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Donegal GAA thread

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I assumed before the S/Fs that if it was Donegal v Tyrone it would be Celtic Park and if it was Donegal v Derry it would be Omagh.Frankly I would have preferred they tossed a coin for Ballybofey or Omagh.I would rather play them in Omagh than the other venues ie Enniskillen ,Derry and more particularly Owenbeg although on reflection with the new dual carriageway it will be quick enough from Innishowen and North Donegal in general.

gunman (Donegal) - Posts: 1143 - 25/04/2025 14:34:01    2604233

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Replying To totalrecall:  "Rumours abound Tyrone had a big input to choice of venue..."
Ah now. Doubt it very much. It depends what part in donegal you live. Owen beg suits alot of people too.

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2604 - 25/04/2025 14:42:31    2604234

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Replying To panamasam:  "Who knows but it's a baffling choice. Takes me between roughly an hour and a half to Brewster maybe a little longer where Owenbeg is 3 and a half to 4 hours on a Wednesday night. The GAA and the various councils have treated the underage competitions poorly. Much missed are the days when the minor game would open for the senior game. If it wasn't for TG4 they'd be off the radar all together. To compound they insist you buy tickets online which is another turn off and one of the reasons attendances are way down across the board."
Do you walk to the games?

Maguiresman (Fermanagh) - Posts: 12 - 25/04/2025 15:59:10    2604248

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Replying To Maguiresman:  "Do you walk to the games?"
I was beginning to wonder myself. I can go to Dublin from west Donegal in less than 3 and a half hours.

Scenicparish (Donegal) - Posts: 461 - 25/04/2025 16:20:41    2604254

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Replying To panamasam:  "Who knows but it's a baffling choice. Takes me between roughly an hour and a half to Brewster maybe a little longer where Owenbeg is 3 and a half to 4 hours on a Wednesday night. The GAA and the various councils have treated the underage competitions poorly. Much missed are the days when the minor game would open for the senior game. If it wasn't for TG4 they'd be off the radar all together. To compound they insist you buy tickets online which is another turn off and one of the reasons attendances are way down across the board."
3.5-4 hours on a Wednesday night! I take it that is for the round trip?

I heard from a Tyrone fan that the Derry v Tyrone match was listed as a sold out for online tickets, but they were accepting cash at the gate and there was still a lot of empty seats in the stand at Owenbeg. Not sure why that happened.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1332 - 25/04/2025 16:59:43    2604262

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I think our friend lives well down the country hence why he favoured Enniskillen as a venue.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9730 - 25/04/2025 17:10:33    2604264

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Replying To panamasam:  "Who knows but it's a baffling choice. Takes me between roughly an hour and a half to Brewster maybe a little longer where Owenbeg is 3 and a half to 4 hours on a Wednesday night. The GAA and the various councils have treated the underage competitions poorly. Much missed are the days when the minor game would open for the senior game. If it wasn't for TG4 they'd be off the radar all together. To compound they insist you buy tickets online which is another turn off and one of the reasons attendances are way down across the board."
Owenbeg/Dungiven or Brewster Park/Enniskillen are roughly about the same travel times in opposite directions for people based in Dungloe (~1 hour 45 mins) or Ballybofey (~1 hour 10 mins) across the middle of Donegal.

So if recent big away games were in Brewster Park, its probably fair for this to be in Owenbeg, as it will mean less travel for fans in the Northern Half of the County this time.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1332 - 25/04/2025 17:11:16    2604265

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Replying To Commodore:  "3.5-4 hours on a Wednesday night! I take it that is for the round trip?

I heard from a Tyrone fan that the Derry v Tyrone match was listed as a sold out for online tickets, but they were accepting cash at the gate and there was still a lot of empty seats in the stand at Owenbeg. Not sure why that happened."
No that is one way Commodore as I'm based down the country. Enniskillen on the other hand would be a around that round trip. From Gweedore, Falcarragh etc Owenbeg anywhere between 10-15 km closer and around 15 mins in terms of time (without traffic). From Dungloe it's pretty much the same for both around 115 km and roughly 1 hour 45 minutes. Ballybofey around 65 km from both and just over an hour. Letterkenny it's 80 km to Enniskillen and roughly 65 km to Owenbeg with 25 mins less travel time. From Glenties, south west Donegal and Donegal town Enniskillen closer (Kilcar 130 km and 2 hours to Owenbeg and around 98 km and 90 mins to Enniskillen). Enniskillen much more convenient to anyone travelling from Donegal town and south of the county. The same for those travelling from Leitrim or Sligo or around the midlands. Not sure with Dublin as I don't know the roads to either. So yeah thinking of myself and maybe a couple of others too. Though I think the point about the condition of the pitch in Enniskillen is a valid one. It looked like it was cutting up last Saturday and we had games called off there recently enough. The paying at the gate is an outlier especially down the country. I went to a Leinster senior county game last year which was online only or buy in a Centra which was a mission in itself. There was only one option regarding a ticket (€25) and no more than 500-1000 people there in Portlaois. When you buy online and have any query the selling platform pass you onto the seller in these cases whichever provincial council but you cannot message them without an account even though you can buy a ticket without.

panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2849 - 25/04/2025 18:01:44    2604276

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Replying To Scenicparish:  "I was beginning to wonder myself. I can go to Dublin from west Donegal in less than 3 and a half hours."
Dealing with much different roads. Many of the provincial roads in the north are narrow with lots of turns not accounting for farm machinery.

panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2849 - 25/04/2025 18:05:06    2604279

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Replying To Maguiresman:  "Do you walk to the games?"
Not every Donegal supporter lives in Donegal.

themaddog (Wicklow) - Posts: 142 - 25/04/2025 18:11:02    2604280

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Enniskillen would definitely be much handier for the vast majority of Tyrone supporters.

gunman (Donegal) - Posts: 1143 - 25/04/2025 19:11:01    2604286

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If you're chatting outside of the county that's a pandora's box, what about Donegal people living in Antrim's Glen's? Owenbeg is handier for them. Enniskillen or Owenbeg is as much a muchness for both, Inishowen Owenbeg is handoer, West Donegal or the Finn Valley area one is as handy as the other. For those in the South or South West its Enniskillen. As for Tyrone people, Owenbeg is much handier for those in East Tyrone, the Loughshore area or North Tyrone. Those in Mid and West Tyrone its as much a muchness and those in the South Enniskillen is obviously easier.

Maguiresman (Fermanagh) - Posts: 12 - 25/04/2025 19:41:30    2604290

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