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Donegal GAA thread

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I was going to the game more in hope than expectation and after the first few minutes it was obvious there was a gap between the teams. We were having huge issues dealing with the Tyrone runners from deep, Michael McKiernan ran through us on numerous occasions. I thought the full back coped reasonably well, there really isn't much you can do when you are trying to mark your own man and at the same time trying to stop a runner. We were totally overwhelmed at midfield and struggle don our own kickouts and I don't remember us winning a single Tyrone kickout. Another thing that was very obvious was the gap in terms of strength, speed and and general fitness.

The positive was that we didn't give up, we could have completely crumbled after the Tyrone goal but we got back into the game. I thought the younger players showed really well - Odhran Doherty, Caolan McColgan and Mark Curran. It was very strange to substitute Odhran Doherty at half time when so many other payers were struggling. Gallen and McBrearty were good in the first half but we could get the ball to them in the second half as were were being dominated at midfield.

Before we start talking about a new manager, we need to try and get the county board situation sorted. We won't get a single application for the job if the current county board stay in-situ. It's time for the clubs to step up. The academy also need to get back up and running properly. We can't afford to just write a year off.

Green_Gold (Donegal) - Posts: 1906 - 27/06/2023 10:46:13    2489913

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "While I agree that it would be great to see a management team along the lines of Jim-MM-Lacey, it's more important that we address the issues identified in the audit. Otherwise what happens in 2 or 3 years when the above management team departs? Back to square one. I always want to see Donegal doing well every year but I think we really need to be thinking more strategically.

All things considered, for a county our size and love of the game, our underage record is pretty abysmal truth be told. We simply have to get the Academy working properly again no ifs or buts. We don't have the same schools system as the likes of Tyrone and Derry. So we need to bring something to compete with that, and a fully properly functioning Academy is it.

Everything costs money. We need a fundraising committee working under the oversight of a commercial manager. The committee would be tasked with coming up with novel ideas to generate income. We have to make sure that the Donegal GAA brand is enticing to be associated with. First thing I'd do is bin the Donegal GAA website and start it from scratch but that's a side point."
Don't get me started on the Donegal GAA website lol. Trawling through the fixtures list to find what you are looking for is quite a challenge, a secondary school student could design something better.

You are 100% correct about the academy, I know we will only see the dividends in the long perm but its needs to be up and running properly asap. Your point about the schools system is probably even more important, the northern counties school teams are training a few times a week whereas our schools are just gathering a team together on the day of the game. I don't blame the schools, the resources are not there for them - maybe this is something a properly functioning academy could help with.

Green_Gold (Donegal) - Posts: 1906 - 27/06/2023 11:46:34    2489953

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Replying To Green_Gold:  "I was going to the game more in hope than expectation and after the first few minutes it was obvious there was a gap between the teams. We were having huge issues dealing with the Tyrone runners from deep, Michael McKiernan ran through us on numerous occasions. I thought the full back coped reasonably well, there really isn't much you can do when you are trying to mark your own man and at the same time trying to stop a runner. We were totally overwhelmed at midfield and struggle don our own kickouts and I don't remember us winning a single Tyrone kickout. Another thing that was very obvious was the gap in terms of strength, speed and and general fitness.

The positive was that we didn't give up, we could have completely crumbled after the Tyrone goal but we got back into the game. I thought the younger players showed really well - Odhran Doherty, Caolan McColgan and Mark Curran. It was very strange to substitute Odhran Doherty at half time when so many other payers were struggling. Gallen and McBrearty were good in the first half but we could get the ball to them in the second half as were were being dominated at midfield.

Before we start talking about a new manager, we need to try and get the county board situation sorted. We won't get a single application for the job if the current county board stay in-situ. It's time for the clubs to step up. The academy also need to get back up and running properly. We can't afford to just write a year off."
Totally agree

Scenicparish (Donegal) - Posts: 470 - 27/06/2023 11:47:57    2489955

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Replying To SignTheContract:  "Mickey Harte? I think that poster was joking? And if they wasn't then they should have been! Only one man for it……Jim. Lacey and Murphy to be the coach and selector."
I'd vote for that management team and we need the county board cleared out and to make sure things are run right in future.
Like a lot of things the answer is simple but saying and doing are two different things.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3173 - 27/06/2023 11:55:33    2489960

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "Thinking we can beat Tyrone at home is getting carried away?"
Hi Lockjaw: Thought you of all posters would have seen it coming.

AudiMan (Donegal) - Posts: 683 - 27/06/2023 12:16:04    2489984

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "While I agree that it would be great to see a management team along the lines of Jim-MM-Lacey, it's more important that we address the issues identified in the audit. Otherwise what happens in 2 or 3 years when the above management team departs? Back to square one. I always want to see Donegal doing well every year but I think we really need to be thinking more strategically.

All things considered, for a county our size and love of the game, our underage record is pretty abysmal truth be told. We simply have to get the Academy working properly again no ifs or buts. We don't have the same schools system as the likes of Tyrone and Derry. So we need to bring something to compete with that, and a fully properly functioning Academy is it.

Everything costs money. We need a fundraising committee working under the oversight of a commercial manager. The committee would be tasked with coming up with novel ideas to generate income. We have to make sure that the Donegal GAA brand is enticing to be associated with. First thing I'd do is bin the Donegal GAA website and start it from scratch but that's a side point."
On the money, we need to look at a long-term strategy that gives us the best chance of competing every year. Without that we have nothing and a new management team will only be papering over the cracks. New County board is a necessity as they have proven over the last 6/7 months they are not up to leading Donegal GAA into the future.

ryan (Donegal) - Posts: 748 - 27/06/2023 12:50:08    2490020

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "While I agree that it would be great to see a management team along the lines of Jim-MM-Lacey, it's more important that we address the issues identified in the audit. Otherwise what happens in 2 or 3 years when the above management team departs? Back to square one. I always want to see Donegal doing well every year but I think we really need to be thinking more strategically.

All things considered, for a county our size and love of the game, our underage record is pretty abysmal truth be told. We simply have to get the Academy working properly again no ifs or buts. We don't have the same schools system as the likes of Tyrone and Derry. So we need to bring something to compete with that, and a fully properly functioning Academy is it.

Everything costs money. We need a fundraising committee working under the oversight of a commercial manager. The committee would be tasked with coming up with novel ideas to generate income. We have to make sure that the Donegal GAA brand is enticing to be associated with. First thing I'd do is bin the Donegal GAA website and start it from scratch but that's a side point."
One of the main reasons that The Academy was put in place was to help close the gap that existed partly due to our schools not being in a position to compete with mainly Tyrone and Derry schools. It must return before the end of the summer. But we should be careful trying to compete with schools that have 1000+ boys up to the age of 19. These school often attract, or entice, players from way outside their catchment areas. Would be like students from Ballybofey and Buncrana heading to Letterkenny for their secondary education.

SignTheContract (Donegal) - Posts: 197 - 27/06/2023 13:20:26    2490040

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Replying To Green_Gold:  "Don't get me started on the Donegal GAA website lol. Trawling through the fixtures list to find what you are looking for is quite a challenge, a secondary school student could design something better.

You are 100% correct about the academy, I know we will only see the dividends in the long perm but its needs to be up and running properly asap. Your point about the schools system is probably even more important, the northern counties school teams are training a few times a week whereas our schools are just gathering a team together on the day of the game. I don't blame the schools, the resources are not there for them - maybe this is something a properly functioning academy could help with."
That's unfair on a lot of schools who put in a huge effort. Eunans, Abbey, Carrick, Ballyshannon, to name a few always do their best. Yes there are schools that might gather up a team on the day, but that happens in Tyrone too. They just have massive schools at each level, hard to compete with.

SignTheContract (Donegal) - Posts: 197 - 27/06/2023 13:27:31    2490046

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Replying To Donegal_abroad:  "Agreed. Has to be a 2012 centred ticket going forward. Anything less will be more of the same nonsense we had this year. The fear of course is that the same people who makes these calls will make the same mistakes."
I don't fully agree, Yes I would prefer if it was a management ticket related to that 2011-2014 side of winners, but I think Aidan O'Rourke and Paddy Bradley actually ended up doing a great job tactically in the end despite the challenges they faced.

When we consider how many key players we were missing this season (Michael Langan, Peadar Mogan, Ryan McHugh, Niall O'Donnell, Shane O'Donnell, Odhran McFadden Ferry etc), the odds were stacked against this temporary management team from the outset and yet they managed to turn it around get us playing well again.

Obviously it would be preferred to have a manager formed from within the County, but I can't see Jim McGuinness running for it, he has stated repeatedly that he wants to focus on soccer for now after completing his UEFA licenses. Michael Murphy is head of sport at ATU and has his hands full with that, and I'm not sure that Karl Lacey is interested in the Senior Managers job on top of his duties.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1332 - 27/06/2023 13:32:59    2490050

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Replying To Tirchonaill1:  "I'd vote for that management team and we need the county board cleared out and to make sure things are run right in future.
Like a lot of things the answer is simple but saying and doing are two different things."
County executive Board members should only be eligible for election if their CV and their education contains relevant experience required for a specific role, that would be a good start to making things right.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1332 - 27/06/2023 13:41:25    2490054

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Replying To AudiMan:  "Hi Lockjaw: Thought you of all posters would have seen it coming."
Guilty as charged. Tyrone weren't exactly shooting the lights out up until last weekend though in fairness. They certainly upped the ante against us and they seem to have their bite back now. Kerry beware.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9735 - 27/06/2023 14:06:35    2490074

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Replying To SignTheContract:  "One of the main reasons that The Academy was put in place was to help close the gap that existed partly due to our schools not being in a position to compete with mainly Tyrone and Derry schools. It must return before the end of the summer. But we should be careful trying to compete with schools that have 1000+ boys up to the age of 19. These school often attract, or entice, players from way outside their catchment areas. Would be like students from Ballybofey and Buncrana heading to Letterkenny for their secondary education."
That's true. It's a different way of operating in the North. You see it with the likes of St. Pats in Cavan too and Mels in Longford. But I'm not talking about competing with those schools per se, (although it wouldn't be any harm). I'm more thinking about giving our young boys and girls every possible chance to develop and succeed. Something that isn't going to be possible unless the Academy returns. Otherwise where are we? Back to trial matches in Drumboe?

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9735 - 27/06/2023 14:13:59    2490080

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Replying To SignTheContract:  "One of the main reasons that The Academy was put in place was to help close the gap that existed partly due to our schools not being in a position to compete with mainly Tyrone and Derry schools. It must return before the end of the summer. But we should be careful trying to compete with schools that have 1000+ boys up to the age of 19. These school often attract, or entice, players from way outside their catchment areas. Would be like students from Ballybofey and Buncrana heading to Letterkenny for their secondary education."
That's true. It's a different way of operating in the North. You see it with the likes of St. Pats in Cavan too and Mels in Longford. But I'm not talking about competing with those schools per se, (although it wouldn't be any harm). I'm more thinking about giving our young boys and girls every possible chance to develop and succeed. Something that isn't going to be possible unless the Academy returns. Otherwise where are we? Back to trial matches in Drumboe?

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9735 - 27/06/2023 14:13:59    2490081

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I agree with everything you said. I was just on about the managerial role in isolation but as you say, it can only really be a success if other areas are right too. The wider issues of governance, finance, academy need to be in a healthy space but so much of this, like choosing the right management, hinges on the right people being in place to make these calls. So it's really overall governance and if the same heads are in the same positions, it'll all be a muddled mess again. No harm to anyone but that's the reality. So those in governance need to move aside and the best people need to step in, then we can get moving in Donegal properly..

Donegal_abroad (Donegal) - Posts: 1403 - 27/06/2023 15:13:34    2490109

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Replying To SignTheContract:  "That's unfair on a lot of schools who put in a huge effort. Eunans, Abbey, Carrick, Ballyshannon, to name a few always do their best. Yes there are schools that might gather up a team on the day, but that happens in Tyrone too. They just have massive schools at each level, hard to compete with."
Yeah that is true, the schools are doing the best they can with the resources they have, lack of pitches to train on, not enough coaches, etc. If the academy got up and running could they provide the schools with coaches or help in some other manner? The academy was already dong some strength and conditioning stuff with their players at the schools until this mess. We have to use every available means to have our players ready for senior inter county football.

Green_Gold (Donegal) - Posts: 1906 - 27/06/2023 15:30:50    2490118

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Replying To Donegal_abroad:  "I agree with everything you said. I was just on about the managerial role in isolation but as you say, it can only really be a success if other areas are right too. The wider issues of governance, finance, academy need to be in a healthy space but so much of this, like choosing the right management, hinges on the right people being in place to make these calls. So it's really overall governance and if the same heads are in the same positions, it'll all be a muddled mess again. No harm to anyone but that's the reality. So those in governance need to move aside and the best people need to step in, then we can get moving in Donegal properly.."
The thing is though, are there people ready and willing to step in if asked? I would imagine there would be quite a lot of work involved in implementing the recommendations highlighted in the report. I'm all for the clubs making a stand and forcing the necessary changes, but do clubs have names in mind for replacements? Answers on a post card...

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9735 - 27/06/2023 16:00:21    2490135

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "The thing is though, are there people ready and willing to step in if asked? I would imagine there would be quite a lot of work involved in implementing the recommendations highlighted in the report. I'm all for the clubs making a stand and forcing the necessary changes, but do clubs have names in mind for replacements? Answers on a post card..."
I think it's a case of there simply has to be people willing to step in with clubs leading the way on this. To continue as we are means disaster. It's become a political club, so change of personnel in the decision making areas is the start and end of any desired change in the county.

Donegal_abroad (Donegal) - Posts: 1403 - 27/06/2023 16:14:35    2490146

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I wonder how have our executive claimed in expenses?

ryan (Donegal) - Posts: 748 - 27/06/2023 16:38:53    2490165

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Replying To Green_Gold:  "Yeah that is true, the schools are doing the best they can with the resources they have, lack of pitches to train on, not enough coaches, etc. If the academy got up and running could they provide the schools with coaches or help in some other manner? The academy was already dong some strength and conditioning stuff with their players at the schools until this mess. We have to use every available means to have our players ready for senior inter county football."
I think working with schools is the way to go, alongside the academy. Loreto community school in Milford put in a big effort in the years before covid, they had a strong team, won a couple ulster's at u16 (arthurs cup level) and ended up moving to the McLarnon cup, made the semi final in their first year. They won the won the league section of the mclarnon. They also won county 'A' u16 and senior titles. They implemented strength and conditioning program, going to the gym twice a week, training in the mornings etc and it paid off. Players got breakfast in school after training. They brought in coaches from the local clubs to help. The Donegal academy can only do so much, but if the schools are supported, they have far more access to the players. From that Milford team Johnny McGroddy, Rory O'Donnell, Dylan Dorrian have been in the county senior panel. Others have played either county minor or u20 (eg.. Bobby McGettigan , Liam McGrenaghan, Ciaran Moore, Eoin O'Donnell, Tiarnan McBride). It might be a coincidence that they had a really good crop of players at once, but the work done with them in the school certainly helped.

greenfan (Donegal) - Posts: 623 - 27/06/2023 16:59:39    2490173

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Regarding the board, I know there was a Buncrana clubman looking to get elected last year. In reality, he'd need another 4/5 of a similar mindset in with him. Otherwise he'd be undermined at every turn. And I honestly am not sure there are people willing to come in, the people with the talent are out there for sure. Eamonn McGee was slating the Co Board on Newstalk and he was asked why wouldn't he get involved? His response was telling…..He laughed and said "ah, that's not for me". Even though he seemed to have all the answers.

SignTheContract (Donegal) - Posts: 197 - 28/06/2023 07:45:51    2490304

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