KYTotalFootball (Kerry) - Posts: 280 - 01/04/2017 22:17:39    1973959

Good win this evening. Only played well in patches will really have to step it up again for the All Ireland semi final. Cillian McDaid was immense this evening also Michael Daly .

mon (Galway) - Posts: 675 - 01/04/2017 23:59:39    1973981

Congrats to Galway in finally getting over the line yesterday. Only caught the second half and extra time but thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought Galway should have sealed it in normal time and thought the pen was a generous one. Fair play to Sligo also in never giving up but I would say what they would not give to have those 2 mins at the start of the 2nd half back again. Galway looked good going forward and was impressed with their point taking. They look to have talented forwards who are pretty direct when they get the ball. I think they will give Kerry a decent text but ultimately come up short. I was so impressed by Kerry Wednesday night, you can say what you like about Cork giving up etc but Kerry were relentless and done with style. You would have to say the traditional Dublin v Kerry final is favourite now. I would fancy Donegal's chances of beating Dublin if they get that far but likely 3 day turn around has to be only in Dublin's favour.

panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2781 - 02/04/2017 13:35:16    1974061

With the 4 remaining teams in Ulster not involved in league finals next weekend surely it would make sense to bring the Ulster Final forward to Saturday/Sunday next. I'm pretty sure the 4 remaining teams would agree to this as the 2 winning semi finalist will have the same preparation time for the final and also will allow the Ulster champions a week to prepare for Dublin rather than just 3 days.

Mobot (Donegal) - Posts: 459 - 03/04/2017 11:16:45    1974686

panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2781 - 03/04/2017 11:31:15    1974697

Green_Gold (Donegal) - Posts: 1874 - 03/04/2017 13:07:52    1974769

Marooned (Galway) - Posts: 2214 - 03/04/2017 14:47:25    1974834

See the Ulster final has been changed to Monday 10th. At least this is an improvement and gives the winners 4 full days to recover. Saturday would make more sense but I'd say the winners will be happy enough with the 2 extra days.

Hardtimes (Cavan) - Posts: 1056 - 03/04/2017 18:30:16    1974964

HT Donegal 0-13 Cavan 0-6

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 05/04/2017 20:41:10    1976174

50 mins Donegal 2-16 Cavan 0-8

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 05/04/2017 21:04:11    1976185

F/T Donegal 3-17 Cavan 0-13

Poor result for Cavan who had rested all their players from senior duty wheras Donegal played theirs.

Food for thought.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 05/04/2017 21:28:25    1976203

s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5518 - 05/04/2017 21:41:06    1976213

aaaaaaaa (Australia) - Posts: 14 - 05/04/2017 21:46:15    1976217

Great win

Donegal really putting together some fine footballers

Impressive and I wonder if a certain curly hair wonder would be tempted back down the line if Rory can't maximise this potential over the rest of his term ?

Some impressive U21 sides this year

Dublin will have it tough

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20600 - 05/04/2017 22:02:59    1976233

Could we be witnessing the rise of two great teams in green and yellow?

Looks like it, although a few good footballers on the Dubs U21 side, but who knows how long Gavin will be there, he only signed an extension to the end of 2017 if I remember correctly

Could we soon see a changing of the guard before the end of this decade.. it's looking possible

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20600 - 05/04/2017 23:10:22    1976271

Pleasing win for Donegal tonight. The conversion rate was the most impressive thing to take from the game with only 3 wides in total I think. Defensively very solid and the style of play was what you would expect from a Donegal side with emphasis on the hand passing running game. The team is packed full of very athletic fast players all comfortable with that style of play. Also the squad as a whole is strong with players like Niall O'Donnell, Rory Carr and Conor Doherty just to name a few available off the bench. Added to fact Kieran Gillespie was not available tonight who would be in anybodies book one of the top 5 young defensive talents in the country. Derry will provide stiff competition given their own pedigree at minor level over the last few years winning Ulster in 2015 and providing Donegal with their stiffest test in Ulster in 2014. However I very much doubt complacency will be an issue for Donegal after the minor shock by the same side in 2015. Anybody who had seen the Donegal minor side against Tyrone and especially Armagh will testify that it was a very good minor side but performed nowhere near their potential in Clones that Saturday evening in 2015. Derry will be well organised defensively and will likely have plenty of bodies back but not just their for the sake of it.

Looking forward there must be a word of caution. I think Donegal will need more variation in their play especially if they get out of Ulster. What really impressed me with Kerry last week was how they attacked with pace and real precision equally adept utilizing the hand and foot pass. In fact their foot passing play was exceptional. I do believe Donegal have the players to vary it but there is no doubt the hand passing running game is ingrained in their DNA.

panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2781 - 06/04/2017 00:42:10    1976295

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12116 - 06/04/2017 10:23:47    1976378

Good win last night. I think we showed that we are a good footballing side for once and for all. Lots of attention is given to our short passing game or defensive plan, but we still managed to score mostly from play last night and shot only 3 wides. I think we will be there abouts this Monday coming.

Re the rest of the tournament, Kerry seem to have steamed ahead of the field in terms of what the bookies think of them. I believe this is down to their demolition of Cork in Cork last week. By all accounts they were fantastic, and this is coming from kerry supporters so it must be true if that is the case. Dublin are a very unknown quantity this year, I think they will have a big say in it yet. Galway are like ourselves in the betting but have a really tough match against kerry coming down the line at them. This is after only managing to draw with sligo. Finally, Derry are our opponents next monday night. They are after a huge win in celtic park against armagh and will be in high spirits going into the game. Unfortunately for them, they are after a match with extra time, and this is going to effect their stamina. I think that if they have to reach for the top locker again, they might not have anything left in the tank.

Really good matches so far. The back door would have seen Tyrone go further but there are pros to this system of competition, most noticeably, that the matches are much more exciting and all or nothing in the stakes. Betting odds below.

Kerry 4/9
Dublin 9/2
Donegal 13/2
Galway 15/2
Derry 28/1
https://www.oddschecker.com/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/all-ireland-u21-football-championship/winner

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 06/04/2017 15:52:11    1976563

get your money on Donegal.

s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5518 - 06/04/2017 19:43:03    1976655

Why is the Ulster Final on in Armagh?

Indeed I don't understand why they couldn't have tossed a coin to determine Home Advantage - even if Donegal lost it Derry would be easier to get to for most Donegal gaels than Armagh and vice-versa?

KYTotalFootball (Kerry) - Posts: 280 - 06/04/2017 20:01:58    1976666