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Donegal GAA thread

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Replying To peiledoir20:  "Sure what would a two time AI winner and 3 time All Star know?

He might not know who was missing but he knows how the game should be played and how it is played by the top teams. Playing possession football back to the keeper with a big wind is not the way it should be played."
I have to agree with Rorysboys on that one, while Colm isn't the worst of them, I found his opinion on Donegal to be a bit short sighted, like a general opinion of somebody who didn't look too closely at Donegal recently and just gives his vague opinion based on results last year in Championship.

RTE League Sunday punditry tends to be poor in general, like in recent weeks they acknowledged Donegal were missing 2 or 3 players, when in reality we were missing 7 or 8 first team key players.

We are missing most of our forwards and midfield, we are only scoring 10.6 points per game and conceding 12 points on average in this League campaign so far, which is to be expected with so many key attacking players unavailable or not fit. And I laugh at pundits who say they have "No Plan B", yet can't support it with clear examples.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1470 - 14/03/2022 16:10:26    2405422

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Replying To MurphBalls:  "Donegal have had their full quota available many times in the past 4 years and they still haven't got to a semi final. I'm not judging Bonner on the past 6 weeks. Enough is enough and there is no excuse for playing football the way Donegal are playing football. Donegal have the talent to win an All Ireland but unfortunately it's not going to happen with Bonner at the helm. I'd love it if he was bluffing the whole country with this kind of football and will play open expansive football come the summer but somehow I can't see it. The point is that the Monaghan poster asking the question why any of us would pay to see them play right now was well entitled to ask the question as I completely agree with him. It's disgusting to watch such talented and skilled footballers play the game in a way where skill becomes a redundant attribute to have unless you call hand passing the ball to your mate that's 6 feet away skill."
No your wrong Donegal have not had a full deck in big games. Tell me what big game we had a full deck. Loose talk again .

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2667 - 14/03/2022 16:53:48    2405437

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National punditry and coverage is usually way off the mark to be honest. We were a hyper defensive side no matter the performance for years after Jim, even in to Bonner's first year that tag followed us around. They finally started talking a bit differently in the 2nd year, we were acknowledged to be a young attacking side that was weak defensively. And now that weak defence narrative has stuck around even though it's the stronger part of our game at the minute. I even saw some "analysis" of the Ulster final loss to Cavan blaming our weak defence... Personally I find O'Rourke hard enough to listen to, sometimes he has good insight but oftentimes it's dated enough.

In reality the pundits are watching the game they are at and I doubt they put much more thought about the various counties and their tactics beyond the usual suspects, Dublin Kerry and Mayo. And I'm sure people from those counties would have complaints about lazy analysis as well.

I've more interest in following Donegal media about the team even though I would disagree with plenty that I read and hear on the radio, at least the people know who is on the panel and what the latest result and injuries are. It's a low bar but you don't really see many passing that bar nationally

JoeSoap (Donegal) - Posts: 1432 - 14/03/2022 17:12:46    2405446

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Replying To MurphBalls:  "Donegal have had their full quota available many times in the past 4 years and they still haven't got to a semi final. I'm not judging Bonner on the past 6 weeks. Enough is enough and there is no excuse for playing football the way Donegal are playing football. Donegal have the talent to win an All Ireland but unfortunately it's not going to happen with Bonner at the helm. I'd love it if he was bluffing the whole country with this kind of football and will play open expansive football come the summer but somehow I can't see it. The point is that the Monaghan poster asking the question why any of us would pay to see them play right now was well entitled to ask the question as I completely agree with him. It's disgusting to watch such talented and skilled footballers play the game in a way where skill becomes a redundant attribute to have unless you call hand passing the ball to your mate that's 6 feet away skill."
I think a big problem we have in Donegal is every club in the county is playing the same way as we see the county team playing. It's like players are programmed to play that way, must be hard for a county manager to change that even if he wanted to, when players come under pressure they revert to what they know, its how they're being coached from a you age. Just look at our senior club championship, it's painful to watch, football is dying in front of us.

greenfan (Donegal) - Posts: 741 - 14/03/2022 17:41:00    2405448

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Replying To Commodore:  "I have to agree with Rorysboys on that one, while Colm isn't the worst of them, I found his opinion on Donegal to be a bit short sighted, like a general opinion of somebody who didn't look too closely at Donegal recently and just gives his vague opinion based on results last year in Championship.

RTE League Sunday punditry tends to be poor in general, like in recent weeks they acknowledged Donegal were missing 2 or 3 players, when in reality we were missing 7 or 8 first team key players.

We are missing most of our forwards and midfield, we are only scoring 10.6 points per game and conceding 12 points on average in this League campaign so far, which is to be expected with so many key attacking players unavailable or not fit. And I laugh at pundits who say they have "No Plan B", yet can't support it with clear examples."
League Sunday is limited by time and that makes things more tricky too. I agree though about the vagueness point though it's not just rte league Sunday. I find most national media outlets to be very narrow in focus and knowledge. It's dublin first, then the obsession with all things kerry and thirdly mayo. A little on tyrone as all ireland champions, maybe armagh and their good form and crumbs for the rest. I suppose it must be what the listeners and audience want but you couldn't call it anyway broad or in depth coverage. And that's the lesser teams in division one.
There is zero chance of the Tailtean cup getting any national attention down the line.

It's not just plan b it's plan b, c and d that they need to have. I stopped listening when I hear that. As you say there are no examples just aul easy talk.

Ulsterchamps_32 (Donegal) - Posts: 943 - 14/03/2022 18:04:36    2405452

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Replying To Commodore:  "I have to agree with Rorysboys on that one, while Colm isn't the worst of them, I found his opinion on Donegal to be a bit short sighted, like a general opinion of somebody who didn't look too closely at Donegal recently and just gives his vague opinion based on results last year in Championship.

RTE League Sunday punditry tends to be poor in general, like in recent weeks they acknowledged Donegal were missing 2 or 3 players, when in reality we were missing 7 or 8 first team key players.

We are missing most of our forwards and midfield, we are only scoring 10.6 points per game and conceding 12 points on average in this League campaign so far, which is to be expected with so many key attacking players unavailable or not fit. And I laugh at pundits who say they have "No Plan B", yet can't support it with clear examples."
I agree about O'Rourke as a pundit, he's too lazy to do any research it seems but I wouldn't really pay much heed to what the likes of him say about us, we beat Meath plenty times maybe that's what's niggling him underneath, he has a lot of experience and is entitled to his opinion same as anyone else, but I wouldn't pay any heed to the likes of him regarding Ulster football in general even.
I agree you can't judge this team with so many key men out but as someone said we have had strong teams out for big matches over the last few years and still buckled under pressure,
we need a change of leadership/style but we are 6 weeks away from the Championship so we may all row in behind Declan and the team now and hope he can turn it around this year, he does deserve a better run of luck with injuries too and hopefully we get a better run at it this year.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3456 - 14/03/2022 19:35:31    2405461

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Replying To rorysboys:  "No your wrong Donegal have not had a full deck in big games. Tell me what big game we had a full deck. Loose talk again ."
What do you want? Donegal to ride the whole season with no injuries? When Donegal lost to Tyrone in McCumhaill Park in the Super 8s they were strong enough to get a result that day. Likewise against Mayo in Castlebar (Less McBrearty). Again, against Cavan in 2020 in the Ulster Final. Look there is no excuse for Declan Bonner anymore. Mayo made the AI final last year without Cillian O'Connor (Top scorer in the history of the game). Teams need to be able to adapt to losing players through injury and that's clearly something Declan Bonner and Donegal haven't been able to do.

Again RorysBoy you can make up all the excuses in the world but a lot of the people in this forum aren't stupid and fooled by your "Loyalty". The fact you're defending Bonner and the history he has had with managing this team should be a cause for concern for your love of Donegal football. We all want to see Donegal win All Irelands but a couple of All Irelands have passed this team by and I for one can't stand for settling for quarter finals when you have, in my opinion, the most talented Donegal team ever.

MurphBalls (Donegal) - Posts: 178 - 15/03/2022 09:46:29    2405485

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The most talented team ever is some claim. There are a lot of lads I like on this panel and with huge potential and talent without a doubt but in reality outside of Murphy (our greatest ever) how many would you take if creating an all-time Donegal 15.

JoeSoap (Donegal) - Posts: 1432 - 15/03/2022 10:39:16    2405496

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Replying To MurphBalls:  "What do you want? Donegal to ride the whole season with no injuries? When Donegal lost to Tyrone in McCumhaill Park in the Super 8s they were strong enough to get a result that day. Likewise against Mayo in Castlebar (Less McBrearty). Again, against Cavan in 2020 in the Ulster Final. Look there is no excuse for Declan Bonner anymore. Mayo made the AI final last year without Cillian O'Connor (Top scorer in the history of the game). Teams need to be able to adapt to losing players through injury and that's clearly something Declan Bonner and Donegal haven't been able to do.

Again RorysBoy you can make up all the excuses in the world but a lot of the people in this forum aren't stupid and fooled by your "Loyalty". The fact you're defending Bonner and the history he has had with managing this team should be a cause for concern for your love of Donegal football. We all want to see Donegal win All Irelands but a couple of All Irelands have passed this team by and I for one can't stand for settling for quarter finals when you have, in my opinion, the most talented Donegal team ever."
Your totally wrong that day we lost to Tyrone Mc brearty was out with a cruciate and when the game was in the melting pot Mc niallas had to go off. That day in castlebar if my memory serves me right we started without a few plus p mc grath done his cruciate . As for the Cavan game we lost Mc menamin. Thompson gallen and Mc grath before the game so don't lecture me on made up stories. For Donegal to win an all Ireland we need everybody just like Mc Guinness had in 2012. If you think otherwise it doesn't say much for your knowledge of football. Every team gets injuries you can get one or two especially if there not the real star players but the volume of injuries were getting it will be an achievement to stay in division 1. Fact not fiction . What difference would you have made to the personnel on Sunday. Give me an answer you probably don't have one

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2667 - 15/03/2022 10:41:41    2405498

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Replying To JoeSoap:  "The most talented team ever is some claim. There are a lot of lads I like on this panel and with huge potential and talent without a doubt but in reality outside of Murphy (our greatest ever) how many would you take if creating an all-time Donegal 15."
Most talented team my god that takes the biscuit. It's about time we start showing it and stop blaming management and every other excuse. Bonner and rochford can't kick it over the bar for them and that's no slight on the players who I admire for the amount of enjoyment they gave us. There's a few supporters in this county who have lost the run of themselves one said last week that we have the most talented squad in the country. That's what we're up against. The real genuine supporter are not easily fooled but . Another poster doesn't go to games because he doesn't like how we play. Ha

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2667 - 15/03/2022 11:09:40    2405507

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Where I agree with Rory in some aspects, I also agree with other posters. We have problems that need to be addressed. And while some might find this post negative, I am still optimistic of a long summer ahead.

We have a seriously talented panel of footballers, and on their day could win an All Ireland. But we are now not getting the performances or the results that we would have ground out a couple of years ago. I believe that apart from the game plan issues, which nearly everyone acknowledges, we have also lost our grunt, our hard edge. It reminds me a bit of the pre McGuinness era, when we had men back in defensive positions, but they weren't defending. It appears we have men back now, shadowing, and pointing, but not actually pressing with the required level of aggression. I think that lack of aggression has also spread to our ball carrying. It's the type of aggression that you get from Mayo every day. Granted, we're missing some of our bigger units, and it's certainly not helping.

As somebody else mentioned, you'd be hoping that Bonner has an alternative game plan which he is keeping under wraps, but I'm not so sure he has. I remember seeing league games under Jim, and indeed he mentions it in his book, and which was especially the case in 2014 in Division 2, but you came away from those games seeing some wee thing that you knew was being worked on, let it be a specific kick out, and it was produced that summer.

As for the injuries, the ones we are picking up can't all be down to bad luck. Okay, Caolán McGonagle broke a bone in his hand, but with the others you'd have to question things. Jamie Brennan had an operation last summer, came back and played 20 minutes, off injured again. He came on Sunday with a knee bandage that Anthony Molloy and Rambo would've been proud of. I've heard rumours he's for the knife again this week. Michael Langan broke down in training again. Ciaran Thompson broke down again. Michael has been managing, but only just. Has Hughie broken down again? Niall O'Donnell? All these men have been out, came back, and are gone again.

In regard to the punditry, it's terrible. Lazy rhetoric - Contenders one week, also rans the next. As we have seen, there are huge question marks over the form of Ryan McHugh, yet he was on team of the week for a 5 minute cameo, in a game where he kicked 3 terrible wides. That sums up the media at the minute.

Final point, for what its worth; Patrick McBreartys movement and work rate are not good enough for him to be in the bracket of a top class forward. He needs to do more.

SouthOfTheGap (Donegal) - Posts: 878 - 15/03/2022 12:43:52    2405530

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Replying To rorysboys:  "Most talented team my god that takes the biscuit. It's about time we start showing it and stop blaming management and every other excuse. Bonner and rochford can't kick it over the bar for them and that's no slight on the players who I admire for the amount of enjoyment they gave us. There's a few supporters in this county who have lost the run of themselves one said last week that we have the most talented squad in the country. That's what we're up against. The real genuine supporter are not easily fooled but . Another poster doesn't go to games because he doesn't like how we play. Ha"
My knowledge of football? You're a clown - funny! Why do we even have management teams then if it's the players we should be blaming? Is the management only there to wipe murphy's **** when he needs a dump?

I'm not saying the majority of these players would make it on a Donegal All time 15 because they wouldn't. But talent doesn't always convert to success. Talent is something that needs nurturing and these players are very poorly nurtured. Hand passing the ball to your mate 6 foot away and sometimes going all the way back to Patton involves little skill. How many times do Donegal kick the ball?

Everyone should stop blaming management because the players are taking it upon themselves to pass the ball back and forth and put the majority of the Irish population to sleep?

You are on about Donegal as if they're the only team that gets injuries every year and every other team doesn't get any injuries. Every time has to deal with it every year. Ronaldo got injured in the Euro final in 2016 early on but guess what? They won! You can't use injuries as an excuse for not making it past the quarter final stage of the All Ireland. I would forgive Bonner if it was Leitrim and he was dealing with a few injuries but it's not it's Donegal, the third biggest county in Ireland. Your logic is so out of whack with reality that you are blaming the players. It just goes to show that you haven't a notion. I'd love to know if you actually even played football in the modern era not back in the 70s and 80s when it was lump the ball the direction you're facing.

MurphBalls (Donegal) - Posts: 178 - 15/03/2022 13:15:55    2405539

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Replying To rorysboys:  "Your totally wrong that day we lost to Tyrone Mc brearty was out with a cruciate and when the game was in the melting pot Mc niallas had to go off. That day in castlebar if my memory serves me right we started without a few plus p mc grath done his cruciate . As for the Cavan game we lost Mc menamin. Thompson gallen and Mc grath before the game so don't lecture me on made up stories. For Donegal to win an all Ireland we need everybody just like Mc Guinness had in 2012. If you think otherwise it doesn't say much for your knowledge of football. Every team gets injuries you can get one or two especially if there not the real star players but the volume of injuries were getting it will be an achievement to stay in division 1. Fact not fiction . What difference would you have made to the personnel on Sunday. Give me an answer you probably don't have one"
My point is we weren't decimated with injuries. Losing McMenamin against Cavan shouldn't have been an issue. P McGrath against Mayo should easily be replaced. We have enough talented forwards to fill the McBrearty void. My point is we should still be getting through games without having to depend on any one defender or forward. Jim McGuinness didn't even start McBrearty in the 2014 final. You adapt your team to fill voids. So don't lecture me on my knowledge of Donegal football because I'd be willing to bet I have more knowledge in my baby finger than you do in your head the way you're going on there about Bonner is the be all of end all.

MurphBalls (Donegal) - Posts: 178 - 15/03/2022 13:30:39    2405549

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Replying To greenfan:  "I think a big problem we have in Donegal is every club in the county is playing the same way as we see the county team playing. It's like players are programmed to play that way, must be hard for a county manager to change that even if he wanted to, when players come under pressure they revert to what they know, its how they're being coached from a you age. Just look at our senior club championship, it's painful to watch, football is dying in front of us."
It's hard to disagree about the point about club football and players being comfortable with a type of play. Though up until this years league there was little evidence that Bonner wanted to play such conservative football.

So far this years league has had a disappointing enough quality across the board. February through early march is not a good time to be playing football mind.

Brendan Devenney is a good man to call our the negative/safety first tactics. He also does it without slagging people and that's quite refreshing. He had Peter Canavan on last night who didn't diasgree about the way football is played though he seems to think it needs rule changes with a certain number of players having to be in one half of the field. If that works the great because something has to give. I mentioned this before but I'd ban a player passing to his keeper (except frees and line balls). That would encourage the full court press even more and then they forces the attacking teams to go forward more when contronted with the press.

I do hope Devenney keeps pushing this point as well and maybe push it within his own club. They are county champions with a load of talented footballers and have a chance to push things on in a more progressive manner this year. I hope Regan move away from it in NC as well. They did for example target the kilcar with long kicks to the FB line and maybe could work on kicks inside even more to their big men like McGuinness, byrne and Gallagher and make more use of the forward mark.

Ulsterchamps_32 (Donegal) - Posts: 943 - 15/03/2022 13:31:53    2405551

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Replying To MurphBalls:  "My knowledge of football? You're a clown - funny! Why do we even have management teams then if it's the players we should be blaming? Is the management only there to wipe murphy's **** when he needs a dump?

I'm not saying the majority of these players would make it on a Donegal All time 15 because they wouldn't. But talent doesn't always convert to success. Talent is something that needs nurturing and these players are very poorly nurtured. Hand passing the ball to your mate 6 foot away and sometimes going all the way back to Patton involves little skill. How many times do Donegal kick the ball?

Everyone should stop blaming management because the players are taking it upon themselves to pass the ball back and forth and put the majority of the Irish population to sleep?

You are on about Donegal as if they're the only team that gets injuries every year and every other team doesn't get any injuries. Every time has to deal with it every year. Ronaldo got injured in the Euro final in 2016 early on but guess what? They won! You can't use injuries as an excuse for not making it past the quarter final stage of the All Ireland. I would forgive Bonner if it was Leitrim and he was dealing with a few injuries but it's not it's Donegal, the third biggest county in Ireland. Your logic is so out of whack with reality that you are blaming the players. It just goes to show that you haven't a notion. I'd love to know if you actually even played football in the modern era not back in the 70s and 80s when it was lump the ball the direction you're facing."
Cool the jets if Donegal win an all Ireland the players would be lauded so they can be criticised too. Not that I would do that I'm just proving a point . Not fair blaming management for everything. Finally for your information Donegal is not the third biggest county in Ireland another false fact. Ha

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2667 - 15/03/2022 13:36:42    2405555

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Donegal has won 2 all irelands in over 100 years. They're damned hard to win. Anyone that thinks the current team could have won 2 in the last few years is deluded. Even Jim Mcguinness could only manage to win one all ireland with a far stronger group of players, including Murphy in his prime.

greenfan (Donegal) - Posts: 741 - 15/03/2022 14:02:53    2405558

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This thread is getting very childish, fellas ending their comments with 'Ha! ' and calling other people fools, for the love of God grow up or else go outside and play with your toys for a while. Maybe you have a wee Declan Bonner doll you could play with?
Just thinking about this craic of passing back to the keeper I rem the time they banned it in soccer because of all the negative play and time wasting in that game, might be time to have a similar ban in Gaelic football, drives me mad when we have a free out around the half way line and fella taking it does a 360 and kicks it back to Patton, what in God's name is wrong with their heads?
Looks like we'll need to play a strong team and have to beat Armagh in the last game to stay up which isn't ideal seeing as we have to play them in Championship soon after, if we had manged to beat Monaghan it would have all been a lot handier.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3456 - 15/03/2022 14:08:10    2405559

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Replying To rorysboys:  "Cool the jets if Donegal win an all Ireland the players would be lauded so they can be criticised too. Not that I would do that I'm just proving a point . Not fair blaming management for everything. Finally for your information Donegal is not the third biggest county in Ireland another false fact. Ha"
Donegal has the 12th biggest population in Ireland.IIf that is the criteria then we are surely in the top 12 football teams.

gunman (Donegal) - Posts: 1196 - 15/03/2022 14:09:07    2405561

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Replying To Tirchonaill1:  "This thread is getting very childish, fellas ending their comments with 'Ha! ' and calling other people fools, for the love of God grow up or else go outside and play with your toys for a while. Maybe you have a wee Declan Bonner doll you could play with?
Just thinking about this craic of passing back to the keeper I rem the time they banned it in soccer because of all the negative play and time wasting in that game, might be time to have a similar ban in Gaelic football, drives me mad when we have a free out around the half way line and fella taking it does a 360 and kicks it back to Patton, what in God's name is wrong with their heads?
Looks like we'll need to play a strong team and have to beat Armagh in the last game to stay up which isn't ideal seeing as we have to play them in Championship soon after, if we had manged to beat Monaghan it would have all been a lot handier."
Maybe it's you that should grow up. You and your childish rants at management.. we're all Donegal people who want Donegal to do well. I'm just sick listening to some of the silly talk that I read. Face the facts and judge the team and management when we get something resembling a full team..

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2667 - 15/03/2022 15:03:51    2405576

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Replying To MurphBalls:  "My point is we weren't decimated with injuries. Losing McMenamin against Cavan shouldn't have been an issue. P McGrath against Mayo should easily be replaced. We have enough talented forwards to fill the McBrearty void. My point is we should still be getting through games without having to depend on any one defender or forward. Jim McGuinness didn't even start McBrearty in the 2014 final. You adapt your team to fill voids. So don't lecture me on my knowledge of Donegal football because I'd be willing to bet I have more knowledge in my baby finger than you do in your head the way you're going on there about Bonner is the be all of end all."
Get real lad for a man that knows so much about football it's about time you talked a bit of sense. Eoin ban was missing for that mayo game too. Il put it out here now if the present management had any luck with injuries we wudnt be talking so negative about them.. I need to watch my words here a lot of tetchy people about. It still won't stop me from having an opinion. So get used to it

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2667 - 15/03/2022 15:19:26    2405578

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