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Donegal GAA thread

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Replying To Al_Maguire:  "Took a quick look at Monghan's scoring stats in the league

They scored 193 points, which is 23 higher than anyone else in division 1 or division 2, and it's around 50 points higher than most teams in division 1, including ourselves (realise we took foot of the pedal)

But they also conceded 161 which is worse than any other team in Divisions 1 and 2 bar Derry, Down and Westmeath who all got relegated. We conceded 139 against tougher opposition.

I think that bodes well for us - but my only worry is that we start as slow as we did against Derry.

If Monaghan can get early scores and a few two-pointers, and we are in 2nd or 3rd gear, we could be in trouble.

I wonder who will track Beggan"
Statistics from League matches are a waste of time, cannot compare Division 1 and 2 either. Championship is totally different.
I cannot see Beggan coming up the field as much because some of Donegal attacking backs will be passing him.
Jim will be well aware of the need to be quicker out of the blocks against Managhan. It should be a great match but I'm confident because it looks like we will have a full squad to pick from apart from maybe Owen Ban.
With the new rules a big squad is essential and I don't think we every had as strong a panel of players. We have lots of quality on the bench.

Scenicparish (Donegal) - Posts: 449 - 09/04/2025 13:40:20    2601232

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Cavan made a holy show of Beggan in Clones last year. He'll still hit long distance free but I can't see him venturing up in play much. He just doesn't have the legs to get back anymore if the ball is turned over.

peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 1175 - 09/04/2025 14:00:59    2601233

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Beggan continually going up and joining the attack could spell disaster for Monaghan, we have plenty of lads with buckets of pace who could really punish him and I'm sure Monaghan will be aware of that. I think this game will be a real high-scoring shootout that we should come out of with 4-5 points to spare although they'll really test our defense.

NPadraigAbu (Donegal) - Posts: 102 - 09/04/2025 15:50:43    2601252

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Yeah I'd be more concerned with Beggan's free-taking than what he'd have to offer in open play.
If we can avoid conceding unneccessary frees from 50m in, and tighten things up when we're run at, then I'd be confident we'll get the better of Monaghan. They always need to be respected, but I think we're operating on a higher level than them presently.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9708 - 09/04/2025 15:52:57    2601253

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Have no idea why but Armagh fans sure hate us.
Even after they won SAM last year they were still having a go at us.
IMO they are the worst fans in the country and any day they lose is a great day for me.

Them and Tyrone are fairly milking this bad tackle from Murphy.
It was a stupid one and could have been costly and I'm sure Jim has told him to cop on.

Maybe I'm biased but I do not consider him a dirty player, even when my club plays him I've never seen him do anything other than an odd shoulder on his marker.

eddieSize5Balls (Donegal) - Posts: 107 - 09/04/2025 17:01:42    2601266

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Replying To eddieSize5Balls:  "Have no idea why but Armagh fans sure hate us.
Even after they won SAM last year they were still having a go at us.
IMO they are the worst fans in the country and any day they lose is a great day for me.

Them and Tyrone are fairly milking this bad tackle from Murphy.
It was a stupid one and could have been costly and I'm sure Jim has told him to cop on.

Maybe I'm biased but I do not consider him a dirty player, even when my club plays him I've never seen him do anything other than an odd shoulder on his marker."
Armagh fans - we played them 4 times last year in all competitions and won 3, drew 1. This year beat them well in the league. They're AI champs but not kings of their own back yard in Ulster and unable to beat us to date so that's most of their issue.

Tyrone, well…

Donegal_abroad (Donegal) - Posts: 1399 - 09/04/2025 22:50:44    2601311

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Replying To Al_Maguire:  "Took a quick look at Monghan's scoring stats in the league

They scored 193 points, which is 23 higher than anyone else in division 1 or division 2, and it's around 50 points higher than most teams in division 1, including ourselves (realise we took foot of the pedal)

But they also conceded 161 which is worse than any other team in Divisions 1 and 2 bar Derry, Down and Westmeath who all got relegated. We conceded 139 against tougher opposition.

I think that bodes well for us - but my only worry is that we start as slow as we did against Derry.

If Monaghan can get early scores and a few two-pointers, and we are in 2nd or 3rd gear, we could be in trouble.

I wonder who will track Beggan"
Hi Al_Maguire: Not comparing like with like.

AudiMan (Donegal) - Posts: 681 - 10/04/2025 09:22:10    2601333

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Replying To Donegal_abroad:  "Armagh fans - we played them 4 times last year in all competitions and won 3, drew 1. This year beat them well in the league. They're AI champs but not kings of their own back yard in Ulster and unable to beat us to date so that's most of their issue.

Tyrone, well…"
Yeah I did notice some online chatter and Armagh ones with their knickers in a twist. Great to see.
While Armagh will still be formidable opponents for anyone they face in 2025, I just have an inkling things aren't all rosey in the garden behind the scenes. There was the team holiday, Rían O'Neill's absence and there seems to be a bit of uncertainty as to who will be playing in goals.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9708 - 10/04/2025 10:11:20    2601340

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Replying To eddieSize5Balls:  "Have no idea why but Armagh fans sure hate us.
Even after they won SAM last year they were still having a go at us.
IMO they are the worst fans in the country and any day they lose is a great day for me.

Them and Tyrone are fairly milking this bad tackle from Murphy.
It was a stupid one and could have been costly and I'm sure Jim has told him to cop on.

Maybe I'm biased but I do not consider him a dirty player, even when my club plays him I've never seen him do anything other than an odd shoulder on his marker."
Think Murphy being such a big man can be clumsy in the tackle. I don't think he is dirty. He is hard as nails but fair. Anyway we may need to get some lads out of retirement to mark him as with lavelle out we are not blessed with old school man markers like we used to have. I'd imagine Ryan wylie will be assigned mcBearaty. This is a v different monaghan side to the ones who used to arm wrestle with donegal back in the day. Think we played 5 championship matches between 13-16 and both teams won 2 drew one with a point separating us across 5 games. I remember reading that at the time. Of course you beat us in 23 with a lot of the same players that will take the field on Sunday week. Talk of bogey sides and hoodoo s is nonsence. Donegal favourites and rightly so but we are at home so can't be totally dismissed either. We were abysmal last year in first round in clones v Cavan am expecting much better than that at least. Beggan won't come out much. Its his ability to convert dead ball from inside your half for two pointer ya gotta worry about.

seanie08 (Monaghan) - Posts: 1874 - 10/04/2025 10:49:33    2601347

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "Yeah I did notice some online chatter and Armagh ones with their knickers in a twist. Great to see.
While Armagh will still be formidable opponents for anyone they face in 2025, I just have an inkling things aren't all rosey in the garden behind the scenes. There was the team holiday, Rían O'Neill's absence and there seems to be a bit of uncertainty as to who will be playing in goals."
It'll be interesting to see if they can take Tyrone in a semi-final first. That might tell us a bit more about where they are at this year. Still feel they're a slick outfit and dramas aside, they might be emboldened by last year's AI win and now very confident in terms of seeing out matches. They'll be interesting this year. But I do feel we might be in their heads to a degree

Donegal_abroad (Donegal) - Posts: 1399 - 10/04/2025 23:06:19    2601458

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Replying To Donegal_abroad:  "It'll be interesting to see if they can take Tyrone in a semi-final first. That might tell us a bit more about where they are at this year. Still feel they're a slick outfit and dramas aside, they might be emboldened by last year's AI win and now very confident in terms of seeing out matches. They'll be interesting this year. But I do feel we might be in their heads to a degree"
Oh yeah they'd still be a hard nut to crack no doubt about it. Back to back All-Irelands are notoriously difficult though. It'll be very interesting to see how they go in the coming weeks.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9708 - 11/04/2025 09:07:08    2601474

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Replying To seanie08:  "Think Murphy being such a big man can be clumsy in the tackle. I don't think he is dirty. He is hard as nails but fair. Anyway we may need to get some lads out of retirement to mark him as with lavelle out we are not blessed with old school man markers like we used to have. I'd imagine Ryan wylie will be assigned mcBearaty. This is a v different monaghan side to the ones who used to arm wrestle with donegal back in the day. Think we played 5 championship matches between 13-16 and both teams won 2 drew one with a point separating us across 5 games. I remember reading that at the time. Of course you beat us in 23 with a lot of the same players that will take the field on Sunday week. Talk of bogey sides and hoodoo s is nonsence. Donegal favourites and rightly so but we are at home so can't be totally dismissed either. We were abysmal last year in first round in clones v Cavan am expecting much better than that at least. Beggan won't come out much. Its his ability to convert dead ball from inside your half for two pointer ya gotta worry about."
On the league final beggan was used only very sparingly up the field. With having to keep 4 back if Monaghan did bring him forward all the time you're basically saying he's better than an outfield players up the field and that's not the case.. Though his free taking from about 55 metres in truly exceptional. He got three in the second half against the rossies. It's so valuable. I hate the two point free as it's too much of a punishment for what could be innocuous enough foul but that's not beggans fault.

Donegal probably won't be tacking too much from nearly the 65 to the arc because you can't concede two points so Donegal will try and stop the outside shooters by pressurising or blocking the kick. Once Monaghan do go inside the arc Donegal will hunt them down hard as it's only half the punishment for a free.

Monaghan seemed to doing kickouts to to contest and I guess working hard to win it clean or hoover up the breaking ball and won plenty possession. They didn't seem to be looking to get kickouts away quick the way Patton was but it should be an option with beggan. Though I wonder can beggan get them away as quite as quickly as Patton can.


Monaghan were overall very comfortable in promotion and beat the Roscommon well in the final. Bannigan, McCarthy, mccarron when he comes on are scoring well and clearly manager is doing a good job. Promoted teams from division 2 have done brilliantly in he last two championships so confidence should be good in monaghan. As you say Donegal are favorites and were good enough against Derry and some very fine moments. But glass wasn't right and back to beggan, he won't be doing what the Derry keeper did. Anyhow looking forward to it.

Ulsterchamps_32 (Donegal) - Posts: 795 - 11/04/2025 13:14:38    2601504

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