http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_System_(Gaelic_football)

Bit of entertaining reading for us all. Somebody took their fascination with Donegal to a whole new level with this one.

Sergeant_Slash (Cavan) - Posts: 2182 - 28/05/2013 12:09:00    1393389

You would think a barrister would have more important things to be doing...

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 28/05/2013 12:30:52    1393423

It certainly is hard to beat and it looks like it will be harder to beat this year.Even when a team wins primary posesison from a kickout v Donegal its still extremely hard to score because there so well set up defensively.Teams are very cautious playing the ball against them also because they know that if they loose the ball Donegal break at ferocious pace and with thought also.That caution stops teams and players making that 30 or 40 yard pass thats on and the temptation is always there to play it short or safe resulting in players being bottled up then the ball is turned over.To beat Donegal you have to turn over the ball more times then they do as winning the majority of the ball around the middle is not good enough to beat them.People seem to forget aswell that they have 2 aces in Murphy and McFadden.I cant see them being beaten this year.Its virtually possible to score a goal against them when it really matters and you know there going to be there till the bitter end of the 70 mins.

Take_em_off (Mayo) - Posts: 212 - 28/05/2013 12:38:20    1393433

"Donegal didn't just dominate football in winning this year's All-Ireland. They reimagined it. They took a game that had been listing for a few years and made it a thrilling experience."

Is this the Oxford Dictionary's new definition for muck?

RoyalClass (Meath) - Posts: 790 - 28/05/2013 12:44:52    1393442

Shades of Charles Reep's analysis of soccer which inspired the long-ball game beloved of Graham Taylor, Jack Charlton and others. That system brought it's successes but was eventually counteracted. Ditto the ticky-tacky style of Barcelona.
We've seen innovative ideas before in GAA. Antrim footballers of 1946, Dublin of the 70's reinvention of that system, Galway hurlers 2-man full forward line, Cork hurlers short puckpouts and handpassing preference. All these brought degrees of success.
I wonder though about the seemingly clever ideas that fail. A system is only good if it works. Anyway, there's always someone in Kerry and Kilkenny that will find a way around it :)

Maroonatic (Galway) - Posts: 1081 - 28/05/2013 12:45:15    1393443

Mark Mchugh Is Messi haha , maybe some day if Mchugh marks someone or is marked by someone we will find out if he's a footballer or not.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 28/05/2013 13:04:05    1393463

Of course there are ways to beat it. It wont be long before a team works out a way to counter-attack their counter-attack. Donegal commit lots of players forward at this point, so when someone is waiting for it with a blanket defence of their own, and they get dispossessed it will be their undoing. It isnt far away either.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 28/05/2013 14:10:37    1393554

Here we go again....zzzzzzzzzzz

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4968 - 28/05/2013 14:23:41    1393568

TheMaster
County: Mayo
Posts: 7146

1393554
Of course there are ways to beat it. It wont be long before a team works out a way to counter-attack their counter-attack. Donegal commit lots of players forward at this point, so when someone is waiting for it with a blanket defence of their own, and they get dispossessed it will be their undoing. It isnt far away either.

An now master, you think teams havn't already tried that? Problem is if you dispossess Donegal in your own half of the pitch, unless you kick the ball straight away into the inside forwards, it gives them time to track back. The only team capable of doing such a think is Kerry with the Gooch on the 40 and Donaghy inside. Nobody else has the players to execute it to the extent needed to beat Donegal.

Sergeant_Slash (Cavan) - Posts: 2182 - 28/05/2013 14:45:31    1393598

Dont worry the young Dubs will show how its done with pace and energy .
We will save the game:)

AthCliath (Dublin) - Posts: 4347 - 28/05/2013 15:10:45    1393631

Donegal have changed their system of play again this year. We could see the start of this change in the latter stages of the championship last year. We utilise the long ball into the full forward line more now than at this stage last year, we are also now playing Mc Brearty much closer to goals as last year he acted more as a link man collecting the ball from the defence and carrying to the forward line. This could be a useful tactic against anyone that plays a blanket defence and we got some crucial scores on Sunday with that tactic. Lacey will be a key man in the long ball option as he is the best at a kick pass delivery and if he is on the pitch and fit for 70mins I can see us playing a more conventional full forward line this year. Murphy, Mc Fadden and Mc Brearty are all good in the air, physically strong and well able to win their own ball so if we get good quality early ball in we have a good shout in any game we play.

Tir Conaill Abu (Donegal) - Posts: 1686 - 28/05/2013 15:38:57    1393670