Talk of delirium-dampening in Donegal and Conor Mortimer’s Done Deals in Mayo

It’s yet another All-Ireland Final related Hospital Pass; today’s one broaching the subject of delirium-dampening in Donegal and Conor Mortimer’s Done Deals in Mayo

Calls for the delirium to be dampened in Donegal

For God’s sake lads, will ye all calm down!

Those weren’t the exact words but certainly the sentiment expressed recently by Donegal chairman PJ McGowan, who is concerned at the “frightening” levels of hype in the county in the run-up to the All-Ireland Final.

"This time (as opposed to 1992) the expectations have been frightening,” McGowan told the Irish Examiner.

“There has been so much hype that it’s been very hard to shelter the players from it.

"We beat Cork, rated probably the best team in the country, and Kerry and before that we got over Down and Tyrone so the path has been difficult and supporters’ expectations have increased with each game.

"I urge all supporters to be cautious and would plead with them to be realistic. Mayo are in the final on merit.”

"With all this speculation and excitement, we need to be cautious because it’s been fever pitch these past couple of weeks," he added.

Sure it’s exciting to be involved in an All-Ireland Final for only the second time in your county’s history, but we’re sure that Donegal folk will realise the magnitude of what’s at stake and soon focus on letting their players do the biz-niz for them on Sunday.

In totally unrelated news, below is a picture of the so-called ‘Sam-mobile’ that could be parading around the county next week…

… and a Hollywood hills style good-luck message for the Tír Chonaill men…

On second thought, maybe the fans won’t heed PJ’s message after all.

The Mort's Done Deal tactic works a treat

As in Donegal, the hunt for tickets in Mayo has reached gold rush levels and demand will unfortunately not be met with supply, far from it in fact.

Some supporters have went to and indeed still are resorting to desperate measures in an effort to get their hands on that precious little slip of paper and you may recall hearing about the fan who pretended to be Conor Mortimer on Done Deal in an effort to get his hands on a pair.

Whether that tactic proved successful or not we’re unaware, but Conor himself will certainly be in attendance on Sunday having procured a couple of Premium Level tickets, a photo of which he revealed to his followers – including, no doubt, a lot of jealous Mayo fans – on Twitter today.

Pic via Twitter/Conor Mortimer

Although we’re 99.9 certain The Mort didn’t get them on Done Deal, he was quick to thank his yet to be identified alias for helping him secure two of the finest seats in the house.

Anyone else looking for a pair of Done Deal before Sunday won’t come across them as easily as Conor did, however. One pair of tickets have already sold for €900 (all proceeds did go to charity) on the website, while another visitor to the site indicated his willingness to spend €550 on a pair of tickets “anywhere in the ground”.

Nothing beats being there after all.