donegal have been much maligned for their negative tactics and lack of ambition going forward etc but the media and analysts have failed to provide comment on Karl Lacey and Neil McGees flawless championships to date. It's been incredibly easy and lazy to focus on Tyrones decline and use this as a means of downgrading our semi final success however I do believe that most teams in the country would have wilted under the pressure which Tyrone exerted in all areas of the park in the semi final. If Donegal can come near to matching that intensity level which was the norm on their last visit to clones I don't believe Derry will have the answers. Bradley or not, I'd punt for Donegal by around a 3 point margin on Sunday. Really hoping for a first Ulster title in almost 20 years.

Yeah I'd find the Bradley injury would swing me towards Donegal too. Though Derry have a few other good ones.

Hills - media never focus on defenders. But Lacey has been rightly lauded for years now for his performances. As an obviously loyal supporter what do you think of the 'style' Boots has brought this year? Would you be willing to accept success regardless of style. Just asking cos similar suggestions have been made re the Dubs style and whether it washes with the fans.