Donegal GAA Discussion Thread

Not having a go but you said your team didn't flop like Cork did in the hurling ? Kerry beat yous by 10 points? If that's not a flops then I don't know what is to be fair but I won't say no more.

In fairness, 3-14 to 0-2 in a second half is many times more a 'flop' than what happened Donegal yesterday.

Jim flopped as well unfortunately . He left Paudie Cliiford free for the whole game and nobody marking him. Clifford had a field day. Jim is a big instigator for fitness but Kerry looked a level above Donegal yesterday as well with fitness. Poor tactics and Jim looked nervous before the start. For a guy that thrives on sport psychology he made a poor stab at it yesterday and looked nervous. He was destroyed all over the field and Kerry should have won by more. Very unDonegallike performance.

The origins of yesterday's performance could be found in the first half of each of the previous three games against Louth, Monaghan and Mayo. Poor starts and allowing the opposition to dictate play and get 2 pointer attempts on goals. Kerry took full advantage yesterday. Equally Kerry playing against two better opponents in the quarter and semi-finals stood them well. Donegal's lack of All-Ireland final experience was evident. Even during the warm-up the players looked very edgy. They were on the back foot from the start.

I dont think Donegal.lost because McHugh, and Thompson, went off.

I know. I just meant that I think that with the form that Kerry were in, that Donegal needed almost everything to go right for them in the game. Getting injuries like that is a big set back, especially Thompson fairly early in the game.

And then if I recall correctly, ye missed a fair few point attempts with approx 15 mins to go. Couldn't get it below that 4 point lead. If it had come down to 2 points, it would have made the opposition a little more nervous and could have made it more interesting. But it didn't happen, so it is all theoretical.

I would counter that Gallen has had a bit of a stinker of a year. Granted, he was returning from injury early in the season but he seems to be now consistently hesitating in positions where he would have taken a shot before. Paddy is done, as is Jamie sadly. We've a serious forwards problem in the county. Lads who can win 1-on-1 ball, beat their defender and consistently score.

I believe the sum of our parts were good enough to beat Kerry in the final, but the difference was Kerry had leaders all over the field who took the game to us. Bar Murphy and COD, we lacked players with that grit on the field. I'd imagine that's why Jim gave Langan the vice captaincy, to try and get the most out of him, when there are matches that he can disappear into the background when he has the potential to be immense, and a game changer. He reminds me a little of MacNiallais in that sense. Buckets of ability, but questionable consistency in workrate.

I said a few games into Murphy's return that we'll get a second season out of this fella and I still think we'll see him next year. Ryan has had a fairly desperate season, he looks like a lad who just doesn't want to be there and the performance up until his injury in the final was surprising, as he admitted in the buildup to a poor performance in the '14 final, and thought I'd see something from him that was missing all year.

I feel as a squad we'd be better without McHugh, McBrearty and Brennan next year which sounds harsh given their stellar service to the county, and to try and fill those gaps with the best alternatives available in the club scene or development squad, and to bench Oisin if he's not putting up and/or creating enough scores. I've serious doubts over whether Dara O B is cutout for a team with all-ireland ambitions either. A ridiculous threat when firing, but lacking in any consistency.

I feel Niall O Donnell could be pivotal for us next year if we can keep him injury free, as he seems to have the big game attitude that some of our fellas lack. OMFF should be back at full tilt for the league, which should give us a second sticky defender, and add some menace to the backline. Another winter of training under Jim should reveal further gains for Moore and Roarty and if we can manage Jason's injuries that he's able to play full matches, we could be a dangerous animal next summer.

did he play both games that day or am I thinking of mcbrearty in 2011?

wrong thread lol

Given his history Fat Freddie has the potential to take Paidi Clifford out of the game.