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Donegal GAA thread

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Replying To eunans4ever:  "County final done and dusted at HT.

Is this the end of this glenties/Fintown team or can they pull it off from here - they don't look to have the legs at all for Gweedore"
Your footballing insight is amazing

tirconaillabu (Donegal) - Posts: 86 - 12/10/2025 20:09:39    2639564

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Replying To eunans4ever:  "County final done and dusted at HT.

Is this the end of this glenties/Fintown team or can they pull it off from here - they don't look to have the legs at all for Gweedore"
Oh dear...

totalrecall (Leitrim) - Posts: 1169 - 12/10/2025 20:23:04    2639573

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Two great games today, very enjoyable day out. I heard someone say there was 7k there, could well have been. Odonnel park is a great place to watch a match, if your in the stand ya have a fantastic view of the match. Fair play to glenties, back from the dead for the third time this year!!! Finbarr roarty, max campbell and malone has to be in the county panel this year. Its some spine of a donegal team for years to come. And the big number 8 in the middle of the field, mcginley i think, thats another man that has to get a shot in the league next year. Hes exactly what donegal need. Was there as a neutral but hard luck to Gdore, they seemed to lose a bit of belief with 10m to go, and they never came out at all in the first half of ET. I hear Errigel Ciaran got beat today in tyrone, so Ulster is wide open

gaeltacht81 (Donegal) - Posts: 31 - 12/10/2025 23:39:30    2639629

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Hope NC do well in Ulster

highdropingball (Donegal) - Posts: 127 - 13/10/2025 01:06:24    2639636

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Replying To eunans4ever:  "County final done and dusted at HT.

Is this the end of this glenties/Fintown team or can they pull it off from here - they don't look to have the legs at all for Gweedore"
I see you still cannot call our magnificent Parish by our proper name Naomh Conaill. You wrote us off a bit early? These are a very special Group of players. They never give up. Naomh Conaill Abu

Scenicparish (Donegal) - Posts: 798 - 13/10/2025 08:56:34    2639657

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Replying To dgcrusader:  "Personally think this is Gweedore's year, Glenties have huffed and puffed throughout the championship and although very dogged, I can see them being beat Sunday. Ciaran Thompson too bad of a loss for them I'd be very surprised if they won. Gweedore by 4."
Well that aged like milk!! Hats off to Glenties, some comeback from them Finnbarr Roarty and Max Campbell were terrific, really brought the game to Gweedore! Gweedore though, completely threw that away, the chances at the end of normal time were absolutely criminal, a 21m fisted shot and the 13 metre shot that were both put wide were shocking misses. Overall the game was very exciting and tense but the standard was so so poor, if that's the best of what Donegal can offer now in club football we are in bother. Glenties wont care though, they are deservedly county champions, the only team that looked like they wanted from the start of the 2nd half onwards!

dgcrusader (Donegal) - Posts: 149 - 13/10/2025 09:21:23    2639662

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Firstly, congratulations to Naomh Conaill. They keep being doubted but continue to prove everyone wrong. Gaoth Dobhair looked to be in total control at half time. But NC were like a team possessed in the second half. Even when they missed a few two pointer efforts, and a goal chance or two their heads didn't drop. They just kept going and going, and the equaliser at the end of normal time was a superb effort. I got the feeling that once they got ahead in ET that they wouldn't be denied, and so it proved.

Gaoth Dobhair will have many regrets. As bad as they were in the second half, they still had a couple of golden opportunities to to see it out. They looked a sure thing at half time but as others have found out to their cost, NC are never beaten until they're beaten. Gaoth Dobhair will be back again I'm sure. A lot of good young players coming through. But it will be a long winter stewing over this one I'd say.

Lastly a word on Finnbarr Roarty. He is a phenonmenal talent. For a player so young to deliver huge performances like he does is fantastic to see. He might need to brush up a wee bit on his interview technique though ;)
I have a feeling he'll be doing a lot more of them in the years to come.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 10146 - 13/10/2025 09:26:53    2639664

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Naomh Conaill are some team. Never beat. Roarty and Campbell are athletic freaks. Absolutely top class. Just a note from a neutral watching on television. The Gweedore manager and selector had a right pop at their own player who missed a chance at the end of normal time. He then didn't start extra time. It was very very poor form and you could see the interaction on camera.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8647 - 13/10/2025 10:09:15    2639679

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "Naomh Conaill are some team. Never beat. Roarty and Campbell are athletic freaks. Absolutely top class. Just a note from a neutral watching on television. The Gweedore manager and selector had a right pop at their own player who missed a chance at the end of normal time. He then didn't start extra time. It was very very poor form and you could see the interaction on camera."
Yeah I agree, the optics weren't great. The miss before that one was actually a lot worse, 10 years out in front of the goal and he kicked it wide.

Whatever Sports Psychologist they're using in Glenties, they'd want to get down to GD for the winter. Reserve team threw away a big half time lead also.

peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 1386 - 13/10/2025 10:36:37    2639684

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Remind me never to write NC off again lol. Another amazing comeback, they looked dead and buried at half time. Gweedore were excellent in the first half but never came out of the dressing room after half time. Gweedore have a good young side and can see them winning a county title in the next few years.

The most impressive part of the NC victory was that it was driven by the younger players - Roarty, Max Campbell & Shea Malone. Kieran Gallagher had another great game - would he be worth a look on the county setup? I remember him playing minor with Jason McGee and I'm guessing he would be around the 27 age bracket so definitely not too late. Got to mention Finbar Roarty, deserving of his man-of-the-match award, kept driving the team on. Some player for a 19 year old.

Best of luck to NC in Ulster. I honestly thought they wouldn't win the county title this year without Ciaran Thompson. They are starting games very slowly, if they can sort that out surely they are a match for any Ulster side.

Green_Gold (Donegal) - Posts: 1934 - 13/10/2025 10:44:55    2639686

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Replying To Green_Gold:  "Remind me never to write NC off again lol. Another amazing comeback, they looked dead and buried at half time. Gweedore were excellent in the first half but never came out of the dressing room after half time. Gweedore have a good young side and can see them winning a county title in the next few years.

The most impressive part of the NC victory was that it was driven by the younger players - Roarty, Max Campbell & Shea Malone. Kieran Gallagher had another great game - would he be worth a look on the county setup? I remember him playing minor with Jason McGee and I'm guessing he would be around the 27 age bracket so definitely not too late. Got to mention Finbar Roarty, deserving of his man-of-the-match award, kept driving the team on. Some player for a 19 year old.

Best of luck to NC in Ulster. I honestly thought they wouldn't win the county title this year without Ciaran Thompson. They are starting games very slowly, if they can sort that out surely they are a match for any Ulster side."
Kieran Gallagher was impressive, I think he would be a powerful addition, but maybe he can't due to other commitments.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1514 - 13/10/2025 12:08:23    2639718

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What a phenomenal group of lads that Glenties team are. Even more remarkable to do it this year without Ciaran Thompson. And without another county player in Jeaic MacCealbhui yesterday and Eoghan McGettigan for the last few games, granted McGettigan came on in the second half. You think they are gone, but they never are.

Kieran Gallagher absolutely deserves his chance with Donegal. Bonner tried to bring him into the squad 5 or 6 years ago but not sure what happened, I think he declined it at the time? Anyway, he has all the attributes to make his mark at County level.

Finbarr Roarty, exceptional again. 2 gems in Malone and Campbell. 3 old warriors and still class acts in Thompson, McDyre and McLoone. Thought Leo had a massive impact for Naomh Conaill when he came on. I'm sure I've said it here before, but to me, Brendy McDyre is possibly the best club footballer in Donegal for the last 20 years. He kicked some vital scores from play in the first half when they were struggling a bit that kept them just about within reach of Gaoth Dobhair. He kicked over a huge pressure score all the way back in 2005 that gave them a replay v Eunans and kick started the Naomh Conaill run. Hard to believe that was 20 years ago and his performance levels haven't dropped a bit. Class act.

Best of luck to them in Ulster, if they can get MacCealbhui and McGettigan back near 100%, they'll be hard stopped.

HandballRef (Donegal) - Posts: 538 - 13/10/2025 12:58:47    2639733

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Replying To highdropingball:  "Hope NC do well in Ulster"
Gaoth dobhair looked marginally the stronger side in the 1st half, but in the 2nd half Naomh Conaill pressed high and those couple of 2 pointers were huge scores in pulling in that lead.

There wasn't a lot between them in normal time, but Naomh Conail squad depth and squad management definitely helped them in extra time.

Looking ahead to Ulster, Naomh Conail are solid all over the pitch, laced with a few really top notch players, but they could really be doing with a marquee forward inside, like a great all rounded inside forward who can come out or stay in, win high ball or low ball, just ask different questions of the opposition. Also losing Ciaran Thompson is a massive loss, so they deserve credit for achieving this title without him.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1514 - 13/10/2025 13:14:39    2639739

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Congratulations to Naomh Conaill, Gaoth Dobhair had the chance to win it despite falling away in the 2nd half but they just couldn't put them away, they will be sick looking back at those missed chances but that takes nothing away from a magnificent fight back from Naomh Conaill, Roarty vs O'Baoill was some contest.
Good luck now to Naomh Conaill in Ulster, hope they go on and win it.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3583 - 13/10/2025 15:16:48    2639779

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Could they not have had a replay instead of extra time or thats agreed prior? Ulster club isnt for another 3/4 weeks.

FoolsGold (Cavan) - Posts: 2907 - 14/10/2025 10:46:55    2639900

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Replying To tidytownman:  "I'm going our lads by 2 tomorrow. Agree we haven't been shooting lights out and Gweedore are a fine team but still think we will have enough."
Congratulations , enjoy the shorter Winter and your Ulster voyage. What a spirited comeback coupled with an abundance of skill and greater fitness over the 80 mins. Very well coached team , seem to take the right option at least nine out of ten times although the experience of your older legends and the on field intelligence of the younger crew was very evident as well.
Finbarr Roarty is developing into a very talented powerful athlete. I can see him being assigned to tag and curb the influence of a Paudie Clifford should Kerry/Donegal pair off again at HQ in the coming years.

Curlew66 (Roscommon) - Posts: 639 - 14/10/2025 11:12:04    2639909

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Jim McGuinness could do a lot worse than bring Martin Regan into the Donegal management team. He regularly makes the big calls during games when it matters, something Donegal could surely benefit from. His record proves he's a top class manager, better than a lot of big name ex-players currently in big jobs with little or no coaching experience. He's been successful with old rules and new rules.

greenfan (Donegal) - Posts: 752 - 14/10/2025 15:04:51    2639960

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Replying To Curlew66:  "Congratulations , enjoy the shorter Winter and your Ulster voyage. What a spirited comeback coupled with an abundance of skill and greater fitness over the 80 mins. Very well coached team , seem to take the right option at least nine out of ten times although the experience of your older legends and the on field intelligence of the younger crew was very evident as well.
Finbarr Roarty is developing into a very talented powerful athlete. I can see him being assigned to tag and curb the influence of a Paudie Clifford should Kerry/Donegal pair off again at HQ in the coming years."
Funny he was marking him in the league game at the start of the year. He maybe lacked a little physicality that day but that's coming pretty quickly..He's nice gaa birthday January and will be under 20 next year. Donegal should be pretty decent at that level but they probably won't see too much of him as he'll be with the seniors.

He's a real disruptor of an attacks. His ability to use his pace and get a hand in us very impressive.And as much as he tagged daire obaoill in the first half it also took him out of the game a bit and Gweedore were well ahead at ht. I'd nearly play him in a slightly free defensive role and let him hunt the danger. And he did add pace to the attack and didn't think he would kick a point off his right foot but he managed that too.

Ulsterchamps_32 (Donegal) - Posts: 954 - 14/10/2025 23:09:49    2640035

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Replying To Ulsterchamps_32:  "Funny he was marking him in the league game at the start of the year. He maybe lacked a little physicality that day but that's coming pretty quickly..He's nice gaa birthday January and will be under 20 next year. Donegal should be pretty decent at that level but they probably won't see too much of him as he'll be with the seniors.

He's a real disruptor of an attacks. His ability to use his pace and get a hand in us very impressive.And as much as he tagged daire obaoill in the first half it also took him out of the game a bit and Gweedore were well ahead at ht. I'd nearly play him in a slightly free defensive role and let him hunt the danger. And he did add pace to the attack and didn't think he would kick a point off his right foot but he managed that too."
Yeah he really was outstanding last Sunday. He is fearless and plays with really good controlled aggression.
I would say he might eventually follow in the footsteps of Karl Lacey and operate a bit further out the pitch when he gains more county experience.

Noamh Conaill also showed the value in giving youth their head. Malone was relatively quiet on Sunday but still nailed the vital two-pointer in injury time. Sometimes that youthful fearlessness can result in mistakes being made. But it can also mean the difference between winning and losing when the riskier option is chosen.

I think the new rules have definitely benefitted football. It really was becoming overly tactical and formulaic. But now we're seeing brilliant comebacks, aided by players lamping over points from distance.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 10146 - 15/10/2025 11:17:09    2640091

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Replying To greenfan:  "Jim McGuinness could do a lot worse than bring Martin Regan into the Donegal management team. He regularly makes the big calls during games when it matters, something Donegal could surely benefit from. His record proves he's a top class manager, better than a lot of big name ex-players currently in big jobs with little or no coaching experience. He's been successful with old rules and new rules."
I'm not sure if Martin Regan would want to be a coach on the County team, and I am not sure Jim McGuinness would want someone with a managers mindset alongside him, he did say something in his Until Victory, Always book about the manager needing to be the final voice and Rory Gallagher was sometimes questioning final decisions.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1514 - 15/10/2025 11:29:46    2640095

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