Huh? Not have an injury magnet warm up? Is that what you are suggesting.
Eh no Kev, I was kind of highlighting how injury prone he is and asking how bad this injury is.
[quote=“caoimhaoin, post: 766106, member: 273”]They did go
away already mbb, they have been very poor last year and year before.
This is a new team. Think it’s more their back as opposed to not have gone away.
They still won’t win AI though.[/quote]
I was more referring to Harte and his elder core. They were never very poor, just dropped off their own high standards. To be honest, they’re in that top 6 teams in the country, whether they’re in the top 4 that can win it I’m not so sure, but its hard to read much into that league still. We’ll have to wait and see a bit longer but they stood toe to toe with Dublin and beat them just a few weeks back. That sort of experience will stand to their younger guys, much as the win will stand to they younger Dublin players.
Agreed. Throw a clock on Cluxton’s run up to a free when behind and when in front, last year against Laois was ridiculous. I don’t blame him, ask Rint, any keeper will kill time over a dead ball, its up to the referee to hurry him up.
Not at all …great to win…and especially in that manner…Dublin look a lot more beatable the more the league has gone on…they are far too open…they’ve blitzed teams with 10 minute spells…tyrone were very aware of that and never let dublin get that run on them…even if their keeper was man of the match…should be interesting summer…
On the basis of the league just gone you’d have to say Tyrone are in with a shout for the all Ireland, I’d have them in the top 3 or 4 anyway. Dublin have been the best team, Donegal with everyone fit again will also be competing. After then Tyrone look beat of the rest to me, and have a couple good players to come back in. Mayo/kerry are probably next. Cork don’t look any better this year and Kildare don’t have enough high quality players to win an AI.
if i was narrowing it to four i’d go -Dublin, Mayo, Cork and Kerry…
I think Donegal and Tyrone both will have the edge on Mayo, Cork and Kerry.
just so hard defend the title and donegall have to hit the ground running very early against tyrone…wud be some achievement…especially with the relatively small pool of players they have…
i can see that tyrone defense getting an awful trimming when it comes to croker in August…
[quote=“scumpot, post: 766298, member: 182”]just so hard defend the title and donegall have to hit the ground running very early against tyrone…wud be some achievement…especially with the relatively small pool of players they have…
i can see that tyrone defense getting an awful trimming when it comes to croker in August…[/quote]
Surely they’ll only improve defensively? Dublin really struggled for most of that second half against them.
Ah Jaysus. Cork are ahead of Tyrone, as are Mayo and Kerry. Kerry beat them by a cricket score last year, you can’t put them ahead. Cork comfortably beat them in Omagh as well this year. None of those 3 teams targeted the league, thats very obvious.
They are not that good yet. They were awful last year. They do have potential though.
[quote=“scumpot, post: 766298, member: 182”]just so hard defend the title and donegall have to hit the ground running very early against tyrone…wud be some achievement…especially with the relatively small pool of players they have…
i can see that tyrone defense getting an awful trimming when it comes to croker in August…[/quote]
Like Cork and Dublin can also be opened up. Thats why Donegal are still favourites, they have the best defensive system. Dublin are quite small and have no No.6. Cork have been very poor in one corner and in the half back line for over a year now. Kerry are very average at the back as are Tyrone.
Dublin are clear favourites Kev. Ask the bookies.
They have made Kerry favourites for the past 12 years. Means fuck all, especially with Dublin, it has as much to do with uneducated bets being put on than anything.
Its a very wide open championship, Dublin are talented, but naive as well. Shut down the kick outs and they are in massive trouble.
[quote=“caoimhaoin, post: 766312, member: 273”]Ah Jaysus. Cork are ahead of Tyrone, as are Mayo and Kerry. Kerry beat them by a cricket score last year, you can’t put them ahead. Cork comfortably beat them in Omagh as well this year. None of those 3 teams targeted the league, thats very obvious.
They are not that good yet. They were awful last year. They do have potential though.[/quote]
Tyrone had a lot of injuries last year and their younger players seem to be really coming through this year. Cork are an underachieving team and look to have gone backwards this year, they are too uninventive to win an AI. Kerry could well be up there again, mayo are a good team and could be there again.
[quote=“caoimhaoin, post: 766316, member: 273”]They have made Kerry favourites for the past 12 years. Means fuck all, especially with Dublin, it has as much to do with uneducated bets being put on than anything.
Its a very wide open championship, Dublin are talented, but naive as well. Shut down the kick outs and they are in massive trouble.[/quote]
You said Donegal are favourites. They aren’t.
But you suggested wrapping him up in bubble wrap. For him not to get injured in this instance he need not do the warm up as that’s where it happened.
He probably needs to do more if a warm up than anyone. But this was an accident that could happen anyone at any time.
They are my favorites Sid. And that of many others. They have the best structure, the meanest defense, big goal scoring forwards who win their own ball. They have an astute manager who knows he’ll need to tweak a few things. Dublin have some very good young players coming thru, but they are quite small in general. They also have played most games at home against depleted teams not as far in their perpetration as the Dubs. The games I saw they was little or no pressure being put on the forwards, it was very open. I don’t think teams were deliberately letting the Young Dubs think this is handy enough this Senior IC crack, but at times it almost seemed like that.
They are a force, no doubt. But Ciaran Killkenny and Alan Brogan need to be fit and have games under the belt before I’d be getting overly worried about them yet. They still have big issues, their midfield ( even allowing for MDM’s endeavor) is still inferior to a few other of the main teams and their Centre back is a liability but discipline wise and positionally.
If Cluxton is forced to kick 50-50 kick outs to Donegal, Cork, Kerry or Mayo the nice clean ball the backs have been attacking with in the league will be gone. Then they will run into trouble. Teams know this is an area to attack Dublin. Also they are very vulnerable to counter attack thru the middle die to aforementioned midfield and centre back.
It’s a very interesting championship coming up, they are getting more and more open all the time. But nearly all field sports in the world teams that win have the best defensive records, I don’t think right now any other team has one to match Donegal’s. mind you, was Lacy to be out for longer he would be an incalculable loss to them.
[quote=“caoimhaoin, post: 766494, member: 273”]But you suggested wrapping him up in bubble wrap. For him not to get injured in this instance he need not do the warm up as that’s where it happened.
He probably needs to do more if a warm up than anyone. But this was an accident that could happen anyone at any time.[/quote]
Indeed, see Glenn McGrath.
donegal’s system is based on discipline and workrate…think that will suffer a bit from them winning AI last year…hunger has to be gone to some extent…whatever about goalscoring forwrads they spend too much of the game far away from the goals…there’s times when macfadden is only donegal player in opposing half… think if Mayo had taken the time to match up their defenders with particular donegal forwrads they would have avoided conceding both goals in AI final…
Agree Dublin miss Alan Brogan massively…think Kilkenny will need to step up a bit in his absence…if anything Kilkenny holds up the ball too much at times…On sunday Dublin were missing their most consistent player for last 3 years -Paul Flynn…
think you’re wrong about Dublin midfield…think they could mix it with anyone
interesting article on Gavin in Sunday’s Times…seems to be hellbent on playing football ‘the right way’ which is basically having a really open game with everyone going man to man…wouldn’t fancy that with dubs defence…