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Donegal GAA Discussion Thread

harpsman

Thought I d throw this up see if theres any interest.
Opinions on new backroom team,reasons for departure of old one, McGuinness claim that his players had 9 games in 11 weeks during championship season, possible new players or anything else!!

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doc_17

Rory has won two more more matches away from home in Div 1 than Jim. Take that however you want to but I'm just adding to #RoryRecords

charlie14

doc_17 wrote: »

Rory has won two more more matches away from home in Div 1 than Jim. Take that however you want to but I'm just adding to #RoryRecords

Not a great comparison when you consider in his first two years Jim had won a Div 2 league final, two Ulster titles and an All Ireland with a team that were regarded as a soft touch and a joke before he took over.

doc_17

charlie14 wrote: »

Not a great comparison when you consider in his first two years Jim had won a Div 2 league final, two Ulster titles and an All Ireland with a team that were regarded as a soft touch and a joke before he took over.

And as good as Jim was he couldn't even win an away match in the league in Division 1. Unlike Rory. Which is amazing.

charlie14

doc_17 wrote: »

And as good as Jim was he couldn't even win an away match in the league. Unlike Rory.

When it comes to comparing Jim`s record to Gallagher`s, whenever he goes, do you seriously believe that any supporter or ex county footballer will give much credence to away league matches compared to three Ulsters titles, an All Ireland title and All Ireland Final appearance in four years under Jim?

To date under Gallagher in two years all we have to show is two lost Ulster Finals.

babybuilder

Although thrilled to win Roscommon are a very weakened outfit compared to the team that played up in Letterkenny last year. I think we will struggle big time against the other sides. Monaghan and Cavan the only hope of getting 3 or 4 points.

charlie14

babybuilder wrote: »

Although thrilled to win Roscommon are a very weakened outfit compared to the team that played up in Letterkenny last year. I think we will struggle big time against the other sides. Monaghan and Cavan the only hope of getting 3 or 4 points.

Very true.
A lot of defections and injuries with Roscommon, and I cannot see us getting much change out of Dublin or Tyrone, so it will have to be Cavan and Monaghan if we are to stay in DIV 1.
Getting something out of Mayo could be a possibility though.

I wouldn`t read too much into their win last night.
Kerry didn`t have O Donoghue and Geaney, and Killian Young went off injured early.

Nidgeweasel

doc_17 wrote: »

Rory has won two more more matches away from home in Div 1 than Jim. Take that however you want to but I'm just adding to #RoryRecords

#roryin

North of 32

If Ciaran Thompson can continue this level of performance into the championship, he can definitely play a valuable role.

Jason McGee gives hints that later in his career he could be a huge force. I think he's probably the tallest player on the panel but has a little burst of pace that can ghost him through gaps. I'm glad Rory is giving him game time. A player that young, especially in midfield, will always make mistakes and sometimes struggle to influence the game but the experience is crucial.

The team is alarmingly vulnerable through the middle. Lacey would help to stem the glut of attacks that pierce right through but at such a late stage of his career I'm not sure we can expect him to curb the tide alone.
The kickout strategy, or more accurately, the complete absense of strategy is the chief reason the team failed to win Ulster last year and will be their biggest obstacle again this year. Winning kickouts (and by extension, the midfield duel) is the key to winning games. I just don't understand the logic of of McGinley sprinting to take the kickout (EVERY TIME) and EVERY TIME there is no one available. I find it utterly baffling. If the team is aware he wants to take it as rapidly as possible, why has no one been showing since the beginning of last season? The most frustrating thing about the current kickout strategy is that it restricts opportunities for tactical runs.
I'll just go through a scenario:
- Opposition score
- McGinley races to take a short kick out, sets ball
- Takes 1 step back, considers kicking - stalls
- Takes a further step back, runs up to take kick - stalls
- In the meantime, it has ruined everyone's timing out the field. If 2 players make a run (1 decoy, 1 receiver) and McGinley stalls, those runs are immediately redundant because the advantage is gone.
- McGinley takes 4 steps back for full run out, decoy runs have already been made and opposition are fully set. By this point time/opportunity has expired to set up new decoy runs.
- Hope & pray Murphy fetches one from the sky (which he will not be able to do come championship)

That's just my interpretation, it's more than likely I have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about but that's the beauty of the internet.

doc_17

I didn't realise people were taking me literally there. But shur I'll play along for the craic.

Rory has avoided relegation from Div 1 as many times as Jim has. #RoryRecords

The Assistinator

doc_17 wrote: »

I didn't realise people were taking me literally there. But shur I'll play along for the craic.

Rory has avoided relegation from Div 1 as many times as Jim has. #RoryRecords

Now now what about the record everyone wants to know,which of them have the better record in the o donnell park, not sure myself but that has to be the barometer :P

babybuilder

North of 32 wrote: »

If Ciaran Thompson can continue this level of performance into the championship, he can definitely play a valuable role.

Jason McGee gives hints that later in his career he could be a huge force. I think he's probably the tallest player on the panel but has a little burst of pace that can ghost him through gaps. I'm glad Rory is giving him game time. A player that young, especially in midfield, will always make mistakes and sometimes struggle to influence the game but the experience is crucial.

The team is alarmingly vulnerable through the middle. Lacey would help to stem the glut of attacks that pierce right through but at such a late stage of his career I'm not sure we can expect him to curb the tide alone.
The kickout strategy, or more accurately, the complete absense of strategy is the chief reason the team failed to win Ulster last year and will be their biggest obstacle again this year. Winning kickouts (and by extension, the midfield duel) is the key to winning games. I just don't understand the logic of of McGinley sprinting to take the kickout (EVERY TIME) and EVERY TIME there is no one available. I find it utterly baffling. If the team is aware he wants to take it as rapidly as possible, why has no one been showing since the beginning of last season? The most frustrating thing about the current kickout strategy is that it restricts opportunities for tactical runs.
I'll just go through a scenario:
- Opposition score
- McGinley races to take a short kick out, sets ball
- Takes 1 step back, considers kicking - stalls
- Takes a further step back, runs up to take kick - stalls
- In the meantime, it has ruined everyone's timing out the field. If 2 players make a run (1 decoy, 1 receiver) and McGinley stalls, those runs are immediately redundant because the advantage is gone.
- McGinley takes 4 steps back for full run out, decoy runs have already been made and opposition are fully set. By this point time/opportunity has expired to set up new decoy runs.
- Hope & pray Murphy fetches one from the sky (which he will not be able to do come championship)

That's just my interpretation, it's more than likely I have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about but that's the beauty of the internet.

Spot on analysis

bob skunkhouse

North of 32 wrote: »

I'll just go through a scenario:
- Opposition score
- McGinley races to take a short kick out, sets ball
- Takes 1 step back, considers kicking - stalls
- Takes a further step back, runs up to take kick - stalls
- In the meantime, it has ruined everyone's timing out the field. If 2 players make a run (1 decoy, 1 receiver) and McGinley stalls, those runs are immediately redundant because the advantage is gone.
- McGinley takes 4 steps back for full run out, decoy runs have already been made and opposition are fully set. By this point time/opportunity has expired to set up new decoy runs.
- Hope & pray Murphy fetches one from the sky (which he will not be able to do come championship)

So basically what you're saying is, get him to join a St. Michael's U14 session to pick up some kick-out strategies.

Boom__Boom

On the whole issue of the kickouts - one stat from the Kerry game I saw during the week was that in the first half Donegal had 17 kickouts in total; they took 2 short which they retained possession from.

Out of the remaining 15 Donegal kickouts that went long, Kerry won possession from 11 of them with Donegal only retaining possession 4 times.

Things did improve in the 2nd half ( I didn't see any stats for this) but by then the damage was done.

Redsoxfan

Great analysis from North of 32 - kick outs are a disaster. The keeper will rightfully take a lot of the blame for this, but there has to be something else going on here - why do none of our players seem to be looking for the ball on our kick-out? And it's not the keeper's fault that we were virtually incapable of winning any break from a Roscommon kick-out even if it was one of our players who got to the ball first. On the first goal, I am tempted just to blame Mark McHugh.

Our defence was a concern. So many bodies back, so hard to see what they are all doing at times. A better team than Roscommon will really punish us.

Jason McGee won the opening throw in and that was largely it. He was nearly anonymous at every other kick-out and his general play was very average. Look, he's only 18/19 so has plenty of developing to do, and it's great that he's getting the chance to do this at the highest level outside of Championship, but he's got a long way to go at this level. We know he's a talented footballer, and that's great, but he needs to develop his timing, judgement and get more physical.

What was very worrying to see - Michael Murphy passed up 45 metre dead balls with the wind - all were kicked short - he didn't even attempt to shoot. Maybe it was the soft pitch, but that's a stretch. He was booked for a crude enough challenge. One of these days he is going to see red if he doesn't deal with the tackling. And hat wide after around 30 minutes. Jebus. Was pulled and dragged plenty, got some frees, could have gotten more.

Ok Nidge, I can see where you are coming from. He ran the show from midfield on Sunday, but I don't know if he will be able to do that against better teams. He didn't feature at full forward once during Sunday's game, and Donegal's attacking play was very one dimensional as a result. If he is going to feature exclusively at midfield, then maybe it's worth giving Hugh McFadden a run at full forward - he has played there before for Killybegs, and he's not suited to playing anywhere else it seems, so why not try it. We need options. Or else give me some names?

Ciaran Thompson, so far, has proved he is more than capable of replacing MacNiallais. Sure it would be nice to have the both of them available, but Thompson has settled really well.

EB Gallagher and Caolan Ward both did ok. Don't think either belongs in the full back line, but I guess we will hopefully see Gillespie back in that role soon enough.

Eoin McHugh mixed the good and the bad. Jamie Brennan didn't stand out one way or another, but good to see him get his first score. Jigger was given one bad ball, took one bad shot and then took a black card.

Hopefully Paddy McBrearty isn't badly injured. Much as we need him, I would prefer not to see him used if there is a risk of aggrevating any injury the next day out.

First half performance has to be seen in the context of the wind I guess. Second half we showed much more urgency and performance was generally better, indeed we looked comfortable until Roscommon got their second goal, but last few minutes were nervous enough.

So it was good to get the win and it's another game of valuable experience for some of the younger players, but it's hard to know how we will fare against better opposition. We'll get plenty of that the next day out.

Stoner

So all set for the trip at the end of the month.

Since my last visit I now have a son with a Donegal grandfather. What's the chances of playing the Granny rule and getting into that nice section of seats that you reserve for the Donegal supporters with sandwiches and better seats and toilets ?

bob skunkhouse

Redsoxfan wrote: »

What was very worrying to see - Michael Murphy passed up 45 metre dead balls with the wind - all were kicked short - he didn't even attempt to shoot. Maybe it was the soft pitch, but that's a stretch.

That's interesting! I'd say we'd all agree the guy wasn't firing on all cylinders last year with some kind of injury. I wonder during his little sojourn in Clermont did he have a quiet word with the professional kicking coaches and physio team to analyse some of the bio-mechanics of place ball kicking, and between them all, figured out that trying to drive a gaelic football 50mtrs between two little sticks isn't worth the possibility of an injury occurring later in the season Just a thought.

Murphy14

If/when big Neil is available he goes midfield until then MM is our best and only option at midfield but Paddy Mc Brearty needs support in the full forward line to be fair he wins a lot of possession but lacks an effective and intelligent partner in the full forward line.
Does anyone know what the story is on Michael Boyle he has great accuracy with kick outs.
The pace of Caolan Ward and Ban Gallagher will certainly add to our options come the summer.

downthemiddle

One of our most promising young players was interviewed on national radio today as part of a feature on "Donegal Tuesday". Unfortunately he identified himself and his motivations for visiting Galway today. It was an ill advised interview and hopefully the senior players will call him aside at training this week and have a quiet word with him. It does, however, call into question the discipline in the side as it was reminiscent of the bad old days and the party boy image.

North of 32

bob skunkhouse wrote: »

Redsoxfan wrote: »

What was very worrying to see - Michael Murphy passed up 45 metre dead balls with the wind - all were kicked short - he didn't even attempt to shoot. Maybe it was the soft pitch, but that's a stretch.

That's interesting! I'd say we'd all agree the guy wasn't firing on all cylinders last year with some kind of injury. I wonder during his little sojourn in Clermont did he have a quiet word with the professional kicking coaches and physio team to analyse some of the bio-mechanics of place ball kicking, and between them all, figured out that trying to drive a gaelic football 50mtrs between two little sticks isn't worth the possibility of an injury occurring later in the season Just a thought.

I think there might actually be something to that. I'd just qualify it by saying it's not the free kicks during the game that puts excessive pressure on the body, but the countless practice kicks (and you're not going to try hitting a 45 if you don't practice them). I remember Brendan Devenney saying in an interview following his retirement that he had hip problems from constantly repeating his freekick motion (recollection isn't 100% though)

Ceist_Beag

downthemiddle wrote: »

One of our most promising young players was interviewed on national radio today as part of a feature on "Donegal Tuesday". Unfortunately he identified himself and his motivations for visiting Galway today. It was an ill advised interview and hopefully the senior players will call him aside at training this week and have a quiet word with him. It does, however, call into question the discipline in the side as it was reminiscent of the bad old days and the party boy image.

Was listening to that yesterday and I think if it was genuinely him then ill advised was putting it mildly. I know he's a young lad but I think even Eamonn McGee (what is it with that surname!) in his wild days would have had more sense than to get caught like that! However I have my doubts if that was really him - my guess is it might have been a mate playing a joke.

Redsoxfan

No need to reveal who it was on here but I'd be interested to know if anyone wants to send me a PM.

Otherwise, I dunno, no game this weekend, who knows about training. Maybe they have the week off otherwise it's hard to know how he would be able for it even on a Thursday after Donegal Tuesday.

On a completely unrelated topic, is Stephen McBrearty injured or just out of favour?

Nidgeweasel

Redsoxfan wrote: »

No need to reveal who it was on here but I'd be interested to know if anyone wants to send me a PM.

Otherwise, I dunno, no game this weekend, who knows about training. Maybe they have the week off otherwise it's hard to know how he would be able for it even on a Thursday after Donegal Tuesday.

On a completely unrelated topic, is Stephen McBrearty injured or just out of favour?

He had pulled a hamstring a few weeks ago afaik.

Can someone also send me a link to the radio, I want to hear it.

Won't be too hard on a young fella doing Donegal Tuesday - should be a public holiday anyway!

Ceist_Beag

PM sent lads. I listened back again and I think I was wrong - he had his GAA bag with him so would have been hard for it not to have been him alright! Whatever about the rights and wrongs of it, he has a lot to learn about being cute about it!

Nidgeweasel

Ceist_Beag wrote: »

PM sent lads. I listened back again and I think I was wrong - he had his GAA bag with him so would have been hard for it not to have been him alright! Whatever about the rights and wrongs of it, he has a lot to learn about being cute about it!

None for me

Nidgeweasel

In other news, I note the decision to appoint a commercial and marketing manager has been cancelled.

The County Board are appointing an official 'ambassador' instead in the form of Anthony Molloy.

Hmmmm.

Must. Not. Be. Cyncial......

Alvin Holler

Redsoxfan wrote: »

On a completely unrelated topic, is Stephen McBrearty injured or just out of favour?

He came on against Kerry so don't think he's injured. I'd like to see him and McGonigle given a few starts in the league to see what they can offer. I think Jigger deserves a chance in the full forward line as well.

Was actually happy enough with the team that started against Roscommon, was a nice blend of youth and experience and as good as we've got until McElhinney, Gillespie and hopefully Neil and Lacey come back.

Nidgeweasel

Lacey shouldn't kick a ball until May imo.

Redsoxfan

Nidgeweasel wrote:

Lacey shouldn't kick a ball until May imo.

Even then, I dunno what this year holds for him. I hope I'm wrong.

Nidgeweasel

County Board have announced Neil Gallagher has retired due to injury.

That is a huge blow.

Ceist_Beag

Damn. It didn't look good for him after last year but it's still a huge blow as you say Nidge. We have nobody like him nor even anyone close to him. I don't think Neil was fully appreciated outside of the county but for me, he was the main component in the team that Jim built. He was irreplaceable in that team. Opponents tried everything with him but he stood up to it all and you could see other teams couldn't cope or know what to do with him at his peak. And boy could he cover the ground. Jesus he even learned to kick a ball straight over the bar as he got older!

We've lost some true legends in the last while but big Neil for me was the best of 'em.