Other than the gifts given by Derry we haven't looked like scoring goals in the other games. This is worrying. Kerry and Dublin are more composed in that respect. The tackling yesterday was woeful and was reminiscent of previous years. Why no tactical fouls? While they should beat Clare it's not a gimme. While the team has progressed hugely this year any further progress In the championship is a bonus.
If 3 teams tied it comes down to scoring difference.
So we likely need to run up a big enough score to have any chance.
I don't think there's anyway we can top the group now. If we end up with 4 points & Cork lose to Tyrone Cork would be through on the head to head. Don't know what happens if ourselves, Cork and Tyrone end up with 4 points ?.
Also
MacCeallbhui - needed to do something when he had the ball in front of goal.
Yeah, fair play to Cork, full value for the win. Played with aggression and pace and hunted goals.
But very disappointed with our performance for large parts. 2nd best to the breaking ball for too much of the day. And far too soft in possession.
Ryan McHugh was especially poor I felt. While we were shockingly slow to get back for the first Cork goal, he also dropped one into the keeper's hands and I don't know what he was thinking with that last dink into the 13.
The McGonagle free was huge. I couldn't really tell from the TV it it was harsh or not. In real time it was a killer.
I suppose Gallen was well marked but surely needed to see more ball. While Paddy scored well, I still think it's poor that he has never developed his right foot - he passed up a very good goal chance.
I would say we might see a more conservative approach if we make the knockouts. We were shockingly bad when turned over. There's more teams out there that can play at the levels Cork hit today.
1st place out of our hands now. It's still a big possibility though, need a big win the next day out.
I’m still trying to make sense of that performance. When we were set defensively we coped comfortably with the Cork attack. The nine points conceded is testament to that. However when our attack broke down we were wide open and could have conceded three more goals. There were times going forward when we had fourteen players inside the Cork 45. Space was at a premium and we consistently turned the ball over in the centre of the pitch by failing to beat the tackle. This left nobody home and Cork broke at pace exploiting the acres of space in front of our goal. Too often our defence was chasing back facing our own goal , a recipe for disaster. We have four main ball carriers on the team. McGonagle was excellent, the others really struggled to impact the game and one had a stinker. Despite all our issues we forced ourselves back into contention. With a couple of minutes to go we had an easy point chance but tried to force a goal, a very poor decision. We then had the call that went against McGonagle for overcarrying. In the context of what had gone before this appeared to be extremely harsh. It led directly to Cork taking the lead and decided the game. We will learn a lot from this performance. The mistakes we made won’t be repeated. We knew we weren’t the finished article yet. This is, however, a test of where Jim has brought this team. In the past this group of players did not respond well to adversity. There is no option but to respond now. Lose to Clare and our season is over. Win and we could top the group. The fortnight break gives us the opportunity to regroup. There will be plenty of twists and turns before our championship ends.
We never do well against a stronger physical team that gets stuck in. However, I think the exertions of the last month are bound to have an effect when one considers the style of play adopted by the team. Cork ambushed us today. Also, we have to remember that we came through two close games that could have gone either way. A wake up call to the supporters who are looking at the QF or SF at this point.
Very disappointing display today. Our decision making was extremely poor. The number of turnovers was staggering. Cork caught us with the same kick out time after time. The three goals came from our mistakes. We still put ourselves in a position to get a result only to kick the ball away twice. Credit to Paddy and Caolan. They nearly dragged us over the line. We will regroup from this and we won’t be as sloppy again. I would expect a big response the next day out.
Not taking our goal chances eventually bit us in the behind today. Great work to reduce the deficit but can't help feeling we left that one behind us. Ridiculous amount of turnovers today. It reminds me of how Mayo loved to use their strength to bully us off the ball. More gym time required after the championship finishes up. Well done to McBrearty who stepped up enormously and the contribution from Moore to the scoreboard. Hopefully Jason McGee is recovered for Clare and best of luck to the Donegal teams playing in Comortas Peil na Gaeltachta.
Good win for Cork. Concede three goals and you'll not win. Too quick a turnaround for these lads. Porous defence against a physical Cork side. Pundits predicted that we'd be tested by non-ulster opposition. Ulster provincial seems nearly pointless in this new format. Beat Clare now and hope that Tyrone beat cork to top the group.
The groups were only selected a month ago and any choice of games occurred after that.
They need to get their story straight. One day they say that GAAGo covers more games than can ever to be on TV and the next day they decide to restrict the number of games they cover, while covering some walkover games and not covering one that will be competitive.
I think I read excuses/explanations why RTE/GAAGO can only cover a certain number of games before.
It's great that we have something else to give out other than the football about these days!
I suspect that the decisions on the majority of what games that were to be shown especially in the league was done before Jimmy was announced as manager. That coupled with our division 2 status handicapped our airtime I'd say. Next year, we'll be considered box office to those who decide.
It is particularly strange when there is a lot of interest in Donegal this year and thousands of people would pay to watch it. Given the distance involved and the outrageous price of accommodation, some people who were in Celtic Park and Clones may not be able to go to this one, why not give them an option?
When the Saturday/Sunday game are able to show the highlights, there is obviously cameras setup in the grounds. It mystifies me why they don't show more games live, even if they have to spread them to GAAGO, SKY, TG4, Youtube channels and TV3. It would promote the games a bit more as well if people could see more of their county's games televised.
It won't be. You will get gaago streams on a dodgy box when they are actually on gaago but when it's live nowhere it won't be on anywhere unfortunately.
if you have a dodgy box or stick it'll be on that, most pubs have them now
So no way to watch it at all, other that going to it?
It is farcical really. For one no one cares about Dublin and Cavan it won't be competitive. Secondly, Donegal to Cork is the longest round trip in the country. Potentially good game with more neutral interest. Difficult for fans to attend and especially with kids. Accommodation expensive and a 10 hour round trip would be tough even without bringing kids.
Maybe due to Dublin's population they sold more subscriptions there and want to appease them.
So much for gaago. Game not being televised is a balls. Yet Cavan v Dublin is.
“The trip to Cork also brings back memories of the time they blackguarded us in 1990 with the field unplayable and us with over 1,000 supporters down. I heard afterwards that they were never going to play that game because they were only back from a two week holiday on the Friday as All-Ireland champions and one of the squad got married on the Saturday.”
😁
Don't want to be looking ahead but even making a semi final is something we haven't done in 10 years even with the Ulster titles won under Bonner. If we top the group fully expect to get Derry or Armagh in a QF.
Let's see how Saturday pans out first. Brian McEniff has a great piece in the Democrat (it's online). No bitterness about a league game in 1990 at all!
Agree on the QF. I am not sure why they changed it from the old provincial rotation system from semis to an on open draw with no repeat pairings. It was in play during the super 8s and could have remained in play with the winner of each group taking the provincial champions route. The current system could theoretically lend itself to a Dublin/Kerry final every single year as they are unlikely to a repeat pairing come semi (happened last year). At least with the rotational system once every 3 years was guaranteed not be that final.
On Donegal I think everyone knew there would be an uptick but I don't many seen this rapid of progress. It's been amazing to witness. There was something different about last week. The performance and the way they left the pitch. Whose to say how far they will go and they may or may not fall short this year but I'm certain Jim came back for one reason and one reason only and it wasn't Ulster, as good and all as it is.
When he returned the realism in me said he is unlikely to pull it off again and he may not but the more I see I fancy them to go damn close within the next 3/4 years.
I would prefer keeping the provincial finalists apart at QF as well, but with the aim nowadays of the powers that be to kill off the provincials that was never going to happen.
There were signs of possible green shoots towards the end of the championship last year to give some hope, but with the draw for Ulster, winning it did not fill me with hope. First day out was 2014 all over again. Dismantling Derry at home like we did to Dublin and going on to win Ulster on probably the most diffucult route we have every win it from. I have never doubted Jim Mc Guinness as to what he can do for a team from the day he was appointed U21 manager, but for me what he has achieved for us this year is so far beyond anything I could have even hoped. And he is still building a squad where those coming off the bench just gets stronger with each game.
After the Tyrone game last weekend and how we played it looks as anything is possible this year, but for me from where we have come to hopefully toping our group and straight into the QF,s would leave me one very happy supporter with no regrets no matter how the chips may fall afterwards. We are well back on the road with a squad I have no doubts that have an All Ireland within them, and all thanks to a manager who just never fails to impress.
Agreed, I don’t think there’s any separation at QF anymore, tbh I think it would have been worth keeping the provincial finalists apart like the old system and ensure some different games
Really feels like we are progressing with every week. If we can top the group/have the flexibility to not worry about the last game and really look ahead, you just have to be excited of the potential for what we can do that hasn’t been there since Jim’s time, or maybe bonners first year when we steamrolled Ulster
Off the top of my head, which could quite possibly be incorrect, I do not see why not. We could not meet Armagh in the present group stage because of the seedings for provincial winners and runners up, but we got Tyrone and could as easily have got Derry, So from here on out, if as hopefully we top our group, our next game will be a quarter final where the only teams we cannot meet would be the other three stage winners.
Could we face Derry or Armagh again?
Fully expect us to top the group after last Saturdays performance. What odds Derry in a QF!
If we beat Cork and Clare lose this weekend we top the group regardless of how final round of games.
Team got on the bus and headed for Convoy straight after the game on Saturday. I have no doubt they will approach the Cork match with the same intensity we have brought to other Championship matches so far this season. Everything McGuinness has said tells me he is targeting more.
I can't see Cork making it an arm wrestle. Even if they do, I don't think they are as fit as we are. We should have another gear if we need it.
Group winners will face winners of 2nd/3rd place preliminary quarter finals and no repeat pairings from the group stage. Ie. Donegal would not face Tyrone Cork or Clare.
Assuming Donegal were to win the group they would avoid other group winners (Kerry, Dublin etc the likely winners).
So win this weekend is big. Straight to QF with a reasonable shot at a place in the last 4.
Not to get ahead of ourselves but to be fair we could only have dreamt of this position at the conclusion of last year's Championship.
