The refereeing is a joke in fairness.
You can now push a guy down if he is on the ground. No referee gives frees for lads being pushed down from this position. It’s a disgrace and I can’t believe it’s not being picked up in the media.
At least he can master most of the basics of the game unlike Aidan Walsh.[/QUOTE]
Ah no he can’t, he couldn’t solo. Walsh is a far superior footballer to Gallagher, it’s weird you would bring up such a guy as a comparision is skill deprivation.
Can Gallagher hurl to IC level?
I thought it was a very decent game played at a high level of intensity. As I said at half-time, there were some great scores, but also excellent high fielding as well as tackles and interceptions. Pat Spillane says this is a pale shadow of the Donegal team of two years ago. Wrong. Their panel is probably not as strong as two years ago which might undo them later in the year, but it was still an excellent performance and McGuinness showed he is as tactically astute as ever. Derry were not tactically naive either. That’s a fine win for Donegal - they showed they are still a contender worthy of serious respect and they could certainly seriously trouble Dublin if they meet them. McGuinness’s style is not for purists but it’s still difficult to underestimate just what an achievement it was to turn that team into All-Ireland winners. They were shit last year but it was obvious there was going to be a downturn in their form after winning the All-Ireland. If they get McFadden and McBrearty contributing more than they did today, few teams have the ability to beat them.
[QUOTE=“caoimhaoin, post: 949272, member: 273”]Ah no he can’t, he couldn’t solo. Walsh is a far superior footballer to Gallagher, it’s weird you would bring up such a guy as a comparision is skill deprivation.
Can Gallagher hurl to IC level?[/QUOTE]
We’re not talking about hurling. Gallagher can shoot to a reasonable standard and is able to solo the ball, Aidan Walsh has feet like Christy Brown.
If O’Kane had pointed with about five minutes left they would have been within one. That was their chance and they missed it.
A big win as they should get past Antrim/Fermanagh and will be in last 12. A long way off 2012 levels though.
+1
Nail on the head, Donegal tackle so well that it doesn’t really matter how good your full forward line is they are going to deprived of possession and smothered further out the field.
Agree in general about Donegal, however they have no chance of winning AI. I don’t think McGuinness is overly astute, well organized alright, astute, no. He has no plan B. They had Plan A part 1 3 years ago and they developed that to part 2 to win AI. However plan b still has not arrived and he has reverted to playing 1st half 2011 style and 2nd half 2012 style. It’s easy to read.
But the game was shite overall. Poor and weak refereeing contributed to that with all sorts of fouling allowed.
Shane Walsh with a rocket of a goal in London. If Galway are ever going to be serious again in football they need Shane Walsh to fulfil every ounce of his wunderkid potential
[QUOTE=“caoimhaoin, post: 949287, member: 273”]Agree in general about Donegal, however they have no chance of winning AI. I don’t think McGuinness is overly astute, well organized alright, astute, no. He has no plan B. They had Plan A part 1 3 years ago and they developed that to part 2 to win AI. However plan b still has not arrived and he has reverted to playing 1st half 2011 style and 2nd half 2012 style. It’s easy to read.
But the game was shite overall. Poor and weak refereeing contributed to that with all sorts of fouling allowed.[/QUOTE]
Plan A would have worked the first time around in the Dubs didn’t have to resort to taking out Karl Lacey in the 11 semi Final
[QUOTE=“caoimhaoin, post: 949287, member: 273”]Agree in general about Donegal, however they have no chance of winning AI. I don’t think McGuinness is overly astute, well organized alright, astute, no. He has no plan B. They had Plan A part 1 3 years ago and they developed that to part 2 to win AI. However plan b still has not arrived and he has reverted to playing 1st half 2011 style and 2nd half 2012 style. It’s easy to read.
But the game was shite overall. Poor and weak refereeing contributed to that with all sorts of fouling allowed.[/QUOTE]
You can say it’s easy to read but it’s not easy to combat. You can say that teams figured out their style and ran through them last year, but that was a Donegal team playing way below their potential. They were easy to read in 2012 but nobody could beat them. People assume that because Dublin won the League final so easily that Dublin are going to be better than last year. That may not be the case at all - even with the competition for places in the squad nobody knows if Dublin will have the same hunger again in August and September. Certainly I can’t remember any team winning four NFL/All-Irelands combined in a row. People thought Cork would do it in 2011 but they suddenly fell flat on their face. If there’s one man I’d trust to put a game plan in place to neutralise Dublin, it’s McGuinness. Their lack of depth is the main thing working against them. If one thing is working for them it’s the hiding they took from Mayo last year - a humiliating defeat like that can motivate a team like nothing else.
[QUOTE=“caoimhaoin, post: 949287, member: 273”]Agree in general about Donegal, however they have no chance of winning AI. I don’t think McGuinness is overly astute, well organized alright, astute, no. He has no plan B. They had Plan A part 1 3 years ago and they developed that to part 2 to win AI. However plan b still has not arrived and he has reverted to playing 1st half 2011 style and 2nd half 2012 style. It’s easy to read.
But the game was shite overall. Poor and weak refereeing contributed to that with all sorts of fouling allowed.[/QUOTE]
This could just become a silly argument about semantics but arguing McGuinness isn’t astute seems strange. He has transformed a team largely because of a tactical change. Whether that is a little predictable or not is debatable but there aren’t many managers who have done much comparable to him recently.
Other than Jim Gavin, who is an astute manager?
Joe McQuillan was the referee.
Marty was a linesman though.
[QUOTE=“Rocko, post: 949314, member: 1”]This could just become a silly argument about semantics but arguing McGuinness isn’t astute seems strange. He has transformed a team largely because of a tactical change. Whether that is a little predictable or not is debatable but there aren’t many managers who have done much comparable to him recently.
Other than Jim Gavin, who is an astute manager?[/QUOTE]
Mickey Harte is an astute manager. Jim McGuinness is definitely an astute manager, you can compare this Donegal team to others around the country, the talent he has available and the depth of his squad and you really have to compliment him on the job he has done. The football is quite dour and certainly not one for the purists but with the players he has he has managed to devise a system that makes them very effective.
I think Derry will be very dangerous coming through the qualifiers if they can maintain a performance like they did today, they have one of the best full back lines in the country, some excellent players like Lynch, McGoldrick, Lynn and Kielt and are a big physically imposing side. On their day they are definitely capable of taking a few scalps. I do think Donegal were a little lucky with the refereeing today, another referee would definitely have awarded frees to Derry which would have sure things for Lynch or Bradley.
Alan Mulholland would generally not be considered an ‘astute’ manager this despite his team won today 3-17 to 7 points in London.
Happy birthday to the niece back in Milltown
Good shout, mate.
[QUOTE=“Rocko, post: 949314, member: 1”]This could just become a silly argument about semantics but arguing McGuinness isn’t astute seems strange. He has transformed a team largely because of a tactical change. Whether that is a little predictable or not is debatable but there aren’t many managers who have done much comparable to him recently.
Other than Jim Gavin, who is an astute manager?[/QUOTE]
Astute managers can make changes within a game that can turn a game, he is not known for that.
Astute managers don’t fall out with top players in a small county.
Astute managers don’t contradict themselves continually in the press.
Astute managers don’t alienate assistants and underhand insult them in public despite them having given up a lot of time and having won together.
Astute managers don’t have huge ego’s
He was on the line.
[QUOTE=“caoimhaoin, post: 949443, member: 273”]Astute managers can make changes within a game that can turn a game, he is not known for that.
Astute managers don’t fall out with top players in a small county.
Astute managers don’t contradict themselves continually in the press.
Astute managers don’t alienate assistants and underhand insult them in public despite them having given up a lot of time and having won together.
Astute managers don’t have huge who’s.[/QUOTE]
An astute manager can win an All Ireland with a limited team.