Donegal GAA Discussion Thread

topdecko · 13-06-2026 08:48PM

Didn't see that . I wonder if there will be any issue with Murphy challenge. Think he hit yer man a good blow - got yellow so they probs won't review but he needs to be careful. Bizarre performance today after the ball retention and scoring efficiency vs Kerry. No 2 point attempts vs 6 six pointers from Cork and a few wide attempts on their part as well. Comical defending by Patton at times and we could/should have conceded a goal or two.

Hard to see us going very far after that performance today and the Down game. Will be interesting but no confidence anymore - poor performance for first game back in MacCumhaill Park with a packed crowd and about 20 people from Cork.

downthemiddle · 13-06-2026 10:26PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124548874#Comment_124548874

He should face charges. It was an absolute disgrace.

thebronze14 · 14-06-2026 10:52AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124548874#Comment_124548874

Agreed with his behavior but life ban is a bit much. Defo a suspension of some sort though. Embarrassing stuff

downthemiddle · 14-06-2026 06:07PM

Championship wouldn’t be the same without a game against Monaghan

thebronze14 · 14-06-2026 07:29PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124550669#Comment_124550669

Monaghan donegal
Armagh Meath
Westmeath Kerry
Dublin Mayo

downthemiddle · 14-06-2026 08:05PM

I've just watched the highlights, and it has confirmed what I thought at the game. Two of Sherlock's two pointers, and probably a third, were kicked from inside the arc.

babybuilder · 14-06-2026 11:25PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124550914#Comment_124550914

Yes I saw that, at least one of them was nearly a yard inside when he connected with the ball. Very poor officiating. But Donegal didn't attempt any so only themselves to blame.

Murphy14 · 15-06-2026 09:16AM

Away To Dublin next weekend possibly Parnell Park ?

tanko · 15-06-2026 10:46AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124551775#Comment_124551775

Why not Croke park??

RoyalCelt · 15-06-2026 01:02PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124551965#Comment_124551965

Not deemed an advantage anymore?

Murphy14 · 15-06-2026 05:21PM

Donegal V Dublin confirmed 1.15pm on Sunday Croke Park

Redsoxfan · 15-06-2026 05:27PM

And live on RTE.

Redsoxfan · 19-06-2026 07:45PM

Thompson named in the squad for Sunday. Hopefully sees some game time.

babybuilder · 21-06-2026 01:54PM

31 minutes gone and absolutely shite defense. Dublin direct, Donegal over and back. Writing on the wall. Garbage so far from Donegal to be honest.

babybuilder · 21-06-2026 01:55PM

Goal from mogan, really needed

retalivity · 21-06-2026 01:59PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124568160#Comment_124568160

definitely.

Dubs there for the taking, a solid 10-15 mins needed to put daylight between the 2 teams

retalivity · 21-06-2026 03:38PM

Dismal stuff

henke · 21-06-2026 03:43PM

Hard to know what has happened this team. Feels like last year was the opportunity. Very poor again today. I wonder has the Jim bubble burst and will he go again. It’s hard to see it right now.

babybuilder · 21-06-2026 04:10PM

Poor defending today, credit to Dublin, far more direct and better forwards. Donegal style of play requires huge energy levels in each game. Nearly impossible to do this week in. High water mark was reached last year. Huge concern here regarding the orthodoxy/style of football at every level in the county. The end of the road for Murphy, a great servant for Donegal football.

topdecko · 21-06-2026 07:36PM

Poor show today. players look wrecked. would say a few of them will hang up boots now. Could be lean few years ahead. We don't have much of production line if we parachute Thompson back in for his first minutes of the year after recovering from ACL when we are getting pasted by the Dubs in Croke Park. Reflects lack of depth in squad. Disappointing year - wonder if Jim will go now. Big decisions coming up

NIMAN · 21-06-2026 07:43PM

I don't see any more progress under McGuinness.

rrs · 21-06-2026 07:51PM

Oisin Gallen was very poor. Talanted player but not consistent. Though Donegal always going through the hands must be frustrating for a inside player. Should be kicking more with new rules.

babybuilder · 21-06-2026 08:02PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569165#Comment_124569165

During Jim's second stint we've won two Ulster's and one national league title. One could argue this is a good return with a limited panel of players. The team came up short against Galway in 2024 semifinal with Kerry knocked out. I think this was the year we could have done it. Last year Kerry were too good and man for man were and are a better team squad of players. Furthermore, the team has peaked too early this year. Look at Monaghan and how they have primed their team at the right time.

We have to have a serious look at the types of footballers we're producing in the county. We're perennially coming up short at underage level. Virtually all our coaches are McGuinness clones. The so called running game is not conducive to a nine or ten game championship campaign over such a short space of time. People need to be reminded that we won in 2012 because of two long kick passes into the forward line. While Jim's motivational management has given us this recent excitement the senior team needs a lot more seasoned players. A few more defenders would be a start.

henke · 21-06-2026 08:03PM

Hard to be too critical of Jim given the level of success he has had with Donegal but you have to wonder is this way of playing has a shelf life. Striking similarities to championship in year 3 of his first spell where you could say they lacked the energy of the previous year and were well beaten.

topdecko · 21-06-2026 08:10PM

Have to kick 2 pointers. That is the game nowadays and we had none in first half and 2 from play i think second half - O'Donnell and Jason McGee. Not sure how to square that one with League final where the were knocking them over for fun.

Against Cork they kicked 6 from 10 attempts and we tried 2 including a Langan effort which was a hail mary with 2 mins left from standing position. We got zero two pointers from play that game. Hopefully club football will focus on kicking aspect of the game and we can gradually wean ourselves off obsession with handpassing. Turned the ball over so many times today with poor handpasses to men running into trouble or hospital passes into traffic.

Been a great few years all the same

babybuilder · 21-06-2026 08:43PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569250#Comment_124569250

Another characteristic of our game is the tendency to hand pass only when it's the last option or challenged by an opponent.

Triboro · 22-06-2026 08:18AM

Was Patton not fit to play yesterday or just overlooked?

harpsman · 22-06-2026 08:31AM

The morning after the night before😥. Hard to explain what’s happened this team. Beaten comprehensively, in different ways, by 3 teams who probably aren’t even in the top 8 teams. We looked a lot less than the sum of our parts in last 2 games. I wasn’t too worried by the Down game because I thought they might have been prioritising the all Ireland series over ulster and aiming to peak in June and July that certainly didn’t happen. I see Jim complaining about playing 2 weeks in a row but that’s a bit of a lame excuse. We had 3 weeks before Down, then 4 before Kerry and another 3 weeks before Cork game. They’ve had plenty of time to rest train and prepare.
Today we looked unprepared in every aspect of the game. On our kick outs everyone is standing still and unless the opposition switch off and leave a man free the only way we’re winning it is a very risky short one or a brilliant fetch by one of the big men. We’re not even winning any breaks off kick outs. All our opponents seem to be getting far more handy short/medium ones away to a free man.
Defensively Dublin players were breezing past us with ease and attacking with much more energy whereas we were just aimlessly hand passing with no energy or, compared to the league when it was the opposite.
Also we have to build a 2 point strategy into our game. If you attempt 10 and even kick 4 of them that’s 8 points from 10 attacks which is better than we’re getting at the moment. We certainly have enough players who can kick them.
On this what’s the crack with Shane O Donnell? In every game he’s turning down kicks from 30 yards but when he had a free shot on an advantage yesterday he knocked over a 2 pointer with plenty to spare.
Westmeath Louth and even Cavan made this Dublin team look very ordinary but yesterday even with us getting some lucky breaks we couldn’t get going against them.
Oisin was awful when he came on. Not sure what the story was with himself and Ryan. I think unfortunately he’s a bit physically and mentally fragile at this level and doesn’t seem to have the confidence to demand the ball and take on a shot the way McBrearty would be.
Bit of soul searching for Jim to do. Obviously he owes us nothing but must be a concern how badly we’ve failed this championship. I’d still back him to stay on and prove the doubters wrong.

robbiezero · 22-06-2026 08:54AM

Thought Langan got very tired towards end of normal time and in extra time and Donegal really struggled in attack with him being neutralized.

He is such a class footballer, when he is not scoring himself, he is drawing players to him and putting others through.

Ceist_Beag · 22-06-2026 08:57AM

Very disappointing display yesterday. We could still have won but we're not at the level needed to go further even if we did get over this one. There were lots of issues yesterday. The most obvious one was the kickouts. Not just the lack of any plan for them, but also the lack of competition for the breaking ball. Dublin came away with the vast majority of these. As others said, the energy levels weren't there but they also looked mentally tired as there were a lot of bad decisions made by the players. There are a number of players who are out of form. Whether that is through tiredness or if they are carrying slight knocks it's hard to know. But Conor O'Donnell, Oisin Gallen, Ryan McHugh, Caolan McGonagle, none of them played well yesterday and some haven't played well for a while. Even the likes of Finbarr and Mogan didn't have a great game yesterday. We really relied on Jason McGee and Michael Langan to do a lot of the heavy lifting. Agree about Shane O'Donnell. I said to our lad in the first half when Shane had an easy scoring opportunity, he won't take it on, wait and see. Sure enough he recycled the ball. Then as Harpsman said, in the second half, knowing we had a free anyway, he bombs over a superb two pointer. Is it confidence?

It's a sad end to a year that looked so promising. Hopefully Jim will take a bit of time before making any decisions on next year. One trophy each year is still a good return so as far as I'm concerned it's his gig if he wants another year.

Donegal GAA Discussion Thread

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