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Yeah in those scenarios where I high press is on, Patton should welly it 70+ yards towards the corner forwards, have or half forwards alerted to break in that direction at pace. Croke park will give more shelter from high wind and it creates a new problem for oppositions, where they start to doubt the high press tactic.
Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1403 - 30/06/2025 16:48:56 2622699 Link 0 |
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I was thinking the same with the high press, the best option is to try to kick over it, we seen Ryan get caught yesterday like patton did on Saturday. Patton has the weapon of the big boot to do this. It's not everytime but if you can beat the high press a couple of times you force the opposition to back off, and then it's easier to get a short kick out away.
totalrecall (Leitrim) - Posts: 1107 - 30/06/2025 17:14:20 2622713 Link 0 |
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Meath in 2 weeks time will be a brilliant occasion and atmosphere in Croke park, as Meath will bring a huge crowd. The_viewer (Donegal) - Posts: 18 - 30/06/2025 18:29:23 2622731 Link 3 |
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Enjoy n17 on the way home
hi_sir (Donegal) - Posts: 9 - 30/06/2025 19:34:51 2622744 Link 0 |
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Seems like he overthinks it sometimes. When the oppposition are putting the kickout under pressure and you have the distance Patton has, just use it. For those periods were the kickout is under pressure, I'd like to see them commit a couple of extra bodies to the opposition half and launch it. With the new rules we've seen it over and over again were Teams get penned in on their own kickout, Patton has the distance to limit the damage in those periods and potentially turn the tide by getting the ball as far up the field as possible
JimB1991 (Donegal) - Posts: 97 - 30/06/2025 19:57:01 2622749 Link 0 |
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We have a great chance of getting to a final now. Meath was objectively the better draw to get and we can definitely beat them but its all on the day. They are a quality outfit in bonus territory now and will be going hell for leather. We were poor enough in the first half against both Louth and Monaghan - cant afford to be in that position again. Great to be at the business end again and in the battle for the big honours. benjyyy (Donegal) - Posts: 1435 - 30/06/2025 20:14:57 2622755 Link 0 |
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Interesting to see where Donegal are actually at having seen how poorly Armagh performed yesterday in 2nd half versus Kerry. Same Armagh side that went whole way v Donegal. Also Tyrone while overcoming Dublin, didn't seem a super side yet took down Donegal up there. Monaghan caused Donegal trouble in first half at weekend yet Donegal found a way as they do by upping intensity but really not sure Monaghan have very good players around the middle anyway. winatallcost (Meath) - Posts: 720 - 30/06/2025 21:07:07 2622762 Link 0 |
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The triangle theory doesn't work. By the same token you could say Louth beat Meath and yet we beat them at a canter
benjyyy (Donegal) - Posts: 1435 - 30/06/2025 22:04:13 2622768 Link 0 |
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Hardly worth Donegal's while turning up when you put it like that. Oh wait, didn't Louth beat Meath?
themaddog (Wicklow) - Posts: 164 - 30/06/2025 22:39:14 2622777 Link 1 |
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By that logic it won't be much of a contest as Donegal put 16 points on Louth who pipped Meath in Leinster. Tyrone had a great win against Donegal but by no means played All-Ireland winning football that day, Donegal were nowhere near their level coming off a gruelling Ulster triumph. The Dublin QF was the poorest of the four by a distance. The Dubs are clearly in transition and yet squandered enough chances to win two games. The only chance Tyrone have is dragging Kerry into a dirty dogfight. The only keeper that has ever looked comfortable at Croker is Cluxton, and it's basically his home patch. Croker made a fool of Rafferty on Sunday. Patton will come on a ton for the Monaghan game, dialing in his range. If Jason McGee and McGonagle are fit then Donegal will have the height around the middle to match Meath. No doubt Meath will look to impose themselves in that area though. The big question Donegal will pose to Meath is the running power of the backs. Eoin Ban, McColgan, Roarty, Mogan and Moore have endless gas and speed and are built for the big field. Hilo (Donegal) - Posts: 1 - 01/07/2025 04:35:19 2622787 Link 0 |
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Pretty fair point, we haven't been at our best except for the 2nd half of the Monaghan game. And some moments of other matches. Hopefully we hit form now at the perfect time. But we have been very good at finding a way of just being that bit better than our opposition. Meath do have big men in the middle but so do Donegal, not just Murphy, id say we will see a lot more long balls from Patton.
FootballGuy (Donegal) - Posts: 278 - 01/07/2025 06:46:20 2622789 Link 0 |
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Meath have the forwards to hurt Donegal and won't fade out in the second half like Louth and Monaghan did, if anything Meath seem to play great stuff in the second half just like Donegal. Has the potential to be a great match, both teams will feel they can beat eachother. Past hurler (None) - Posts: 970 - 01/07/2025 08:39:40 2622797 Link 1 |
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By the time Sunday week comes around it's entirely possible that Jim McGuinness/Shaun Patton will have Langan, McGee, McGonagle, McFadden, Murphy and Thompson at their disposal when considering kickout options. If this year's Championship has taught us anything, is that anything can happen! It's an old cliché but it's all on the day. Who can get more possessions and who can be most effiicient with scoring opportuntities. Meath have a good few players who need careful watching, but I think Donegal have more, which ultimately will be the winning of the game I think. Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9857 - 01/07/2025 09:05:17 2622802 Link 0 |
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Really can't wait for 2 weeks time, I love getting to play teams we don't normally see in Championship, makes things a bit more novel and get chatting to great football people around the country. I have always had a soft spot for Meath going back to that great team with Liam Hayes who is one of the best I have ever seen in the flesh. They are a great traditional county and will have zero fear of us, they will be very confident and rightly so considering the year they have had. One thing I really admire about them this year is they have been knocked a few times and have bounced back stronger each time. Between the coaches leaving during the league, then not getting over the line in the Leinster final, even during the match against Galway there they could have easily let the game slip away and there'd have been no shame in it. But they kept battling and showed great character, and no little skill as well. CCFabu (Donegal) - Posts: 233 - 01/07/2025 09:40:52 2622811 Link 0 |
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Already buzzing for this game and its not even game week yet. No disrespect meant to meath they have played some fantastic stuff this year but if we were given this draw at the start of the year everyone would of taken your hand off Donegal-lad27 (Donegal) - Posts: 19 - 01/07/2025 11:04:59 2622839 Link 0 |
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Too many postings about no disrespect to Meath but….. That in itself is disrespectful. If we were playing Galway you wouldn't see this nonsense. Meath are here on merit. Any team that beats Dublin, Kerry and Galway in the one season deserves the height of respect. We will have to be at our best to get past them. The return of McGonagle is now essential to our ambitions. If himself and Jason can be added to the mix for a half it gives us an extra dimension. It also reduces the pressure on our kick outs. We are in a good place but we were also in a good place this time last year. Jim will ensure that the squad have learnt from their experience last year and there certainly won't be any of the complacency we are seeing from some posters. themaddog (Wicklow) - Posts: 164 - 01/07/2025 11:39:57 2622849 Link 2 |
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It's not complacency at all. It's being honest. Noone is disrespecting Meath at all. We are just being honest in the confidence we have in the Donegal players to deliver. I would very much doubt that Robbie Brennan is scanning through these pages and printing them out for the Meath dressing room wall. None of us realistically are gonna get the shout to appear on an Off The Ball podcast any time soon either. It's a public forum open to all opinions. Opinions are just that. Opinions, not fact. If Meath do go out and beat us fair and square, all the best to them in the final. I just think we're currently a step above where Meath are at. It will certainly not be easy, but I would have complete trust that Jim will have the lads totally primed for this. Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9857 - 01/07/2025 12:09:37 2622852 Link 0 |
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I agree that on paper this is Donegal's to lose. However I think with the new rules the old maxim "on the day" was never more true. There is much more mayhem and unpredictability now, much more difficult for managers and players to implement a tactical system. If a team gets a run on opposition kick-outs for a period and all four remaining teams are capable of that, the consequences can be devastating. sligo joe (Dublin) - Posts: 962 - 01/07/2025 12:37:05 2622859 Link 0 |
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Absolutely it's all on the day, I don't know but you could realistically say there's maybe 6 or 8 teams that can all beat each other 'on the day; Kerry have the Cliffords and Sean O'Shea who are exceptional players, David can turn a game on his own he is that good, some of the skills he has are unreal. Kerry are beatable though like everyone else, Tyrone will love all the talk bigging up Kerry after them beating Armagh and that devastating 15 min period when they destroyed them, Tyrone also have brilliant players and a very good a manager, they will fancy their chances big time too. Meath will not be considering bookies odds, they are there on merit and will see it as a game they have a great chance of winning. All we can do is try and play our best on the day and have no regrets, I'd sleep better if I knew McGonagle was fit again and Jason is fit to play the whole game, likewise hoping the 2 weeks will help Shaun Patton heal up more, he's definitely not 100% yet. Great weekend of football in store, it would be magic to get to another final, roll on the 13th. Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3310 - 01/07/2025 13:11:46 2622867 Link 0 |
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Some demand for tickets already. Al_Maguire (Donegal) - Posts: 301 - 01/07/2025 14:53:51 2622902 Link 0 |