AI Champions GG News

Some worrying rumblings thst lacey's recovery may not be as expediant as planned.

OMAR wrote:Some worrying rumblings thst lacey's recovery may not be as expediant as planned.

Hmphh!! Where'd you get that as in it's context.....

OMAR wrote:Some worrying rumblings thst lacey's recovery may not be as expediant as planned.

Still not back in training yet? A naturally fit boy, but I'd be getting a bit worried at this stage.

Calm down.

"Indeed, the Donegal manager believes that he will see a return to full training this week by Karl Lacey, Neil Gallagher, Neil McGee, Paddy McGrath and David Walsh.

“I would hope that all five would be back in the group, hopefully on Tuesday night,” McGuinness told the Donegal News."

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I heard he lined out at wing forward for Four Master in a challenge game at the weekend scored 1-6 from play

OMAR wrote:
I heard he lined out at wing forward for Four Master in a challenge game at the weekend scored 1-6 from play

I don't imagine that would fit with Jim's idea of an ideal wing forward.

Thomas Clarke wrote:

OMAR wrote:
I heard he lined out at wing forward for Four Master in a challenge game at the weekend scored 1-6 from play

I don't imagine that would fit with Jim's idea of an ideal wing forward.

All from ball he turned over inside his own 21
I

RMDrive wrote:Calm down.

"Indeed, the Donegal manager believes that he will see a return to full training this week by Karl Lacey...

Lacey back in full training from tonight. Rory Gallagher calls him the best footballer in Ireland - hard to disagree.

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Reports this morning that Mark McHugh is a doubt for the Tyrone game with a hamstring injury.

This looks and reads to be rather "unsavoury". WTF is going on in the game that it's come to this....

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Boxtyeater wrote:This looks and reads to be rather "unsavoury". WTF is going on in the game that it's come to this....

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It is a consequence of a culture of unaccountability. From players to managers to committees to rulemakers to supporters - 'What happens on the field, stays on the field.' We saw it last week when Paddy McBrearty opted not to give evidence in the bite-gate scandal, resulting in a outcome that neither cleared nor convicted the accused, and certainly won't act as a deterrent to any other potential biters.

Acts of verbal or physical violence have no place on a football field, yet the man who points an accusatory finger is often more maligned than the thug. That culture has to change. A GAA field is not some sort of Thunderdome, and all players should be aware that that they are governed by the morals and laws of the society in which they live. As I've said countless times on here, introducing a mark or giving a black card is, when it comes to addressing problems in our games, equivalent to putting lipstick on a pig. It is time for the GAA and all associated with it to deal with the real problems in the sports.

So all but one of the team that started the AI final last year will start agin Monaghan. Neil Gallagher is not back to full fitness and David Walsh comes into the half-forward line to allow Bradley to move to midfield. Gallagher is expected to play 20-30 minutes though and we could need him against Monaghan's midfield.

Jim reckons that the lads are as sharp as they have been since the AI final last year - I'd say there has been some savage work done over the last 3 weeks.

It's a clash of Division 2 teams teams in Clones. To get to the final Monaghan had a forgettable 0-11 0-06 win over Antrim and then struggled past Cavan 1-10 to 0-12. Donegal are the only team so far to play 2 teams that contested division 1 in 2013 - Tyrone and Down.

At the press night, MOR asked “Could you get Jim to pick the same team for Sunday next as he had for the Dr. McKenna Cup fixture in Ballybofey in January?” In the McKenna cup fixture it finished Donegal 1-5 Monaghan 3-16  . I'd be happy enough if we could keep Monaghan to the Donegal scoreline from that night. Indeed, Monaghan may struggle for scores. They have 11 in each of their 2 games so far and I don't think that will be enough to beat us.

The lads have a brilliant chance to make history by winning 3 Ulster titles in a row. Before Armagh's feat in 2006, you have to go back to the early 1960's to when Down did it. And of course Cavan did it so many times it's hard to count. To win on Sunday would certainly make this team the finest ever produced by Donegal and one of the best in Ulster in a long time.

Monaghan have had the upper hand over us recently though. They were the downfall of Brian McIvor and it's the early 80's since we beat them in Championship. I expect that to change this Sunday. Jim will have the lads ready to go and I don't think the Monaghan backs can contain the 3 M's sufficiently. Donegal in a hard-fought contest by 2-10 to 0-11.

Donegal v Monaghan in the championship:
2008 qualifer- Donegal 0-15 Monaghan 0-16 - Ballybofey
2007 qualifier - Monaghan 2-12 Donegal 1-7 - Omagh
1995 Ulster quarter-final - Monaghan 1-14 Donegal 0-8 - Ballybofey
1983 Ulster semi-final - Donegal 1-14 Monaghan 1-9 - Irvinestown
1979 Ulster final - Monaghan 1-15 Donegal 0-11 - Clones
1956 Ulster quarter-final - Monaghan 0-14 Donegal 1-5 - Carrickmacross
1955 Ulster quarter-final - Donegal 3-8 Monaghan 208 Bundoran
1946 Ulster quarter-final - Donegal 4-5 Monaghan 1-9 - Clones
1938 - Ulster quarter-final - Donegal 0-6 Monaghan 0-7 - Carndonagh
1936 - Ulster quarter-final - Monaghan 2-8 Donegal 0-11 - Carrickmacross
1929 - Ulster quarter-final - Monaghan 2-8 Donegal 0-1 - Bundoran

Excellent preview, RMD, and I agree that Monaghan are not going to score a lot. Having seen what has happened to Tyrone and Down (last year) when they go on the attack, and contrasting that with the improved results when opting for a packed defence (e.g. Kildare/Dublin in 2011, and Down this year), Malachy O'Rourke will almost certainly try and make this a tight, defensive battle.

As you say, doing this will really hurt their own scoring potential, so it is hard to see an upset here whichever way you look at it. O'Rourke has had a very good year so far, and perhaps a lesser prepared team than Donegal could be vulnerable to a surprise, but the only smart money here is on a comfortable (albeit unspectacular) Donegal win.

Such a lengthy, erudite and informative post from RMD is indicative of a man suffering some mild form of stress, despite the bullish nature of the post.
The research has been exhaustive and smacks of someone who has spent hours of research, attempting to find a banana-skin that has previously tripped up such warm favourites.

Throwing in stats of c/ship matches played in Bundoran, Irvinestown, Carndonagh and Carrickmacross only serve to muddy the waters although the outing to Bundoran was probably welcomed by all sides...

Only leg-pulling RMD, best of luck Sunday. You're travelling I take it...

Boxtyeater wrote:Such a lengthy, erudite and informative post from RMD is indicative of a man suffering some mild form of stress, despite the bullish nature of the post.
The research has been exhaustive and smacks of someone who has spent hours of research, attempting to find a banana-skin that has previously tripped up such warm favourites.

Throwing in stats of c/ship matches played in Bundoran, Irvinestown, Carndonagh and Carrickmacross only serve to muddy the waters although the outing to Bundoran was probably welcomed by all sides...

Only leg-pulling RMD, best of luck Sunday. You're travelling I take it...

So this what I get for doing something other than my normal 1 liner. Sure why would a man bother  

Omar back on terra firma after working in much warmer lands for the week (narrows it down at present)
Mrs. Omar says hallo and absconds on some some pre arranged something or other to west coast. Omar with houseful of rug rats and instructions to take all to Ulster Finals on Sunday.

Not ideal but workable once a budget for crisps/ red lemonade etc is allowed for until horror of horrors Omar reads small print.
Ulster Finals in Dromore Co Tyrone - shoes in bag dresses in spare room  

RMDrive wrote:
So this what I get for doing something other than my normal 1 liner. Sure why would a man bother  

I appreciated it, particularly the stat about the 1929 result, when Jimmy McGuinness' grandfather was obviously in charge of the Monaghan defence.

I'll travel surely Boxty. It's a few years since I missed a championship game and I'm blessed with a wife that understands the give and take nature of such things (obstacle courses are the pass-time of choice for the Drive caddies early on a Saturday morning).

Had a mighty chat with a few Mayo lads this evening (including a lad who experienced 4 years of Maughan's "training"), and they spread seems to be between 5 and 10 (minutes until the game is over). But the general consensus is that Monaghan will hang tough for 60 minutes but the DL fitness will tell in the heat over the last 10 mins.

RMDrive wrote:I'll travel surely Boxty. It's a few years since I missed a championship game and I'm blessed with a wife that understands the give and take nature of such things (obstacle courses are the pass-time of choice for the Drive caddies early on a Saturday morning).

Had a mighty chat with a few Mayo lads this evening (including a lad who experienced 4 years of Maughan's "training"), and they spread seems to be between 5 and 10 (minutes until the game is over). But the general consensus is that Monaghan will hang tough for 60 minutes but the DL fitness will tell in the heat over the last 10 mins.

That single point was controversial. There was a dispute about the neutrality of the umpire (note singular) who called Donegal's point, which was quickly resolved when Monaghan went on to score the next 2-07 without reply. Hawkeye (the local publican) soon sorted the whole thing out.