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Donegal GAA thread

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Replying To gunman:  "The general opinion on this forum is that O'Rourke and Bradley are no good.Given all that has gone on in the background what would it take for the opinion of them to change.What would be regarded as a good season for Donegal now."
That is a great question but so difficult to answer. At the start of the season I was hoping we could survive in Div one, have a decent run in Ulster and get to the All-Ireland quarter finals. Now I'm not sure what to expect, we are going to struggle to beat Down and if players head to the US then it's difficult to see us competing successfully in the All Ireland qualifiers. I know posters having been picking their preferred first 15 but even that is an impossible task as we don't know who is available for the Down game. This season feels like a total write off, it is just so disappointing.

Green_Gold (Donegal) - Posts: 1906 - 13/04/2023 11:02:45    2470741

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Replying To Green_Gold:  "That is a great question but so difficult to answer. At the start of the season I was hoping we could survive in Div one, have a decent run in Ulster and get to the All-Ireland quarter finals. Now I'm not sure what to expect, we are going to struggle to beat Down and if players head to the US then it's difficult to see us competing successfully in the All Ireland qualifiers. I know posters having been picking their preferred first 15 but even that is an impossible task as we don't know who is available for the Down game. This season feels like a total write off, it is just so disappointing."
Surely players will not head away before the serious part of the season starts.

gunman (Donegal) - Posts: 1148 - 13/04/2023 11:13:22    2470753

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Replying To CCFabu:  "did you not drive a heap of posters away with your constant holier than thou attitude, being Donegal's number 1 and greatest fan of course you know it all and take no prisoners and tell it like it is blah blah and whatever other platitude you love to say to pat yourself on the back

please rory as you are the main man, what should we do now, no use crying over spilt milk like so please give us all your wisdom for how we should think about future prospects of Donegal football, because you are never wrong of course"
Maybe I'm one of the very few talking sense on here. Few questions 1. Where's all the young talent bonner and rochford held back year. 2. Did we find defenders who can man mark and maybe even kick a score what good defenders usually do.. and 3. Where are the players this year who wudnt play for bonner. Answer these questions for me. Too many deluded people on this forum I'm afraid.. what we need is people like bonner to organise the academy in the hope of getting Lacey and Murphy back on board. True Donegal gaa people who want Donegal going well and will do anything to make it possible. Get Murphy in to manage next year even in a player capacity with an experienced coach with him to learn him the ropes maybe a Micky Moran type.. sad to be writing this year off before it starts.

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2613 - 13/04/2023 11:20:58    2470758

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Replying To gunman:  "The general opinion on this forum is that O'Rourke and Bradley are no good.Given all that has gone on in the background what would it take for the opinion of them to change.What would be regarded as a good season for Donegal now."
It would take a pretty dramatic turn of events for them to turn things around at this stage, not impossible, but highly unlikely. They have been heavily involved for months and we have shown nothing to be optimistic about.

I think more important than a few wins would be the development of a playing style that could eventually pay dividends. The opposite to the safety first, low scoring dross that we are becoming accustomed to. The standard of players and the potential of players coming through are outside of their control, but I think it is the playing style that we all need a little relief from. Someone mentioned trying our best players in different positions, try to get the best 15 players on the field and experiment with positions. Just take some chances and develop some sort of attacking structure.

I fear that our playing style has become so ingrained that it is going to take someone/something bigger than them to really change things. Culture takes time and vision to change.

ninety-two (Donegal) - Posts: 27 - 13/04/2023 11:53:11    2470771

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Usually the American season takes place in July and August and that's when the Co players head out. So they should be about for our 3 group games and probably the quarter final play off match that will immediately follow the group stages. Maybe they'll all be trying to play well to secure a good stay in The States!

SignTheContract (Donegal) - Posts: 197 - 13/04/2023 13:00:09    2470800

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It's 2031.
Are we still stuck with the same county executive?

ryan (Donegal) - Posts: 748 - 14/04/2023 11:39:42    2470963

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Replying To SignTheContract:  "Usually the American season takes place in July and August and that's when the Co players head out. So they should be about for our 3 group games and probably the quarter final play off match that will immediately follow the group stages. Maybe they'll all be trying to play well to secure a good stay in The States!"
Cut off is the 1st of July for players to sign for American clubs. All ireland QF's are first week of July so rules out top 8 teams from heading out.
Last year, QF's were in June so allowed Mayo, Armagh Donegal etc players to head over. Will not be as many big names going this year i guess.

honda15 (Longford) - Posts: 94 - 14/04/2023 11:46:36    2470965

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Replying To honda15:  "Cut off is the 1st of July for players to sign for American clubs. All ireland QF's are first week of July so rules out top 8 teams from heading out.
Last year, QF's were in June so allowed Mayo, Armagh Donegal etc players to head over. Will not be as many big names going this year i guess."
thought rules had changed this year meaning if you played championship or national league you are now ineligible to play in US, which is why Ryan mcHugh can go and play there this year.

totalrecall (Leitrim) - Posts: 1055 - 14/04/2023 16:39:15    2471004

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Replying To totalrecall:  "thought rules had changed this year meaning if you played championship or national league you are now ineligible to play in US, which is why Ryan mcHugh can go and play there this year."
McHugh will be popping up in New York

peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 1189 - 15/04/2023 15:44:16    2471082

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McManus still scoring from play at 36 but Murphy had to retire at 33?

greatpoint (USA) - Posts: 436 - 16/04/2023 16:43:21    2471218

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Replying To greatpoint:  "McManus still scoring from play at 36 but Murphy had to retire at 33?"
McManus hasn't missed a championship game since 2008 - serious record.

Murphy has had more niggles and knocks I guess.

peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 1189 - 16/04/2023 17:39:29    2471225

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Replying To rorysboys:  "Maybe I'm one of the very few talking sense on here. Few questions 1. Where's all the young talent bonner and rochford held back year. 2. Did we find defenders who can man mark and maybe even kick a score what good defenders usually do.. and 3. Where are the players this year who wudnt play for bonner. Answer these questions for me. Too many deluded people on this forum I'm afraid.. what we need is people like bonner to organise the academy in the hope of getting Lacey and Murphy back on board. True Donegal gaa people who want Donegal going well and will do anything to make it possible. Get Murphy in to manage next year even in a player capacity with an experienced coach with him to learn him the ropes maybe a Micky Moran type.. sad to be writing this year off before it starts."
Jesus kid you just dont give up, lol. Bring Bonner back is you answer to everything.
Then bring back micky moran, anyone else you want to bring back, that is in there 60s or 70s.
Were trying to move forward not backwards.
If that means hitting rock bottom then so be it, at least then we can start to rebuild.
Lacey was looking after the academy just fine along with his coaches.
Its young energetic coaches and managers that will determine the future of Donegal football.
And hopefully we have relatively young men and woman to replace the older people on the county board.
The county board have made a mess of a lot of things and need replacing.
However I dont believe they deserve to be abused, as at the end of the day, they were the ones that stepped up, and there was no queue of people looking to do these jobs.
I personally would bring bonner back maybe within the county board as an executive.
But I would keep him away from football teams, as he had his chance.

The keeper (Donegal) - Posts: 711 - 16/04/2023 19:44:44    2471258

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Murphy took all lot of punishment over the years, his mobility his last couple of years wasn't great. Wil be interesting to see how rejuvenated he is in club football this year.

joeteor (Donegal) - Posts: 228 - 16/04/2023 20:16:50    2471270

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Watched Killybegs game at weekend. Broderick can field ball drive forward break tackles. Has he been up at all does anyone know?

tickets (Donegal) - Posts: 103 - 16/04/2023 22:33:15    2471291

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Well it's Championship week and there is a sense of pessimism throughout the county. Even back in the pre McGuinness days, you always felt with the quality of players we had, that if things clicked on a big Championship day we could give any team their fill of it, and so it proved on occasion.

We still have quality within our ranks. But there are concerns about injuries and how fit the squad is. That's even before we consider low morale and poor form. It is asking a lot to expect us to just turn on the style like a tap. But what I'd like to see is the lads just giving it their all against Down. No point in playing safe and tentatively.

I have to say I could only watch on & admire Monaghan's display yesterday. I thought Tyrone were looking like the real deal again and that Monaghan could've been on the end of a chastening defeat. Not a bit of it. The Monaghan men, as is their wont, just got stuck into things and threw the kitchen sink at it. The lad O'Toole single-handedly illustrated their ultra-positive attitude at the end by rifling in the winning goal when practically every coach in the country would've lynched him for taking it on.

That's what I'd love to see from our lads, regardless of how the result turns out. There's no pressure on them, everyone in the country has written us off. Just get out there and play with intensity and positivity and see where it takes us.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9755 - 17/04/2023 11:23:24    2471333

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "Well it's Championship week and there is a sense of pessimism throughout the county. Even back in the pre McGuinness days, you always felt with the quality of players we had, that if things clicked on a big Championship day we could give any team their fill of it, and so it proved on occasion.

We still have quality within our ranks. But there are concerns about injuries and how fit the squad is. That's even before we consider low morale and poor form. It is asking a lot to expect us to just turn on the style like a tap. But what I'd like to see is the lads just giving it their all against Down. No point in playing safe and tentatively.

I have to say I could only watch on & admire Monaghan's display yesterday. I thought Tyrone were looking like the real deal again and that Monaghan could've been on the end of a chastening defeat. Not a bit of it. The Monaghan men, as is their wont, just got stuck into things and threw the kitchen sink at it. The lad O'Toole single-handedly illustrated their ultra-positive attitude at the end by rifling in the winning goal when practically every coach in the country would've lynched him for taking it on.

That's what I'd love to see from our lads, regardless of how the result turns out. There's no pressure on them, everyone in the country has written us off. Just get out there and play with intensity and positivity and see where it takes us."
I would say the opposite. There is huge pressure on us to salvage something from the year. We have a much better set of players than Down and of course Donegal are strong favs with the bookings, and when are they ever wrong? Bottom line is this is a game we should be winning despite our weaker management and all of the mess at county board level.

I do however agree with you that I hope we can just go out a go for the game and not sit back. Play with a sense of freedom as there is nothing to fear from Down.

PeterQ92 (Donegal) - Posts: 154 - 17/04/2023 12:37:31    2471358

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Replying To The keeper:  "Jesus kid you just dont give up, lol. Bring Bonner back is you answer to everything.
Then bring back micky moran, anyone else you want to bring back, that is in there 60s or 70s.
Were trying to move forward not backwards.
If that means hitting rock bottom then so be it, at least then we can start to rebuild.
Lacey was looking after the academy just fine along with his coaches.
Its young energetic coaches and managers that will determine the future of Donegal football.
And hopefully we have relatively young men and woman to replace the older people on the county board.
The county board have made a mess of a lot of things and need replacing.
However I dont believe they deserve to be abused, as at the end of the day, they were the ones that stepped up, and there was no queue of people looking to do these jobs.
I personally would bring bonner back maybe within the county board as an executive.
But I would keep him away from football teams, as he had his chance."
I'm asking you again where's all this great talent that bonner held back. You were on about winning all irelands last year. Big change in your attitude now. It's time you admit that you just don't know much about football. No doubt you'll be back in your arm chair this Sunday.lol.

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2613 - 17/04/2023 12:50:29    2471367

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Replying To PeterQ92:  "I would say the opposite. There is huge pressure on us to salvage something from the year. We have a much better set of players than Down and of course Donegal are strong favs with the bookings, and when are they ever wrong? Bottom line is this is a game we should be winning despite our weaker management and all of the mess at county board level.

I do however agree with you that I hope we can just go out a go for the game and not sit back. Play with a sense of freedom as there is nothing to fear from Down."
I agree it's a game we "should" win. But as I said earlier, we can't just turn on the style like a tap. Our football in the league was lethargic and very unimaginative. Laverty will no doubt have his lads ready for an ambush. They're at home against a demoralised and out of form team so they will fancy their chances. It's all well and good saying we have better players than Down. It'll be up to our lads to go out and prove that.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9755 - 17/04/2023 13:32:04    2471373

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This week is a bit like taking a cast off after a leg break. Hopefully, our boys will have the confidence in themselves that they are an experienced outfit, and that a bit of muscle memory will give them the confidence to move on. But if they don't have the confidence in themselves, and dwell on the league performances, then its going to be very difficult.

Down will be up for this one, Laverty will have his homework done, and will fancy themselves. They will try to expose our weaknesses. In the McKenna Cup game they played direct ball in to Pat Havern, and we struggled. We will need to plan for this, probably using Hughie in his usual role as a defensive shield.

It's going forward (not sideways) is where this game will be decided for us. Watching Tyrone and Monaghan yesterday, they played the ball forward at nearly every opportunity. Rarely did they switch the play more than once. When they did switch it, they were committed. We have footballers with ability to kick scores, let them at it. The perception now with opposition teams is that we won't have a cut, let's change that.

I see that Eoghan McGettigan has returned. Is there any word of any other additions, any from the U20 squad?

SouthOfTheGap (Donegal) - Posts: 776 - 17/04/2023 14:36:36    2471392

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Replying To SouthOfTheGap:  "This week is a bit like taking a cast off after a leg break. Hopefully, our boys will have the confidence in themselves that they are an experienced outfit, and that a bit of muscle memory will give them the confidence to move on. But if they don't have the confidence in themselves, and dwell on the league performances, then its going to be very difficult.

Down will be up for this one, Laverty will have his homework done, and will fancy themselves. They will try to expose our weaknesses. In the McKenna Cup game they played direct ball in to Pat Havern, and we struggled. We will need to plan for this, probably using Hughie in his usual role as a defensive shield.

It's going forward (not sideways) is where this game will be decided for us. Watching Tyrone and Monaghan yesterday, they played the ball forward at nearly every opportunity. Rarely did they switch the play more than once. When they did switch it, they were committed. We have footballers with ability to kick scores, let them at it. The perception now with opposition teams is that we won't have a cut, let's change that.

I see that Eoghan McGettigan has returned. Is there any word of any other additions, any from the U20 squad?"
Any of the big games we have lost in the last number of years it has been our wide count that has been our undoing...apart from the 3 minutes of madness in the armagh game last year

totalrecall (Leitrim) - Posts: 1055 - 17/04/2023 15:42:01    2471406

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