PJ
County: All
Posts: 2043

1021052
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T7OaDDR7i8

;-)

hipster (Dublin) - Posts: 2509 - 28/08/2011 20:38:41    1021074

Just home from the game. gutted. not one for the purists I know but I said at half time I would have been happy if the second half was scoreless! The lads put pride back in the jersey this year by showing commitment and hunger. yes our gameplan needs a lot of work offensively but its a step in the right direction.

As for the game, the turning point was Lacey going off...he is THAT good.

Best of luck to Dublin in the final. as for all the haters, lay off a bit will you. This defeat hurts no matter what the game was like. If

benjyyy (Donegal) - Posts: 1428 - 28/08/2011 20:39:20    1021077

Puke football and negativity took a hell of a beating today. Well done the Dubs. Leinster is behind you in your quest for Sam.

derfil1 (Kildare) - Posts: 1612 - 28/08/2011 20:43:05    1021084

I don't agree with most of what's posted here. Benandonner's post a few pages back was one of the few posts that I thought was good analysis. I'd like to make some points - judging by the tone of the posts I don't expect too many to agree.

1. Dublin play exactly as Donegal do.
2. Difference being Donegal defend better. By better I mean, hit harder, tackle more effectively and generally press and read the play very well. This was evident throughout the first half. In the second half, Dublin defended impressively.
3. Dublin have better forwards so it probably appears as if they play a better brand. But the reality is that the Brogans are intelligent lads and are able to find space in the most congested of defences - Donegal don't possess forwards of that calibre.
4. The reason Dublin won was because they out-Donegaled Donegal. Did Dublin concede a score in the last 30 minutes? No. Kudos to Dublin for patience in the face of such adversity. Past Dublin teams would have sulked - not this one.

In addition, Gaelic Football is an evolving game. It's obvious that if you concede less space, you will concede less scores. As players get fitter and stronger, the idea that all the space can be closed off becomes a reality. Fair play to Dublin and Donegal for their creativity and innovation. They are two very good sides and in time, everyone will begin to come by but few will be as effective as either.

Loyal2TheRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 4522 - 28/08/2011 20:46:42    1021092

Derfil1 - The whole of Leinster is behind you. Yeah right. I hope Kerry hammer Dublin out the door!

Laytown Legend (None) - Posts: 424 - 28/08/2011 20:57:17    1021109

Loyal I can only hope you are wrong because if this is the fiture of gaelic football then it is the end of gaelic football. Here is hoping that Kerry will remind us supporters what the SPORT of gaelic football is about.

derryman (Derry) - Posts: 3246 - 28/08/2011 20:58:21    1021110

Laytown Legend
County: All
Posts: 356

1021109
Derfil1 - The whole of Leinster is behind you. Yeah right. I hope Kerry hammer Dublin out the door!

I was referring to my Uncle Jim Leinster from Cabra. Not the province.

derfil1 (Kildare) - Posts: 1612 - 28/08/2011 21:17:52    1021134

Awful game today poor display by both teams, hard to think it's 16 years since Dublin last All Ireland final fair play to them.

Gaa_lover (USA) - Posts: 3606 - 28/08/2011 21:26:22    1021148

Gotta agree with Loyal and mayotyrone man. Are people really that blinkered that they can't see that both teams play an identical style. That is why Donegal repeatedly went back and forth accross the Dublin half back line. Because there were constantly 10 or more Dubs there and Donegal clearly weren't going to kick it in there aimlessly. In the end as Loyal says Dublin out Donegalled Donegal. They've had their defensive system going longer and BB in particular is adept at winning soft frees to order. Donegal lost because they showed Dublin too much respect when they were there for taking. Also the cynical takeout of Lacey was a turning point tho I won't hold my breath on it bring discussed on Sunday Game later. Having said all that Dublin deserved their win and good luck to them in the final.

PearseBro (Monaghan) - Posts: 459 - 28/08/2011 21:36:56    1021164

I don't agree with most of what's posted here. Benandonner's post a few pages back was one of the few posts that I thought was good analysis. I'd like to make some points - judging by the tone of the posts I don't expect too many to agree.

1. Dublin play exactly as Donegal do.
2. Difference being Donegal defend better. By better I mean, hit harder, tackle more effectively and generally press and read the play very well. This was evident throughout the first half. In the second half, Dublin defended impressively.
3. Dublin have better forwards so it probably appears as if they play a better brand. But the reality is that the Brogans are intelligent lads and are able to find space in the most congested of defences - Donegal don't possess forwards of that calibre.
4. The reason Dublin won was because they out-Donegaled Donegal. Did Dublin concede a score in the last 30 minutes? No. Kudos to Dublin for patience in the face of such adversity. Past Dublin teams would have sulked - not this one.

In addition, Gaelic Football is an evolving game. It's obvious that if you concede less space, you will concede less scores. As players get fitter and stronger, the idea that all the space can be closed off becomes a reality. Fair play to Dublin and Donegal for their creativity and innovation. They are two very good sides and in time, everyone will begin to come by but few will be as effective as either.

I agrre with you. The main difference between both sides today was that Cluxton kicked the majority of Dublin's long-range frees while all Donegal could do with the huge amount of frees they got around the 50 was play them short and start again or watch Murphy balloon them wide. Apart from that both teams played exactly the same style and had no interest in pressing the ball-carrier high up the field. Bizarrely the sending off seemed to bring Dublin to life and they got the scores they needed when they needed them.

Another day Donegal could have won and presumably we would all be giving out about Dublin then. History is written by the winners.

doublehop (Kildare) - Posts: 4172 - 28/08/2011 21:39:15    1021171

I only caught the game at halftime and had to do a double take when I looked at the scoreline, 4-2, I thought for one fleeting moment I had happened upon some English championship game in error. Firstly well done to the Dubs, this was always going to be a real test of your mettle and you came through, it wasn't pretty by no means but you perservered and justice prevailed. As for Donegal, I don't like to see a team just beaten in an I semi given the dogs abuse they have been on this board, they gave their all and had a game plan which might just have succeeded. A couple of observations on Donegal, whats with the constant lateral hand passing, even deep into the second half when the Dubs were in the ascendency, where were the leaders on the field, some of the decision making was frankly diabolical at times? It was a game that was mostly forgettable in the main and now with Kerry looming large Gilroy has an awful lot of work to do from what I saw out there today.

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 28/08/2011 21:39:20    1021172

Glad 2 see dublin win today for footballing reasons it will be a cracking all ireland final negativity can only get u so far.

93vintageyear (Derry) - Posts: 301 - 28/08/2011 21:39:32    1021175

why did mcbrearty not play?

s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5520 - 28/08/2011 21:43:06    1021182

Delighted the Dubs winning. awful game to watch. Dont think Kerry will be that worried looking at that Dublin performance. Connelly getting sent of was just silly of him. Turned a scoreable free into a major problem for his own team. Donegal let us off the hook in the second half. Still back in the AI final and loving it!

spmccann (Dublin) - Posts: 209 - 28/08/2011 21:44:41    1021184

The better team won no doubt. To see Michael Murphy being used as a link man in a chain of handpasses out around the middle is shocking. Jim McGuinness has done some brilliant defensive work but to see Murphy being wasted for a full season is unforgivable. They would be in the final had he played on the edge of the square.

jonny1951 (Mayo) - Posts: 1431 - 28/08/2011 21:44:59    1021185

s goldrick
County: Cavan
Posts: 890

1021182 why did mcbrearty not play?

Perhaps his defensive game is not up to scratch wouldnt want some young gun spoiling the game plan by scoring.

derryman (Derry) - Posts: 3246 - 28/08/2011 21:48:23    1021188

WAS LIKE A GAME OF RUGBY LEAGUE..SO GLAD DONEGAL ARE OUT. LEAST WE MIGHT SEE A BIT OF FOOTBALL NOW IN THE FINAL.. MCGUINNESS OBSESSED WITH SILLY MIND GAMES.. HES FORGOTTEN WHAT THE GAME IS SUPPOSE TO BE ABOUT.. OR DID HE EVER KNOW

sheva7 (Cavan) - Posts: 498 - 28/08/2011 21:53:24    1021196

Look, at the end of the day, Donegal have to apply the best tactics to the players that they've got. And if that means playing defensively, then so be it.

Say what you like about them but it brought them them out of the mire and in less than a year, they have a League title, a provincial title and an AI semi final appearance - most counties envy that record & I'm willing to bet envy is where a lot of these anti-Donegal posts are coming from.

I'm well aware it's not pretty to watch and yesterday was quite possibly the worst AI semi I've ever seen but ask a Donegal man if he would give a monkeys if they had gotten through

So commiserations to Donegal, well done on yer great year and good luck to the Dubs in the final, hopefully we'll have new champions celebrating a first title in many years, just like Cork last year, such triumphs are the beauty of the GAA

gigoer (Wexford) - Posts: 1998 - 29/08/2011 09:41:57    1021277

- Well done to the Dubs in digging deep and getting over the line, cuteness in winning frees and converting them the major diff
- Donegal totally in the driving seat at H/T, while McFadden missed goal and Lacey being taken off were critical, most dissapointing was Jim's negative approach in not moving Murphy inside in the 2nd half..with Carroll gone off at the very least they should have risked in when in the ascendency and put the Dubs to the sword early
- you can't sit on both sides of the fence, the Dubs had 3 men marking one man inside the full forward line, there wing backs showed no willingness to attack, Brennan being the exception with himself and McMenamon taking the game to Donegal
- Barry Cahill should have seen red for a terrible challenge (was Lacey injured as a result of that?), if Connolly goes then so to should Kavanagh, a strike or attempt to strike is a sending off offence
- Bernard Brogan showed class by doing the spade work, Alan very poor.
- Donegal will learn from this I hope, style will not change so much but you just can't play with 1 man in a full forward line. It has been a good year, well done McGuinness and good to see some of the boys there a long time with an Ulster medal
- Good luck to the Dubs in the final, if they can expose Marc O'Se weakness at full they have a big chance (he's a great player but not a great full back)

rambogav (Donegal) - Posts: 5 - 29/08/2011 09:49:46    1021287

I don't have a problem at all with Donegals style of football. If they want to play all their men in defence and win games 1 point to nothing, so be it. Thats their game plan, its up to the opposition to get around it.
What I do have a problem with is players feigning injury or players and maor uisce's trying to influence referees. I would regard a lot of this stuff by Donegal similar to some of the stuff we've seen between Barcelona and Real Madrid recently. Sad to see a team want to bring this kind of rubbish into gaelic football.
Yesterday was not one for the purists at all but it was great to see a Dublin team having such great conviction of character to get over the line in a horrible game of football.
September 18th can't come fast enough

NavyNBlue (Dublin) - Posts: 1357 - 29/08/2011 09:50:38    1021289