All-Ireland Football Final Maigh Eo vs Baile Átha Cliath

ColeTrain

It's time to get a thread going for this game. I don't know about the rest of you but the 22nd can't come quick enough. It promises to a great occasion.



Ballintubber Abbey vs Mountjoy
Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin vs Rosanna Davison
Michael Davitt vs Wolfe Tone
Croagh Patrick vs The Spire
Charlie Haughey vs Bertie Ahern
Fresh Country Air vs Smog
Louis Walsh vs Luke Kelly
Coppers vs Krystle

It's all on the line, winner takes all.


I've also added a poll so we can see who boards.ie thinks will prevail.

ShamoBuc

This is going to be a good thread....in a couple of weeks time, concentrating on the hurling for now.

Draw I reckon all the same, Mayo by 5 in replay.

seligehgit

Dublin

Head says Dublin by a whisker but over ruled by my heart which says my home county.

ColeTrain

Dublin

seligehgit wrote: »

Head says Dublin by a whisker but over ruled by my heart which says my home county.

My heart says Mayo but my head hasn't picked a winner but is veering towards a green and red win. I just think if it's ever going to happen then it will be this year.

I think Dublin are a serious outfit btw. I saw them against us in the league Semi and couldn't help but be impressed. They have the potential to blitz teams in a matter of minutes. The one saving grace is that our defence is one of the best in the country and has pace to burn. It promises to be a fascinating match up for the neutral and nerve wrecking stuff for us

Hopefully this year is their building year - like last year was for us.

corny

Wait till i see the teams.

Wacker The Attacker

Draw

If Dublin can reproduce yesterdays performance then we'll win

ColeTrain

Dublin

Wacker The Attacker wrote: »

If Dublin can reproduce yesterdays performance then we'll win

You could say the same about Mayo's performance against Donegal.

If both teams bring their A-game then we're in for some showdown.

CS Hasuki

Dublin

Tough one to call.

lukin

Just had a look at the poll;Oh God no, don't go making Mayo favourites before an AI final again. We know how this is going to end!
I don't mean that in a sarcastic way; I'd love to see them do it at last but hisorically they don't do well as favourites.

The_Kew_Tour

Draw

If Mayo dont win this they will never win Sam.

I think Dublin will edge it though.

premierstone

Dublin

Fancy Mayo, think Horan has instilled an incredible mental fortitude and hunger into them and they would go throw a wall for him - reminisent of Donegal and McGuiness last year.

Dublins backs are weak IMO and AOS is the best midfielder in the country so Mayo should dominate those two sectors obviously Dublins attack is special but I think Mayo are the best set of backs they will have faced and they won't get the room they have been afforded up to this.

Fr Tod Umptious

premierstone wrote: »

Fancy Mayo, think Horan has instilled an incredible mental fortitude and hunger into them and they would go throw a wall for him - reminisent of Donegal and McGuiness last year.

Dublins backs are weak IMO and AOS is the best midfielder in the country so Mayo should dominate those two sectors obviously Dublins attack is special but I think Mayo are the best set of backs they will have faced and they won't get the room they have been afforded up to this.

Totally agree with this post
Mayo have a very good set of backs, something that Dublin have yet to encounter.
I think Higgins has to play at corner back because of the threat and pace of the Dublin forwards, you cannot risk him up the filed.
The availability or otherwise of O' Connor will have a bearing too, if he is fit then taking Higgins out of the forwards will not be as big a deal.
The Mayo attack is not as lethal as others but the Dublin backs have been questioned and that is a worry for them, Mayo can fairly rack up the scores whne they get going.
Mayo have to pressure the Dublin kick outs so that they are forced to kick them long into the middle where AOS should dominate, I read on the Kerry v Dublin thread that Dublin don't have 'fielding' midfielder, is that the case ?, if so then Mayo should dominate possession from kick outs in this area

yop

Dublin

A good prefix to the game

http://examiner.ie/sport/columnists/john-fogarty/john-fogarty-final-may-surpass-sunday-drama-241812.html

Gerry91

Dublin

Mayo for me, think they'll come flying out of the blocks like v Galway and Donegal here and could build up an early lead like last year.

Hope Conroy plays, will do damage to that full back line IMO

Father, i'd leave KH where he is myself. Barrett is undroppable anyway but I want to see Keith along with Keegan, Boyle, Vaughan running at that Dublin back line as much as he can. Move him back if needs be

Anyway Mayo by 5-6 I think

Can't wait

Rockfish

Draw

...

CS Hasuki

Dublin

yop wrote: »

A good prefix to the game

http://examiner.ie/sport/columnists/john-fogarty/john-fogarty-final-may-surpass-sunday-drama-241812.html

LOL they hype machine already. At least it is for the game itself, and not either team specifically.

As a Mayo fan I am much more excited about this final than last year, not because I'm confident of a win, but confident it will be a bleedin cracker

DoctaDee

Draw

I'd never accuse someone of misplaced optimism, but I'd ask that you consider the fact that Dublin have put a combined 4-30 on Mayo in the 2 games this year. The NFL S/F Dublin scored 2-14 from play with 2 frees .. Mayo on the otherhand scored 7 points from play with 9 frees. Both matches (league yeah I know) Mayo started with Boyle/Vaughan & Keegan in HB line. So you'd understand if an eyebrow or 2 was raised with talk of Mayo dominating this and dominating that, and Dublin never having played against the likes of Mayo.

To my mind there will be a greater focus on the questions Dublin will pose to Mayo. Mayo lads are chomping at the bit to crank up this thread ... we need a little more time to fully recover from Sunday

yop

Dublin

DoctaDee wrote: »

I'd never accuse someone of misplaced optimism, but I'd ask that you consider the fact that Dublin have put a combined 4-30 on Mayo in the 2 games this year. The NFL S/F Dublin scored 2-14 from play with 2 frees .. Mayo on the otherhand scored 7 points from play with 9 frees. Both matches (league yeah I know) Mayo started with Boyle/Vaughan & Keegan in HB line. So you'd understand if an eyebrow or 2 was raised with talk of Mayo dominating this and dominating that, and Dublin never having played against the likes of Mayo.

To my mind there will be a greater focus on the questions Dublin will pose to Mayo. Mayo lads are chomping at the bit to crank up this thread ... we need a little more time to fully recover from Sunday

And Tyrone beat Mayo by a point in the league and Mayo beat Donegal by 4 points.

So the fact that Clare beat Cork by 6 points in the league then Clare are favorites and it points to a Clare win....

Its the league, its tells us very little in fact.

Gerry91

Dublin

yop wrote: »

And Tyrone beat Mayo by a point in the league and Mayo beat Donegal by 4 points.

So the fact that Clare beat Cork by 6 points in the league then Clare are favorites and it points to a Clare win....

Its the league, its tells us very little in fact.

Clare and Cork both finished bottom of the league Division1 or 1A whatever it's called.

Not only that the two losing championship semi-finallists weren't even in division 1A!

Mayo could have been relegated from league, difference between league Mayo and this one is night and day

DoctaDee

Draw

yop wrote: »

And Tyrone beat Mayo by a point in the league and Mayo beat Donegal by 4 points.

So the fact that Clare beat Cork by 6 points in the league then Clare are favorites and it points to a Clare win....

Its the league, its tells us very little in fact.

Sorry YOP point seems to have been lost. I wasn't equating the 2 games this year to anything that may transpire in 3 weeks time.

I was indicating that the scoring return of Dublin will give Mayo as many questions as they will pose to us.

The Rodent

Dublin

DoctaDee wrote: »

Sorry YOP point seems to have been lost. I wasn't equating the 2 games this year to anything that may transpire in 3 weeks time.

I was indicating that the scoring return of Dublin will give Mayo as many questions as they will pose to us.

Nope you said that the game, in your opinion, is about the questions the Dubs will pose rather than Mayo. No need to backtrack Doctor. We are all friends here

purplepanda

Draw

Hope Mayo win as have relatives there, but they always freeze going back decades ago in finals so it's the Dubs for me:pac:

Sunnyisland

Draw

Don't know who will win on the day, both teams have played some fantastic football this championship, But I do hope and pray that its Dublin who lift the Sam Maguire this year.

DDC1990

Draw

Having seen both Quarter and Semi-Finals in Croke Park, I think that Dublin have a very slight edge.

They have a relentlessness that I haven't seen since the Tyrone teams in 2005-2008.

However, they have far more footballing talent (not putting Tyrone down, I just feel that this is an extremely talented Dublin team).

Their bench is phenomenal, they have speed, physicality and fitness in great numbers.

Mayo are a more physical team, and also have great pace coming from the half-back line. Dublins 6 forwards as a group are better then Mayo's (even with Cillian O'Connor) and Dublin's bench is better IMO. However (and I know this might seem odd to some people) but I do not think that Ciarán Killkenny is Dublin's best option at Centre Forward. He is a talented footballer, but he is wasted at CF. His best work (that I've seen), is closer to the goals, as a Full Forward. I think he slows the game down, and takes wrong options at CF and his shots often seem forced from that distance. Connolly maybe should play there and have Cullen working hard for 40 minutes on the wing. I'm not sure really.

Mayo's backs are a good deal better, and I think that the likes of Johnny Cooper and Kevin O'Brien are weak spots for Dublin.

Mayo's strength is at Midfield, but like they did against Kerry, Dublin will avoid a high-catching contest at midfield by using Connolly at CF splitting the midfielders to each wing and booting it straight down the middle. Mayo's use of a sweeper may scupper this plan though. MDMA and O'Sullivan's running will really test the fitness of the O'Shea's

Its a fascinating duel, and while I don't think it has the potential to be as much of an out and out footballing spectacle, as the Kerry v Dublin game was, it still has potential to be one of the fastest, most physical and most enthralling final in years.

I really hope Mayo do it. The county needs the win. Another loss would crush the county. They have a team at their peak. If they are to win, they need to pray for CO'C's shoulder. In a tight game freetaking will be so important, and O'Connor is one of the coolest in the game. He would also be far too clever for either of Dublin's corner backs IMO, and find himself with goalscoring opportunities, which, as we have seen this year, he would most likely tuck away. But I understand there is very little chance that he will start.

I think Dublin will win by a point or two and crush Mayo hearts.

oconnrpt

Dublin

I think you'll find that Maigh Eo are playing Ath Cliath. Ath Cliath includes the Baile (or city) and three other administrative counties i.e. Fingall, South Dublin, and by no means least the Borough of Dun Laoghaire and the Barony of Rathdown A.K.A. Cuala !

oconnrpt

Dublin

Is the curse over yet? If it is Mayo might just win.

DoctaDee

Draw

The Rodent wrote: »

Nope you said that the game, in your opinion, is about the questions the Dubs will pose rather than Mayo. No need to backtrack Doctor. We are all friends here

DoctaDee wrote: »

I'd never accuse someone of misplaced optimism, but I'd ask that you consider the fact that Dublin have put a combined 4-30 on Mayo in the 2 games this year. The NFL S/F Dublin scored 2-14 from play with 2 frees .. Mayo on the otherhand scored 7 points from play with 9 frees. Both matches (league yeah I know) Mayo started with Boyle/Vaughan & Keegan in HB line. So you'd understand if an eyebrow or 2 was raised with talk of Mayo dominating this and dominating that, and Dublin never having played against the likes of Mayo.

To my mind there will be a greater focus on the questions Dublin will pose to Mayo. Mayo lads are chomping at the bit to crank up this thread ... we need a little more time to fully recover from Sunday

Eh no brother I didn't ... and neither did I say that the results of the 2 games played would have any bearing on the Final. What I did say was Dublin scored 4-30 in the 2 games played this year in which the much vaunted starting HB line for Mayo played in both. The questions posed is based on that .. Dublin have shown they can score freely against Mayo ... can Mayo stop them when it matters most ? Still friends ?

The_Kew_Tour

Draw

Mayo quiet simply have to win it this year unless they want to wait another decade to get another chance.

They really have to believe this is their moment.

I think though they wont be strong mentally and thats what will see Dublin over the line.

I hope im wrong.

themandan6611

have mayo backed at 9/1. so that's them screwed in the final so :-)

Gerry91

Dublin

When you get them 9's?

Were 11/1 in places before Galway match and went into 6/1 by the week after I think

Unless you got them before league perhaps or straight after Galway match?

Stoner

Draw

Mental strength is a good one alright. I'm coming out of the blue here, but I think there is a great deal of good will out there for Mayo, they are like most of their neighbours, hard to hate.
Even though Mayo have beaten Dublin twice recently in the championship, I honestly don't think that Dublin will be as motivated to beat them as they would kerry, Donegal, meath, Tyrone kildare.
It might sound stupid but Dublin need to build some kind of rivalry with Mayo in their heads, I guarantee that this team holds nothing against Mayo for recent losses, they were blamed on Dublins mental weakness and last year on the hangover from being champions.

For example IMHO Dublin were motivated against Kerry on Sunday off the back of 2011
It was like confirmation of the 2011 win for me anyway due to all the bickering in 2011.

Dublin hold nothing against Mayo indeed I don't think they hate us as much as other counties do either, but Mayo are motivated savagely for Sam. It might tell on the day.