Donegal GAA Discussion Thread

The Subliminal Verses · 03-03-2026 02:52PM

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LilNiall · 11-03-2026 11:16AM

Away to Roscommon on Sunday.

I assume a new away jersey will be worn. Any ideas of what this is for 2026?

charlie14 · 11-03-2026 01:12PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124303610#Comment_124303610

I`m not a fan of this change of jersey for anything other than when a new sponsor comes on board.

To me it`s nothing more than a grubby soccer like money-maker that puts pressure on supporters to buy because their kids want to keep up with their friends.

LilNiall · 11-03-2026 02:03PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124303914#Comment_124303914

Agreed but a way of the world these days.

New home jersey suggests a new away one for 2026 also. At least it's usually 2 year cycles for the jerseys which isnt bad.

charlie14 · 11-03-2026 02:56PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124304066#Comment_124304066

Unfortunately it is, but for me, other than for a change of sponsor, I do not see the need for it.

Not for an amateur association where it is expensive enough already for parents to bring kids to games without adding more pressure on them to buy them new jerseys every few years to support the county team on top of them supporting their local club.

harpsman · 14-03-2026 06:46PM

There’s no pressure on parents to buy new jerseys for kids. While peer pressure and keeping up with the jones’ doors exist, particularly with trainers, Stanley cups, phones etc no kid really gives a **** if their jersey isn’t the most o date. The fact is people get presents for birthdays, Christmas etc and a new jersey is often a good present to get them if they like sport. Also children grow out of clothes. Aside from that there’s no harm telling your child to cop on if finances are tight and they’re looking to replace a perfectly good jersey.

Redsoxfan · 15-03-2026 09:48AM

Bigger issue for kids is O'Donnell Park. Awful for young supporters.

sullyown617 · 15-03-2026 04:23PM

Poor enough performance from the team today.

Not sure why Stephen McMenamin is still in the team , find it strange he’s still getting picked. Sluggish and slow. Few others weren’t great either today.

babybuilder · 15-03-2026 04:39PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124314529#Comment_124314529

Ditto Bán Gallagher. Can't defend for his life. Doesn't get close. The team has coughed up numerous goal chances in every game. The transition play is wholly predictable with players head down soloing until they're forced to pass it. Mind numbing.

downthemiddle · 15-03-2026 06:01PM

One defeat, in monsoon like conditions, and the nonsense starts.

harpsman · 15-03-2026 07:13PM

When we reduced the lead from 11 to 4 within 9 minutes losing by 6 was not on my agenda!! Fair play to Roscommon they showed a lot of fight and bottle to come back at us. Thought we looked very leggy as the game went on. Allowed them to waltz past us into close range, whisht was worrying. Also can’t believe we let them get so many short kick outs away uncontested in the last quarter. We had the look of a team that had some heavy training done over the fortnight. Still should win next week and be in Croke park in 2. Looks like we have about 16 outfield players that are good enough. The others either aren’t good enough or not ready yet.

Bushwrangler · 15-03-2026 07:33PM

Murphy is past it.

Ceist_Beag · 15-03-2026 07:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124315219#Comment_124315219

Frame it on the dressing room wall Michael! Couple of new posters on today, both with valuable points to make of course...

charlie14 · 15-03-2026 09:32PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124315219#Comment_124315219

I`m sure the managers of whatever teams we come up against for the rest of the year will feel the same and look on it as a waste of time putting a marker on him.🤣

Redsoxfan · 15-03-2026 10:01PM

Very hard to take much from today's game given the conditions. The difference on the scoreboard was the 2 goals, which, if I am remembering correctly, stemmed from (1) Langan getting blocked on a point effort and (2) Conor O'Donnell shooting tamely into the keeper's hands. Concerning that Roscommon were able to break at such pace with little resistance. Against that, you had McCahill (?) shooting high instead of low in the 1st half and Jamie Brennan shooting wide when he should have scored, or, failing that, passed across to Mogan to shoot. Roscommon were good today, kinda backs to the wallstuff after losing to Dublin and facing a trip to Mayo in their last game, so no surprise that they were up for it. I did feel we looked off the pace in the 1st half, but, with the conditions, hard to read much into it.

I am struggling to remember a game played in worse conditions. Leitrim in Cloone many years ago, Mayo in Sligo…but for wind and hail, it was cat there today.

If we win against relegated Monaghan, we make the league final. If we don't, we likely don't unless Kerry lose to Armagh (possible).

Finbarr Roarty is some man for one man.

charlie14 · 15-03-2026 10:20PM

I was not that pushed tbh how today went. For me once you have assured your Div 1 status for the following year then it`s all about the championship. Management probably learned more today about their starters and panel for the championship losing than in the previous five league games. As far as winning a Div 1 title, it would be a cold day in hell before I would trade it for an Anglo-Celt.

Terrible condition in the Hyde today, and we let them get a run on us for 20 minutes of the first half. Not sure if that was playing against the wind or due to our kick-outs where they won so much ball during that time. Something I have no doubt Jim will be looking at with an eye as to who our keeper will be come championship. We were a bit patchy today, but we reeled them in well early in the second half and had our chances of going on and winning it. Had Jamie Brennan squared that ball to, I believe Mogan ?, rather than shoot lamely wide we likely would have. Hard to blame Brennan in a way as he has been on the bench for practically all the league and saw a chance of upping his claim for a championship starting spot. I doubt if Jim will be as forgiving though.

Unfortunate that their two goals appear to have come from two slight errors by Conor O`Donnell, but from the performances he has put in over last year and this so far, he has more than earned a pass.

Monaghan have nothing left to fight for in this league, but they are a proud lot and they never liked us much to start with so they would love to go out with a bang by beating us in front of their own. I didn`t see their game with Galway, but from what I heard they put it up to Galway in the first half, but again from what I heard Galway were poor enough in that half and seemed to run away with it in the second half.

Again not overly bothered about next weeks result other than I dislike Monaghan every bit as much as they dislike us.

downthemiddle · 18-03-2026 09:56PM

The 20s had to pull it out of the fire tonight. Surprisingly difficult for such a highly rated team.

charlie14 · 19-03-2026 04:07PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124322982#Comment_124322982

Trailed 1-05 to no score after 10 minutes and kicked 17 wides in Buncrana. Not disparaging Fermanagh, buy our lot will need to get their act together if they are hoping to have a say in this U 20 championship. They were without Roarty, but if the seniors are going to have a good run they are not going to see him back anyway.

Conor McCahill off injured early, but no idea how badly.

Redsoxfan · 22-03-2026 10:29AM

Looking at the team named I'm thinking we're not going to try too hard to win today.

downthemiddle · 22-03-2026 11:49PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124331687#Comment_124331687

Time for a rethink.

charlie14 · 23-03-2026 12:20PM

As the old cliche goes, now we are where we are. What that can do for us going forward I have no idea. I have already said how I view the league. In fairness though with the change this year there is more time between the league final and the start of the championship, and an extra run out in Croke Park is never a bad idea for newer players in a squad. If it was anybody other than Kerry I would be happy enough, but we are not going to be going into this final without trying to win it and to do that we are going to have to address the problems that Kerry gave us in last years All Ireland Final. The same problems they have been giving everyone else this year and nobody so far has shown they have any ideas as to how to crack. If things work out for us in the championship as we hope, then they are the one team we are practically guaranteed to meet at the latter end. They are not a team you will get two shots at beating twice using the same tactic and I would worry that this league final could leave them forewarned.

Just mt thoughts for what they are worth.

mjp · 23-03-2026 12:30PM

Are Oisin Gallen, Ciaran Moore and Daire o Baoill injured. Havent seen either of them in squad since Armagh game and light on attacking options if they not available. Would need to start murphy in croker if they not there which isnt ideal.

downthemiddle · 23-03-2026 12:57PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124334388#Comment_124334388

All injured.

Redsoxfan · 23-03-2026 11:51PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124333656#Comment_124333656

Not really.

downthemiddle · 24-03-2026 09:18AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124336013#Comment_124336013

So you genuinely believe that the team that played on Sunday weren’t trying too hard to win?

The Subliminal Verses · 24-03-2026 10:55AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124336325#Comment_124336325

They weren't, not one of them bothered their hole to tackle for the 3 Monaghan goals

charlie14 · 24-03-2026 11:34AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124336531#Comment_124336531

After the first 10 mins looking as if we could walk through them, we bought into the media hype that all we had to do for the two points was turn up and a lot of our lads switched off letting them back into it. They went to the dressing room at half time with a belief we were there for the taking. The sense in our dressing room I reckon must have been the same if we didn`t get our act together.

We brought on Shane O`Donnell and Ryan Mc Hugh for the second half and Finbarr Roarty half way through that half. Not exactly three players you would bring on if you didn`t want to win..

Ceist_Beag · 24-03-2026 02:16PM

No manager of any standing sends a team out not to win. No player takes to the pitch not wanting to win. As Charlie said, players can switch off or not be in the right mindset but that's a different story. McGuinness took the opportunity to give some more players gametime but to suggest he didn't want to win or wasn't bothered is just a lazy cliche and patently untrue. He's a winner. He might use the final as an opportunity to try one or two things with a mind to later in the year but again this should not be construed as somehow suggesting he doesn't want to win.

Redsoxfan · 24-03-2026 02:49PM

In case anyone is throwing shade at me, saying we are not trying too hard vs saying we are going out to lose are 2 very different things. I was there on Sunday and for most of the match it felt like we were in 2nd gear.

But whatever. I'd have hated to lose to Monaghan. And I'll be in Croke Park on Sunday hoping we win.

FullBack Jam · 25-03-2026 02:56PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124337136#Comment_124337136

Intercounty players don't go out and not try hard in any match. There is a large panel - maybe 25-30 players. If a player is not performing, he will get subbed, and is risking his position on the team. What player of any positive mindset would think like that?

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