Tyrone won't be any better, can't see Down improving either so apart from those two there's nobody to realistically challenge Donegal dominating Ulster next year. Armagh were their bogey team but I don't think the current Donegal squad fear anyone in the country at this stage. They by far the hardest run possible to the final this year and did it with ease. Could the 3 in a row be on?

BettystownRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 3353 - 31/07/2012 21:20:19    1235151

I can see Tyrone denying Dublin the 3 in-a-row in 2013. Regards Ulster, they'll have a tough battle their with Donegal and sure the draw is over 3 months away for net year's Ulster Championship.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9798 - 31/07/2012 21:30:56    1235168

'Dublin', 'their' pay attention at the back legend you'll have people start thinking Kerry people are thick as champ and some may start jokes about you; now you don't want that do ye?

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9840 - 31/07/2012 21:38:03    1235181

At the moment no doubt they'd settle for one in a row

Maroonatic (Galway) - Posts: 1079 - 31/07/2012 21:38:10    1235182

think you might be right btr unless there is serious improvements but cant see it happening donegal are getting stronger and can see them not only the 3 in a row but dominating ulster for a while anyway.....

dubbydave. (Dublin) - Posts: 3927 - 31/07/2012 21:38:13    1235183

ehm betty this years championship is still on in fact its only heating up now this weekend!!
likes of them threads are to keep us going in the winter no offense.

lilywhitemagic (Kildare) - Posts: 1693 - 31/07/2012 21:42:39    1235192

only decent replies so far have been from Dubby and Ulsterman. Do the rest of you have a problem with keeping a thread on topic or what?

BettystownRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 3353 - 31/07/2012 21:53:59    1235207

Donegal really have raised the bar, even above the lofty standards of Tyrone. Its their intensity on the pitch and off it. I have heard of several training sessions in one day! Can this be maintained? Will they burn out mentally & physically?
Until they win an all Ireland they will remain feverishly hungry so I hope they do it this year to give the rest of us a chance.

ballybannongael (Down) - Posts: 547 - 01/08/2012 10:29:11    1235301

Let's see if they can win the All Ireland first and if they do we can talk about them doing a two in a row of All Ireland's.

derfil1 (Kildare) - Posts: 1612 - 01/08/2012 10:36:36    1235310

ballybannongael
County: Down
Posts: 373

1235301 Donegal really have raised the bar, even above the lofty standards of Tyrone. Its their intensity on the pitch and off it. I have heard of several training sessions in one day! Can this be maintained? Will they burn out mentally & physically?
Until they win an all Ireland they will remain feverishly hungry so I hope they do it this year to give the rest of us a chance.

I heard Leo McLoone said during an interview last week about Donegal's poor league showing, that they only started the intense training near the end of the league campaign. That McGuinness felt it was best to let the squad recover both physically and mentally, so early training was very light. I know Donegal only got their panel back together fully in June, as McBrearty was doing his Leaving cert, and McHugh and the rest were doing College exams. So maybe they've only been doing multiple sessions per day recently.

With regards winning 3 in a row Ulster titles, it's way to early to say. Like if you had asked in 2010, Tyrone and Down would have been favourites for the 2011 Ulster title, with maybe Armagh 3rd favourites. Donegal and Derry ended up suprise finalists, with Donegal winning. During the National league this season, Tyrone were again favourites for Ulster and even outsiders for the All Ireland. Donegal won it again, and did so in a very competant manner.

A lot can change by next year, however Donegal will be clear favourites next season from the word go.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3057 - 01/08/2012 11:35:48    1235357

BettystownRoyal
County: Meath
Posts: 2810

1235151 Tyrone won't be any better, can't see Down improving either so apart from those two there's nobody to realistically challenge Donegal dominating Ulster next year. Armagh were their bogey team but I don't think the current Donegal squad fear anyone in the country at this stage. They by far the hardest run possible to the final this year and did it with ease. Could the 3 in a row be on?


Well Mystic Meg, I don't know how you can say that Tyrone will not be any better. Given that we played this season without Sean Cavanagh, Kyle Coney, Tommy McGuigan and Ronan O'Neill all of whom hopefully will be fit and raring to go next year. In addition, Tyrone had a considerable number of championship novices this year including Conor Clarke, Darren McCurry, Aidan McCrory and inexperienced players like Peter Harte, Niall McKenna and Mattie Donnelly. All of these lads will be better of for the experience of this year especially the chastening experience in Killarney. The likes of Justin McMahon hopefully can get his hamstring injury sorted with an extended break from county action. The likes of Penrose, Joe and Justin McMahon and Sean and Colm Cavanagh will be the experienced players next year and they are not exactly over the hill at 29, 28, 26,29 and 26 respectively. The addition of Clarke at full back is a major bonus as it hopefully will allow Justin McMahon to play further out the field and exploit his footballing ability.

I for one would have no fear of meeting Donegal next year in the championship. Last year in fairness they stile the game of us and this year although deserving winners, the length of their keepers foot and the width of a post kept them ahead of us. They are an excellent side but Tyrone have shown the way to beat them and only very very poor shooting (under no pressure) on a number of occasions let us down. Indeed Tyrone created 3 bona fide goal chances and Down also created chances albeit the Donegal system against them was slightly looser as I believe that McGuinness fancied them to win playing any style. I have noticed however that Donegal's bouts of intensity are generally just before and after half time and if they had to chase a game I believe that they would struggle. The difference so far is that no team has managed to steal a march of 3-4 points although I feel that this theory will be tested at the weekend

omaghredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 3656 - 01/08/2012 13:10:14    1235481

Re omaghredhand

"I have noticed however that Donegal's bouts of intensity are generally just before and after half time and if they had to chase a game I believe that they would struggle. The difference so far is that no team has managed to steal a march of 3-4 points although I feel that this theory will be tested at the weekend"

I agree with that completely. We can't let Kerry do to us what they've done to teams in the past. ie blitz the opposition in the opening 20 minutes and the game is lost. If believe we should keep it as cagey as possible for as long as possible, then ramp up the intensity midway through the second half. If we're within 2 points of them around 55 minutes I think we'll beat them.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 10364 - 01/08/2012 13:20:14    1235496

Way to early to say.. anyting can happen ! Shur at the end of 2012 nobody would have said DOnegal would win the next two ulster titles from the prelim round, after a trashing by armagh, and by cork the year before, and having not won an ulster game in 4 years. Same could happen next year, some team cud come out like Donegal and be a completely different outfit

up_donegal (Donegal) - Posts: 659 - 01/08/2012 14:38:05    1235595

I think it will be a tight tussle lockjaw. I still think kerry have plenty to offer and indeed they have fine exponents of the art of long range point scoring which is necessary against donegal. I do think however that there is a savage hunger in the hills and if i was betting would take donegal buy a couple if points

omaghredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 3656 - 01/08/2012 16:41:57    1235807

good post omaghredhand hopefully tyrone and donegal end up on opposite sides of the draw and you meet in the final. that would be some match if tyrone get their other lads back fit. but you will be in transition for a while yet i feel. there are still a good few lads coming to the end of their careers.

BettystownRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 3353 - 01/08/2012 20:08:51    1235977

Fermanagh.




























































Aye right!

Samsforthehills (Donegal) - Posts: 1075 - 01/08/2012 20:58:29    1236018

With three days to go until an All Ireland quarter final against Kerry, at this moment in time i have about as much interest in next years Ulster Championship as I do in American Samoa's fortunes over in London this week.

Antifa (Donegal) - Posts: 143 - 02/08/2012 11:04:09    1236154

Donegal only beat tyrone this year by 2 points. And this tyrone team was missing kyle coney, sean cavanagh, ronan mcnabb (Not fully fit), darren mccurry and ronan o'neill. Your saying that tyrone next year with these men back and a few more of the men introduces this year pushing on and more additions from underage teams that tyrone will not be a match for donegal? Tyrone for ulster 2013.

tyronelegend (Tyrone) - Posts: 270 - 02/08/2012 11:04:49    1236157

how do you know they will all be back or more won't end up injured? Dongal have injury problems and lost Cassidy. Tyrone have a few more lads on the way out as well. I don't think Tyrone will be back for a while.

BettystownRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 3353 - 02/08/2012 19:24:17    1236715

Bettystown have you got big money on them or something? You don't seem to want to hear the tyrone boys argument in the slightest! ' oh what if you get more injuries?' I honestly think tyrone need a change of manager! People will think I'm crazy because mickey harte had done so much for them but I think they have been quite stale the last 2 years especially and lack a bit of fighting spirit!

pigonastick (Dublin) - Posts: 487 - 03/08/2012 10:04:57    1236935