Donegal GAA Discussion Thread

doc_17 wrote:

We were never â€œthere for the takingâ€ against Antrim last year. We put up a record score on them! They were crap!

When I watched the game back they had very good goal chances that if converted would have made things interesting. A better team than Antrim would have beaten us that day IMHO.

Stoner

Redsoxfan wrote:

7th place in Division 1. Ulster Final loss to Tyrone. 1 win in Super 8.

If things are going well beating Tyrone is very achievable imo. I base this on a rough theory that Donegal still have more top class players and would need less also rans than Tyrone.
Who is their best player now?
Yes the new management will need to crack a few hard nuts, get a few proven players playing well again, play one or two in their best positions.
A couple of good lads came through last year. It's there for them, difficult but there are some proven performers who haven't played well at the same time for a couple of years, there's a born leader in his prime still playing and there's some potential from last year

bob skunkhouse

Solomon Pleasant wrote: »

Do people here class style above winning? I don't believe that Donegal have the players with the correct skills to play an open, progressive game right now, especially after several years of being so used to playing such a negative style under Rory Gallagher. Surely, it's better to win playing defensive football than to lose playing a more attacking game?

People here seem to mention the league here quite a bit aswell. Does it really matter? I think many of the stronger teams view the league as something of an irritant and focus on provincial titles and the All-Ireland. Naturally, we shouldn't be getting hammered in the league, but I certainly wouldn't want Donegal to approach a game vs Tyrone/Monaghan in the league with the game plan they intend to use in the championship. Teams will figure Donegal out very easily and make having a go at winning the ulster championship extremely difficult. Losing a game in the league isn't really major, losing a semi final/final in the Ulster championship is.

I'm not sure I agree with that. Fitzmaurice, Gavin,Horan et al all pretty much agree that the league is an added value competition now. Bonners on the record as saying if he was managing an u12 team his attitude would be to go and win it. I'd like to think he'd honour this by taking the league serious.

In relation to the game plan, the complete absence of any plan b in the last two years was pretty evident in RG tactics. I would like to think that Bonner will have a few different strategies he can fall back on given a situation. Trying these out in training isn't comparable to giving them a lash in competitive games. As it stands now, every team in the land including 'New York city' and London know how we play. I'd like think that when we take to the field v Cavan we'll be a lot harder to read.

Nidgeweasel

It’s bizzare that Tyrone team are going for 3 in a row.

Solomon Pleasant

Nidgeweasel wrote: »

It’s bizzare that Tyrone team are going for 3 in a row.

I don't think it's particularly surprising. Tyrone were the dominant force in Ulster before 2011 and it's simply returned to that pattern since McGuinness departed.

Admittedly, the quality of the current Tyrone team is possibly lacking in comparison to previous teams that have managed to put together consecutive Ulster titles. However, I think the standard of football is generally lacking in Ulster at the moment. I don't think any team in Ulster could match Mayo or Dublin and I think even Kerry would be a big ask.

I think most counties have figured out how to play against defensive ulster football and I'm not sure if any county in Ulster has the players with the skill, pace, power and style to successfully implement that style of game outside of Ulster. Tyrone are surely the best at the moment, but I don't believe they'll win the Ulster championship this year, despite the slight lack of quality in Ulster in general.

charlie14

Redsoxfan wrote: »

When I watched the game back they had very good goal chances that if converted would have made things interesting. A better team than Antrim would have beaten us that day IMHO.

I wouldn`t mind a manager trying out something against a team that he is fairly confident don`t have the wherewithal to beat his side, even if it is not working, in that he will have the luxury of changing things around.
What i did mind is that the openings in our defence against Antrim were still there against Tyrone.

You weren`t the only one it seems that watched that game again Red.
Mickey Harte viewed it a few times I imagine and could not believe Gallagher and his cohorts had done nothing to sort it out.

Have Donegal started collective trainng yet?

charlie14

Nice full page spread in today`s Irish Times by Jim McGuinness on Pat Shovelin.

RMDrive

charlie14 wrote: »

Nice full page spread in today`s Irish Times by Jim McGuinness on Pat Shovelin.

Wonderful article. A brilliant tribute.

I see Kilcar have informed the CCC that they won’t be turning up for their U21 match today. Greatest of respect for them as a club but they seem to only want to play when it t suits them at U21 level.

charlie14

doc_17 wrote: »

I see Kilcar have informed the CCC that they won’t be turning up for their U21 match today. Greatest of respect for them as a club but they seem to only want to play when it t suits them at U21 level.

Not what I like to see happening myself but with them up against Slaughneil next Sunday I would have some sympathy for them doing it.

Nidgeweasel

Piss poor from the county board.

Piss poor from Kilcar.

Poor by both sides but I predict that the Co. Board will do very little and let Kilcar fulfill the fixture when it suits

Nidgeweasel

doc_17 wrote: »

Have Donegal started collective trainng yet?

Back in a few weeks.

Ceist_Beag

I got this from another thread which suggests they're allowed back December 1st.

The following is from this Irish Times article (published December 2nd, 2016):

Winter training
Exit June: Commence Training November 15th.
Exit July/All-Ireland Quarter-Finals: Commence Training December 1st.
Exit August/All-Ireland Semi-Finals: Commence Training December 8th.
Exit September (excluding All-Ireland Semi-Finals): Commence Training December 9th.

Nathan Mullins being approached by Bonner and seemingly interested in joining Donegal panel. Haven't seen that much of him but the little I have suggests he would be a decent addition.

henke

New jersey coming according to the O'Neill's website. Not sure if kn is continuing as sponsor but hoping for something more pleasing on the eye than the blue clashing with the gold and green this time.

henke wrote: »

New jersey coming according to the O'Neill's website. Not sure if kn is continuing as sponsor but hoping for something more pleasing on the eye than the blue clashing with the gold and green this time.

F.A.O. O'Neills - Please oh please oh please put a fupping decent collar on the Jersey this time - We not St. Helen's of the Rugby League....:(

Dyr

If yer not happy with the current jerseys:

https://www.magee1866.com/en/Men/c-96.aspx?CategoryIDs=145

Bambi wrote: »

If yer not happy with the current jerseys:

https://www.magee1866.com/en/Men/c-96.aspx?CategoryIDs=145

Class. Was a bold move to change for the Mayo AI Semi Final. Have to say though the Green n'gold hooped Jersey they wore in the Ulster Final in '92 was the real deal. Went back to that style for the 1st Round v Antrim in Ballybofey in '93 but have pretty much ignorned it since bar the very odd appearance in an azzurri version in the late noughties.

The 2014 jersey was nice.

Anyway, Sweary Mary being touted as next County Chairman.

May God have mercy on us all.

Not that one

Derry vs Down from 1994 on tv now (eir sport 1). Real throwback to open hard football.

dog_pig

Bambi wrote: »

If yer not happy with the current jerseys:

https://www.magee1866.com/en/Men/c-96.aspx?CategoryIDs=145

Anyone go for one of these? One arrived earlier and the fecking collar seem to be wonky. As in instead of it looking symmetrical like the photos, the left is higher than the right.

It came in a nice box though in fairness.

Mick McGrath going for the top job as well.

On another note, some more shenanigans regarding appointment at underage level have taken place. We really are a gas bunch!

doc_17 wrote:

Mick McGrath going for the top job as well.

Ballyshannon needs more County games.

doc_17 wrote:

On another note, some more shenanigans regarding appointment at underage level have taken place. We really are a gas bunch!

Do go on....

Well, one of the following things must have occured:-

The venue had no data projector available
the job was offered to a candidate, who was up a ladder when he got the call and was in an area of bad coverage
because of the bad coverage the interview board withdrew their offer

i could go on..... although I will await to see if Greg Hughes will get his teeth into it tomorrow on Highland.

(The Shaun Doherty Show from the John Joe appointment farce is Radio Gold - if only it could be dug up on the google machine)

Friends interviewing their friends and given them jobs! That’s all I’ll say.

Murphy14

Gary Mc Daid is due to be announced has Donegal under 20 manager Eamon Mc Gee part of management