Going to be a good game. It will show the hand of both sides early. It is what the championship is all about, and it is what is needed, rather than meaningless pairings of teams that gives nothing to the game.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3858 - 21/05/2013 20:11:16    1388588

21/05/2013 20:11:16
Donegalman
County: All
Posts: 631

1388588
Going to be a good game. It will show the hand of both sides early. It is what the championship is all about, and it is what is needed, rather than meaningless pairings of teams that gives nothing to the game.

Do you really believe that? Can't see it being easy to watch, but more of a tactical dog fight.

MourneArmy (Down) - Posts: 1787 - 21/05/2013 20:23:29    1388595

kerry74
County: Kerry
Posts: 896

1388573
There is very little to choose between Donegal and Tyrone. 2 very good sides. There will be a point or 2 in it come 70 minutes on Sunday. The back door route for either team is not the end of the world as they will stroll through these early qualifers. Best of luck to both teams. I will be rushing out of Fitzgerald Stadium very quickly Sunday afternoon to catch this potential epic Ulster encounter.

kerry just make sure you're home by half time to see Pat Spillane's head explode as he fulminates about the "tirrible" spectacle on show

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5030 - 21/05/2013 21:45:47    1388658

Definitely more pressure on Tyrone for this one I reckon.

Everybody loses at some stage, and Donegal are not above that and are certainly not Invicible. But they have clearly proven themselves at the very top level, and have the medals in their pockets.
In the past 2 seasons they have won

1 x National League div 2 title,
2 x Ulster Championships,
1 x All Ireland Championship.

They have already beaten Tyrone 2 years on the trot in Championship, dismissing any chat that their first win was a fluke or they caught Tyrone off guard in 2011.
They have had 2 very successful years and have no pressure on them, as they have already achieved more than most folks in Donegal Imagined they would when McGuinness took over.

Tyrone were mid table div 2 in 2011, lost to Donegal in Ulster and got hammered by Dublin in AI QF.
2012 Division 2 runners up, lost Ulster SF to Donegal and got hammered by Kerry in qualifiers.
2013 Division 1 runners up, Playing Donegal in Ulster.................you see where im going :-)

Tyrone will be under a lot more pressure to succeed than Donegal in my opinion.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3057 - 21/05/2013 22:00:30    1388682

Its going to be a cracking game. I think it will set the precedent for the rest of the championship

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3858 - 22/05/2013 09:01:40    1388700

Its all on the day how the game will go. Whichever team adapts there game plan to the conditions will probably win the game. The result could boil down to a majestic piece of individual brilliance or even a bad refereeing decision. Im not a believer in analysis of previous games. Those games are history come 4pm Sunday afternoon.

kerry74 (Kerry) - Posts: 1354 - 22/05/2013 09:15:11    1388702

Too much being said here about which team is under more pressure to succeed in this encounter, and lads trying to be all 'Mind games Jim Mc Guinness style" about who would be most adversely affected by being on the losing side.Here it is.............there is pressure on both teams to win but not as much as ye might think! First round game and the qualifiers can still be negotiated by the losing team.Unless the losing team is beat decisively then they can walk of the pitch with the confidence that they just got beat by the best team in Ulster.Not the end of the world for either team.And if ye can't get over the "serious psychological trauma" caused by this loss then ye shouldn't be playing anyway! Enough of the psycho babble lads especially GaryMc cos your taking this whole reverse psychology to new heights on here.You must think that Mickey Harte and the Tyrone players are on here reading all this analysis.
I think Donegal being reigning Ulster and All Ireland champions who just got relegated to division 2 will feel they want to prove a point as much as any team in the country right now.Ask any Tyrone fan and they will tell you in all honesty that in 2010,11 and 12 they were not expecting great things from the team as they were obviously rebuilding.This year however I would say that the expectation to do better is now there again and we actually do feel the team and its rebuilding is coming along well.The league final against Dublin,even though it was a loss,has led to greater confidence in the team and I think the players are feeling that too.We are gaining in confidence but will not be "shell shocked" by a defeat in Ballybofey.In saying all that I think Donegals season is over if they lose :) Tir Eoghain Abu!!

seanie_boy (Tyrone) - Posts: 4235 - 22/05/2013 09:32:23    1388706

Donegal will will even without the inspirational trio of Lacy mcHugh and Big Neill Gallagher

potnorwindow (Cavan) - Posts: 363 - 22/05/2013 09:46:26    1388713

I genuinely don't believe there's much pressure on either team.

This game is more about laying down a marker for later in the summer imo.

As Seánie says above as long as either team isn't beaten well then the result doesn't matter a whole pile.

Both teams will rock up in Croker in August, only thing decided on Sunday is if it is through the qualifiers or as Ulster Champions.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13846 - 22/05/2013 09:51:07    1388718

Its a bit presumptious to think that either side are a shoo in for Ulster MesAmis, there are a few counties out there that have other ideas.

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 22/05/2013 10:20:42    1388734

potnorwindow
County: Cavan
Posts: 173

1388713
Donegal will will even without the inspirational trio of Lacy mcHugh and Big Neill Gallagher.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I would be surprised if all 3 don't make an appearance.Would suit us just fine though.

seanie_boy (Tyrone) - Posts: 4235 - 22/05/2013 10:21:28    1388735

Seanie Boy, I still think that most Tyrone fans would think that it will be another year or two before we are really challenging for the big one.

geoff (Tyrone) - Posts: 377 - 22/05/2013 10:30:29    1388745

Cant see anything other than a donegal win im afraid.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 22/05/2013 10:35:52    1388753

We will see Geoff....if we win on Sunday you can definitely shorten that to the lesser of the 2 time frames for sure.I'm feeling good about the team right now and unless we get demolished or something on Sunday then I believe this team can go far.How far? Not sure just yet:)

seanie_boy (Tyrone) - Posts: 4235 - 22/05/2013 10:37:56    1388755

I'm sure your right seanie

But it wouldn't be championship without injury scares

potnorwindow (Cavan) - Posts: 363 - 22/05/2013 10:39:36    1388759

potnorwindow
County: Cavan
Posts: 174

1388759
I'm sure your right seanie

But it wouldn't be championship without injury scares
-----------------------------------------------
Its all that oul "mind games" carry on Potnor,to keep the other boys guessing.Not a thing wrong with them boys at all.Lacys as fit as a fiddle and Mc Hugh will be grand if he rubs an oul bit of "deep heat" on his balls :)

seanie_boy (Tyrone) - Posts: 4235 - 22/05/2013 10:46:27    1388766

brendtheredhand
County: Tyrone
Posts: 7226

1388734
Its a bit presumptious to think that either side are a shoo in for Ulster MesAmis, there are a few counties out there that have other ideas.

They can have as many ideas as they like but it doesn't matter.

No-one in Ulster is anywhere near the standard of either side imo.

It's also pretty clear that there'll probably be no one in the qualifiers that can match them either (with the exception of the loser of Cork/Kerry) so even the loser will walk into the Quarter-Finals without much undue hassle.

Sunday's winners will have both hands on the Anglo-Celt and barring a miracle will be Ulster Champions 2013 as far as I can see.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13846 - 22/05/2013 11:17:23    1388786

Just a heads up for all fans travelling to the game from east of Ballybofey (Lifford direction), the North West Garden Show is in Castlefinn this weekend and there will be traffic build up going through the town so give yourselves that wee bit extra to get to the match.

CnaD (Tyrone) - Posts: 35 - 22/05/2013 12:00:27    1388846

brendthered i agree there is too much being said that this is the ulster final. Even if it is the case that Tyrone and Donegal are in a different league, what is to say that then wont pick up a few injuries, have a bad day at the office the next day, and the other team Cavan/ Derry/ Down or who ever doesn't play completely out of their skin and have lady luck on their side. It's never over until its over....

I am at the edge of my seat and its only Wednesday however, I think this is going to be far from champagne football....

fatfrog (Donegal) - Posts: 200 - 22/05/2013 12:09:39    1388860

O'Neill is out of this match... Ronan that is which is a pity, he had shown so much potential playing for the minors in 2010, but hopefully he'll come back into things in a few weeks. Cassidy is fit which is a big plus he seems to have caught a lot of ball any time he was on.

HokeyPokey (Tyrone) - Posts: 1744 - 22/05/2013 12:24:36    1388867