Dublin GAA Discussion Thread MOD WARNING POST #2944

Someone needs to just man up, make the decision and, make it now. Get onto the Met Office in the morning. If there is the slightest chance of even a bit of mist in the next 7 days, then move the game. There is a lot of pressure to have the Mayo & Dublin games in the Hyde....town needs the business, hotels all booked out, Ros county board needs the moolah from having home fixtures etc etc. I don't care. A young lad doing his cruciate or dislocating his hip, just isn't worth it.

The ref doing a pitch inspection 30 mins before throw in today was a joke. Like they were going to call the game off, when there were 13,000 people in the stands and both teams were already in the dressing rooms. That was plain daft. Make the decision now and, let both teams get on with being able to prepare for it properly.

I can't help but feel that Donegal may have been trying to keep their cards close to their chest last night. They have been playing a very different type of game throughout the league, it surely can't be the case that they were so afraid of Dublin that they just decided to go for the blanket. I reckon they didn't want to give anything away and we will likely see a very different game if the two meet in the Championship.

Pierce_1991 wrote:

, it surely can't be the case that they were so afraid of Dublin that they just decided to go for the blanket.

I think they were afraid of getting another hammering.
I can't see what they'd have up their sleeve apart from conditioning and peaking later on, their games this year early on were good, we've seen that, they weren't hiding anything.The roscommon result wasn't great for them and they needed to contain a side like dublin to show progress.

Stoner wrote: »

I think they were afraid of getting another hammering.
I can't see what they'd have up their sleeve apart from conditioning and peaking later on, their games this year early on were good, we've seen that, they weren't hiding anything.The roscommon result wasn't great for them and they needed to contain a side like dublin to show progress.

I'm just thinking they don't want to give the Dubs any edge. When they hammered us a couple of years ago they produced a performance that we hadn't really seen from them before, maybe they are banking on doing something similar and don't want to give Dublin a free practice go in March.

Pierce_1991 wrote: »

I'm just thinking they don't want to give the Dubs any edge. When they hammered us a couple of years ago they produced a performance that we hadn't really seen from them before, maybe they are banking on doing something similar and don't want to give Dublin a free practice go in March.

I tend to agree with this. After 2014, my paranoia about Donegal laying in the long grass knows no bounds. However, I don't think that Rory Gallagher is as good a tactician & strategist as Jim McGuinness was. So I don't think he will be able to set Donegal up to take advantage of our short comings, as brilliantly as McGuinness did.

McG also had Donegal playing with a controlled aggression, that kept them on the right side of the law for the most part. Gallagher seems to want a more naked aggression approach & I think it could really cost them down the line.

gormdubhgorm

Pierce_1991 wrote: »

I'm just thinking they don't want to give the Dubs any edge. When they hammered us a couple of years ago they produced a performance that we hadn't really seen from them before, maybe they are banking on doing something similar and don't want to give Dublin a free practice go in March.

You might be on to something there Jim McGuinness in his book said Ulster teams always tweak their tactics when they play against each other prior to the championship so as not to give anything away

Boom__Boom

ProudDUB wrote: »

I tend to agree with this. After 2014, my paranoia about Donegal laying in the long grass knows no bounds. However, I don't think that Rory Gallagher is as good a tactician & strategist as Jim McGuinness was. So I don't think he will be able to set Donegal up to take advantage of our short comings, as brilliantly as McGuinness did.

McG also had Donegal playing with a controlled aggression, that kept them on the right side of the law for the most part. Gallagher seems to want a more naked aggression approach & I think it could really cost them down the line.

I'd love to see a comparison of the number of frees/yellows/reds/black conceded by Donegal under Gallagher versus McGuinness - playing a blanket defence and conceding 1-2 scoreable frees in the course of a game is one thing, but conceding 5-6 scoreable frees is an entirely different kettle of fish.

Boom__Boom wrote: »

I'd love to see a comparison of the number of frees/yellows/reds/black conceded by Donegal under Gallagher versus McGuinness - playing a blanket defence and conceding 1-2 scoreable frees in the course of a game is one thing, but conceding 5-6 scoreable frees is an entirely different kettle of fish.

Yep. I wasn't just referring to the frees. I meant in the players racking up yellow, red and black cards too. During the McGuinness years, they seemed to be so confident of themselves & their systems, they didn't need to get involved in all this laying down a marker/we won't be bullied crap, that we saw down in Tralee. Yeah, there were some incidents and they were always well able to take care of themselves, but there just wasn't this air of things possibly kicking off at any minute, the way that there is now. That could possibely cost them in the long run.

I didn't think the game yesterday had much bite in it. It's almost as if the two teams have grown to "like" each other a bit more. It might actually be the fact that Donegal now have a number of teams they have issues with, we've always had that, but they've moved now from a kind of west of Ireland team like Sligo that everyone likes into a typical Northern football team, they have to divide it up a bit more now, Tyrone are similar too, Dublin Tyrone games dont have the bite they had.

Interestingly when they play kerry things flair up, usually 50 50 like we had yesterday, but Donegal now come out on the wrong side, other teams are now "matching " or "standing up to " them.
There were a number of incidents yesterday from red cards, high tackles below the belt digs etc, but it was just accepted that it was a tough game guys walked imo that's how it should be, teams should stand up to each other, I paid in to see it

At the end of the day the top teams all have guys that would take the head off you. It is what it is.
We've seen recently how fast management can cure discipline and tackling issues but I suspect it's deeper with Donegal.

I think Roscommon look promising. Tyrone continue to improve. Last year Parsons worked out well for mayo, this year Diarmuid O Connor, COS and possibly Regan are coming on.
IMO McBrearty looks like about 75% the player he was 2 or 3 years ago, haven't seen him win the type of ball he has in the past. .
Overall I think Donegal have dropped back a bit against the other top teams. Or at least stood still.

I'm 90 % sure they couldn't reproduce 2014 v Dublin again. Indeed that bullet could only be fired once, Kerry shut it out at the next game.
Goals are on against them now.
I understand I'm nailing my colours to the mast here
We've lost two great players and over and above Murphy going in at 14 and destroying a Fitzsimmons / cooper combo I don't really see where the new players and new ideas would come from within the Donegal camp this year.

I could be wrong though, but to me anyway this is no McGuinness capable management team.

corny

Pierce_1991 wrote: »

I can't help but feel that Donegal may have been trying to keep their cards close to their chest last night.

If true it'll be nothing dramatic.

They're going to set up defensively against Dublin because 1) they've had success in the past against us doing that and 2) its logical given what we know about Dublin when given space.

In attack? They always play that short hand passing game carrying the ball forward. They could it a lot faster and they could leave a couple more men forward but other than that....

They'll obviously play with a greater intensity in the summer and that normally makes them formidable so i'm not suggesting they'll be a pushover. Just don't think they'll deviate too much from what we saw last night.

corny

Bit of a campaign going on against James McCarthy in the media. Anyone think he gouged McElhinney?

I thought he pushed him in the face. Definitely deserved his red but calling it gouging is a bit far imo. Might be spillover from McMahons actions last year.

[Deleted User]

corny wrote: »

Bit of a campaign going on against James McCarthy in the media. Anyone think he gouged McElhinney?

I thought he pushed him in the face. Definitely deserved his red but calling it gouging is a bit far imo. Might be spillover from McMahons actions last year.

100% not an eye gouge. I know it's easy to look at these things with biased eyes but in real time when someone has you by the scruff and you are trying to push them off you're just shoving a hand in someone's face to get them off you.

If he had the presence of mind to eye gouge him there he wouldn't do it so lightly as to engender no reaction whatsoever from anyone on the Donegal team. What are they saying he was trying to do? Eye gouge him with less force than is required to put in a contact lens?

I think newstalk and setanta are pushing it. Ger Gilroy went on about it, the two commentators told him it was a hand in the face and he deserved to go but it was not eye gouging, he kept on about it, carried on to newstalk the next day. I think setanta want the attention, but Gilroy went for it having been told in no uncertain terms that the boys didn't think it was eye gouging, I don't know why he bothered asking them he did his best to change their minds, he seemed genuinely disappointed they wouldnt agree with him.
It didn't look good but he walked . They didn't show any of the other incidences on slow motion. He was told about how slow motion makes things look worse .

I didn't have an excuse for McMahon and Donaghy but imo there is a world of difference between the two incidences, some calling for 12 month bans etc is a joke and pushing an agenda.

Lots of neck grabbing etc going on now and off the ball stuff mainly between Kerry, Dublin, Mayo and Donegal.

I can select players for Dublin and each of those teams that were at it in all the games we matched with them in. The only issue I have with that sort of thing is one player getting away with it and another not.
If the rules we had were applied it would stop, can't see McCarthy doing that in his next game, but lads who stayed on the field might.
Gavin is ruthless now taking lads off that have a booking now anyway. We saw that again with Cooper and i think Lowdnes.

Paulzx

I'm reading nothing into that game. Donegal were dead on their feet the last 20mins and it was quite obvious they are nowhere near the fitness levels required to play their usual game.

That won't apply in another couple of months

Gael85

Dublin have used 31 players in 6 League games.Appearances+Subs for 2016 League Games

Byrne, David(Naomh Olafs) 6
McCarthy, James 6
Andrews, Paddy 5+1
Cooper, Jonny 5+1
Costello, Cormac 4+2
Fitzsimons, Michael 4+2
Rock, Dean 4+2
Connolly, Diarmuid 5
Kilkenny, Ciaran 5
McMahon, Philip 5
Bastick, Denis 4+1
Small, John 4+1
O'Conghaile, Emmett 3+2
Brady, Tomas 2+3
Cluxton, Stephen 4 (3 Clean Sheets. Conceded 1 Goal)
Fenton, Brian 4
Flynn, Paul 4
O'Sullivan, Cian 4
Carthy, Shane (Naomh Mearnog) 1+3
Carthy, Shane (Vincents) 0+4
Daly, Darren 0+4
Brogan, Bernard 2+1
Lowndes, Eric 2+1
McManamon, Kevin 2+1
Mannion, Paul 2
Savage, Michael 2 (1 Clean Sheet. Conceded 2 Goals)
Byrne, Davy (Ballymun) 1+1
McCaffrey, Jack 0+2
Reddin, Ciaran 0+2
Ryan, Philip 0+2
O'Callaghan, Con 0+1

Dublin have scored 7-76 and conceded 3-61 in 6 League games. Scorers 2016 League Games

Costello, Cormac 1-20
Rock, Dean 0-22
Connolly, Diarmuid 3-4
Andrews, Paddy 1-8
McManamon, Kevin 0-5
McMahon, Philip 1-2
McCarthy, James 1-1
Flynn, Paul 0-3
Kilkenny, Ciaran 0-3
O'Conghaile, Emmett 0-2
Bastic, Denis 0-1
Brady, Tomas 0-1
Brogan, Bernard 0-1
Cooper, Jonny 0-1
Fenton, Brian 0-1
Mannion, Paul 0-1

Dublin have used 32 players in 4 O'Byrne Cup games.Appearances+Subs for 2016 O'Byrne Cup

Andrews, Paddy 4
Carthy, Shane(St Vincents) 4
Costello, Cormac 4
Curley, Jarlath 4
Small, John 4
McMahon, Philip 3+1
Reddin, Ciaran 3+1
McCarthy, James 2+2
Scully, Niall 2+2
Bastick, Denis 3
Brady, Tomas 3
O'Callaghan, Con 3
Rock, Dean 3
Savage, Michael 3
Cooper, Jonny 2+1
Culligan, Eoin 2+1
Mullally, Conor 2+1
Whelan, Jason 2+1
Deegan, Michael 1+2
Concarr, Michael 1+1
Daly, Darren 1+1
Caffrey, Adam 0+2
Hannigan, Graham 0+2
Walsh, Niall 0+2
Cluxton, Stephen 1
Devereux, Nicky 1
Manning, Oisin 1
McGuire, Conor 1
Cunningham, Stephen 0+1
MacDonncha, Maitias 0+1
Ryan, Philip 0+1

Dublin have scored 4-61 and conceded 6-38 in 4 O'Byrne Cup games. Scorers 2016 O'Byrne Cup Games

Costello, Cormac 2-11
Rock, Dean 0-15
Andrews, Paddy 1-7
O'Callaghan, Con 1-3
Carthy, Shane(St Vincents) 0-5
Deegan, Michael 0-5
Whelan, Jason 0-4
Brady, Tomas 0-3
Reddin, Ciaran 0-3
McGuire, Conor 0-2
Daly, Darren 0-1
McMahon, Philip 0-1
Scully, Niall 0-1

Actually DoctaDee we left Scully out of that last mix, he's been tried in the half back line and looked good, even though we might identify him with a forward role.

DoctaDee

Paulzx wrote: »

I'm reading nothing into that game. Donegal were dead on their feet the last 20mins and it was quite obvious they are nowhere near the fitness levels required to play their usual game.

That won't apply in another couple of months

Yes and no - I saw them last year in the league semi against Cork and it was quite evident their heads were already on the Ulster Champ game in May. This year they aren't out til middle of June so the distractions are minimal. You're quite right - they'll do what they do quicker and stronger with a greater degree of intensity - but I don't see them doing anything new. In actual fact the nature of the Ulster Champ will virtually dictate they'll play football to the same template as previous years. A semi v Monaghan and a probable final v Tyrone will more than likely be trench warfare

DoctaDee

Stoner wrote: »

Actually DoctaDee we left Scully out of that last mix, he's been tried in the half back line and looked good, even though we might identify him with a forward role.

Yeah Stoner I don't get to see virtually anything of Scully outside of the Dublin set up .. TSS dont travel here. Those that do speak highly of him with regard to his football ability and would appear best suited to the HF line - like anyone operating around the middle third I think you need to have some physical presence and that seems his only drawback - he's only what 22 ? so like a lot of the young stars in the making has time on his side.

Paulzx

DoctaDee wrote: »

Yes and no - I saw them last year in the league semi against Cork and it was quite evident their heads were already on the Ulster Champ game in May. This year they aren't out til middle of June so the distractions are minimal. You're quite right - they'll do what they do quicker and stronger with a greater degree of intensity - but I don't see them doing anything new. In actual fact the nature of the Ulster Champ will virtually dictate they'll play football to the same template as previous years. A semi v Monaghan and a probable final v Tyrone will more than likely be trench warfare

I agree. I don't believe they are hiding some new masterplan that will only be unveiled in the championship.

However, they'll be physically able to apply the old masterplan. They didn't seem capable of that on Saturday

nice_guy80

Other games on Saturday moved from the Hyde

Hopefully the pitch will be OK for Sunday.
Sun and wind all week would help.

Even if there is a heatwave for the next 5 days, there is no way that enough standing water from Sunday, will have drained away sufficiently to make the pitch safe. Drainage is the problem in the first place.

And there ain't gonna be no heatwave this week. According to this, there is an 85-95% chance of rain, every day this week, bar Thursday. Sun on Friday & Saturday is a whopping 10% & 20%.

http://www.zoover.co.uk/ireland/ireland/roscommon/weather

Just move the bloody game & have done with it.

Juvenille's free in to the hurling on Saturday, but can't get a ticket in advance as far as I can see. What happens if it's a sell out?

Why do you think you can't buy in advance? You can buy them on tickets.ie or at participating Centra and Supervalu shops. Or just pay on the day at the gate, or from the ticket van in the car park. I'd be very surprised if it's a sell out.

ProudDUB wrote: »

Why do you think you can't buy in advance? You can buy them on tickets.ie or at participating Centra and Supervalu shops. Or just pay on the day at the gate, or from the ticket van in the car park. I'd be very surprised if it's a sell out.

I meant ye can't get a juvenille ticket in advance because they're free in. I thought there may have been a chance it'd sell out with it being a Saturday night game in Parnell. Not too often an occurrence these days.

Oh sorry, I thought you meant getting your hands on an adult ticket in advance. Still don't think you'll have a problem. The Galway game was no where near a sell out. There were plenty of empty seats in the stands, never mind the terraces. They would be a much bigger draw than Limerick, even though this is a quarter final. Get there half an hour before throw in, if you're still worried.

Slattsy

Just give Roscommon the points - say they whole squad has food poisoning or something.

Dodgy wurly burger from the chipper across from St Davids? I'm down with that. I've been that soldier. I think we've all been that soldier.

salmocab

What would happen if and Im not suggesting it will or should happen, but if Dublin said that pitch isn't playable? Would there be a fine or points deducted.