Donegal GAA Discussion Thread

North of 32 wrote: »

I thought Donegal defended quite well in spells and Dublin found it difficult. I think Dublin even looked nervous.

They were the better team, no question, but it's nonsense to say that Dublin were ''playing in 2nd gear''. The implication that Dublin could have suddenly just flicked a switch and racked up a big score is arrogant in the extreme.

No one will beat Dublin with a conversion rate below 50%. Patton's kickouts were poor but that was not deliberate. What really annoyed me was Donegal continually shooting from distance and it looked like it was their actual game plan. Shooting from distance is not a game-winning strategy. It's ridiculous. They did not show any courage to penetrate Dublin's defence and really go at their goal despite being well capable of it. Yes, Dublin defended well but so will all teams at this stage of the year. You've got to back yourself and not hit a potshot from 45m.

I was hoping that as Ulster champions Donegal would show Dublin less respect. Dublin were nervous but Donegal were shy. Players like Cluxton and Fenton will always be capable of doing enough.

We really don't know if Dublin were tested because we played with fear and didn't have any real conviction in our play. No one suggested that Patten kicking out to un marked Dublin was"deliberate". 🙄 Let's say we were poor and dublin less so.

It's the strategy we adopted that's puzzling.

babybuilder wrote: »

North of 32 wrote: »

I thought Donegal defended quite well in spells and Dublin found it difficult. I think Dublin even looked nervous.

They were the better team, no question, but it's nonsense to say that Dublin were ''playing in 2nd gear''. The implication that Dublin could have suddenly just flicked a switch and racked up a big score is arrogant in the extreme.

No one will beat Dublin with a conversion rate below 50%. Patton's kickouts were poor but that was not deliberate. What really annoyed me was Donegal continually shooting from distance and it looked like it was their actual game plan. Shooting from distance is not a game-winning strategy. It's ridiculous. They did not show any courage to penetrate Dublin's defence and really go at their goal despite being well capable of it. Yes, Dublin defended well but so will all teams at this stage of the year. You've got to back yourself and not hit a potshot from 45m.

I was hoping that as Ulster champions Donegal would show Dublin less respect. Dublin were nervous but Donegal were shy. Players like Cluxton and Fenton will always be capable of doing enough.

No one suggested that Patten kicking out to un marked Dublin was"deliberate". ðŸ™.

I know. I'm just saying that Patton had an off day, which happens. I wouldn't hold one poor game against him (though he made some fine saves).

However, what I cannot forgive is the strategy of kicking from distance repeatedly.

Same pressure was applied to the Kerry keeer today.

Very left field theory here but I’ll voice it regardless.

Is there any chance that Donegal deliberately didn’t play to the maximum of their abilities?

Dublin are the best team in the country. If Donegal want to win Sam they’ll have to beat them at least once. The issue is that if you beat Dublin once, it’s very unlikely to happen again (especially twice in one season). Let’s say Donegal roll out the works against Dublin last night and somehow manage to win. Jim Gavin then knows exactly what to expect come a semi final or final against Donegal.

So is it possible that tactics were slightly altered against Dublin to reduce effectiveness with a possible rematch with Dublin later on in mind?

Probably not, but it was a strategy used by McGuinness when they met teams in the league.

Tickets on general sale now for Hyde Park and MacCumhaill Park. Unless you're a season ticket holder I'd be snapping them up fairly quickly lads.

charlie14 wrote: »

Beat Roscommon and even if Tyrone beat Dublin, if we beat Tyrone afaik we would go through on the head to head rule.
Beat Roscommon and it is in our own hands at home to qualify if I am correct

Does it not come down to head to head if two teams finish level on points but scoring difference if three teams finish level on points???
So if Tyrone did manage to beat Dublin, that would leave Donegal in serious trouble.

Why are we even entertaining the scenario that Tyrone will beat Dublin? They were very good at the weekend, but are we to ignore every other game they've played in the last 12 months and consider them a top team again? They don't even like playing in Omagh according to Sean Kavanagh, its hardly a fortress

Donegal should win next weekend, but cant see them doing so by a huge margin. Then winner takes all in the last game. Only pressure that should be on it is that a draw will likely be enough for Tyrone

jjdonegal wrote: »

My bad. Was told it was different for Super 8s and it was points difference for all scenarios.

Good to know we have full control of it ourselves.

Sorry to say JJ it doesn`t appear we have.
League rules so only applicable with two teams on the same points.

Tyrone beat Dublin and there would be three on the same if we beat Roscommon and Tyrone.
It would then go to points difference.

Disappointed we didn`t win, but not to the extent I have been for two Ulster finals and a semi-final over the previous three years.
We put ourselves under a lot of pressure with our own kick-outs but I would be slow to criticise Patton. Much of the time we didn`t look to be giving him much option that hitting it long where Dublin mid-field lorded it. But then Fenton will lord it over most in that scenario.
Dublin missed goal chances, but there were a few we missed ourselves. McFadden`s knock-down was unlucky, Jamie Brennan`s was a great chance that went a begging with the subsequent Dublin goal after being a blow, Langan screamer over the bar second half,and the ref seemed lost on the foul on McGrath with having given an advantage, he didn`t know what to do. No advantage accrued, yet he didn`t give the free. Looked to me that not being sure if it was a penalty for the later foul on McGrath he bottled it.
Didn`t feel the ref had a bad day overall, but Dublin did seem to win frees in good scoring positions a lot handier than we did.
The two Dublin goals were the difference. The first Scully should have been walloped on about three occasions before he shot, the second we just fell asleep at the back. That said, after than 2nd goal the heads did not drop and we knock over the next 4 points. I didn`t think Mulligan contributed much and perhaps Stephen McBrearty should have been brought in earlier. Good strong running from him I felt for the time he had, and McLoones two frees he won from doing the same might have caused Dublin problems. May have ben worth leaving Murphy in at full after we brought it back to 4 as Dublin did not look comfortable under a high ball in. McNiallais unfortunately continues to frustrate. All the talent in the world, but games seem to just pass him by.
Not to be ignored either imho, Dublin had a full pick, we were missing Paddy!
For me this year winning Ulster and getting to the Super 8`s was the prize, so not overly disappointed as this team has come on leaps and bounds in that time. Plus this series of games will bring them on more for the future.
So cheer up folks. We more or less knew last week it would most likely come down to our home game, so good backing in the Hyde Saturday and the same in Ballybofey and we can still make the semi`s.
Other than mid-field I thought we competed well with them. O`Callaghan and Mannion kept scoreless with Kilkenny only getting a point for any team would be a good days work

Reading a few comments here and there I'm not sure exactly what some were expecting, I do think perspective is needed though. This is the same young team that suffered two demoralising defeats in 2017 and less than a year on from the Galway match most of them (plus additional newcomers) are making their first Championship start in Croke Park, against Dublin no less.

I think the game itself was competitive for most of the first half. Donegal came back into it, despite where the wayward kickouts left us, and led three times until Scully scored his first goal. Dublin controlled the second half though, and were comfortable even with Donegal doing well to keep them within a couple of scores.

For what it's worth you could see Ryan McHugh among others shouting at teammates to push forward when Dublin were recycling the ball. Bonner was reportedly pretty animated while addressing the team after the game as well.

Donegalroyal wrote: »

Ultimately the kick outs decided the game, Dublin won 33, Donegal 17 of the 50 kickouts. A hard learning curve for the whole team not just Patton.

Sunday game analysis was very good, where they showed Dublin not going man to man, but marking zones almost daring Patton to kick it to a spare man, but, in the time ball was in air, Dublin player was attacking it against our man standing waiting for it.

Hope to see Murphy stationed at full forward on Saturday evening after seeing the demolition job Richie Donnelly did on Roscommon full back line. He was the focal point of most attacks. Need runners from half forward as well so maybe cian Mulligan and Ryan McHugh both in half forward line.

Is Nathan Mullins fit? Could be a good attacking midfield option instead of Murphy for Saturday.

Too much being made of the kick outs. I thought Patton actually did as well as could be expected given that Dublin are absolutely exceptional in their press and it was his first time against it.

Interestingly, if you compare the kickouts in the 2014 semi final and last Saturday - the percentages are practically the same. 39% of Donegal kick outs went to Dublin in 2014 (40% on Saturday) that doesn’t mean Pappa malfunctioned in 2014.

The main thing for me was his flight and pace of his kicking was still really good, just that Dublin work feriously hard to intercept and hassle once the ball is released. The clip of Jack Mac is a good one, that’s a really good ball from Patton but the Dublin player was far, far hungrier.

Keep saying it too but Cluxton was absolutely exceptional on Saturday again.

Donegalroyal wrote:

Is Nathan Mullins fit? Could be a good attacking midfield option instead of Murphy for Saturday.

Considering he wasn't even in the squad on Saturday, I very much doubt we will see him again this year. If McElhinney was fit, would nearly throw him in.

But I also think the idea that we will see Michael in around the square for any extended period of time on Saturday is delusional, no matter how much more it now makes sense given the injury to Paddy, and yes, the way Richard Donnelly had his way with Roscommon last weekend.

For whatever reason, for some time now, he has a free role, one where he spends most of his time outside the opposition 45. Sometimes, this works well. Others, you really wonder what is going on.

Redsoxfan wrote: »

Considering he wasn't even in the squad on Saturday, I very much doubt we will see him again this year. If McElhinney was fit, would nearly throw him in.

But I also think the idea that we will see Michael in around the square for any extended period of time on Saturday is delusional, no matter how much more it now makes sense given the injury to Paddy, and yes, the way Richard Donnelly had his way with Roscommon last weekend.

For whatever reason, for some time now, he has a free role, one where he spends most of his time outside the opposition 45. Sometimes, this works well. Others, you really wonder what is going on.

From watching a recording of the Connacht final it seemed to me that in the second half when Galway pushed up physically they bullied Roscommon out of it in mid-field. On that alone I cannot see Murphy being far away from midfield Saturday.

The other thing about the kickouts was that, particularly in the first half, more of their scores came from frees and close in while our scores and wides were from long range. This made it easier for them to apply pressure to our kick outs.

I thought Parton did okay in any case and hopefully will learn from it.

I think Murphy may spend time in at full forward on Saturday. As Roscommon don't have a strong midfield, hopefully we can win enough primary possession without him.

Any word on a new Cisteoir yet?

And I wonder if the games are all sell outs this weekend