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Donegal GAA thread

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Replying To Ulsterchamps_32:  "I was listening to some of the commentary after and think Eamon McGee spoke well on Highland radio. Well worth a listen.
More generally it's hard to make a case for the status quo regarding structure but there's no guarantee it will get better. Armagh and Derry are good examples of getting lost in the wilderness for years.

The Donegal support was also incredibly disappointing yesterday. I know it's not easy at the minute and it's hardly an equidistant location but the players deserved better than what showed up.

On the game itself Armagh fully deserved their win and play very decent football. They had themselves well geared up and even without mistakes from the kickouts I think Armagh were going to win. They had a look about them.
The wind was a big factor and Donegal needed to be well up at ht. The first goal was really important for Armagh as it kept them in the game when Donegal rattled over a lot of points to be 4 up. Thompson missed a point from distance and was a bit of a turning point to me.
Patton really did need to go long after the the short one that got coughed up by mcff but Armagh were really squeezing well on long ones as well at that point. Armagh then being 4 ahead a ht, playing with the breeze and on their own terms really made the result inevitable in the second half.

Overall it's obviously been a disappointing year. If you take the blame the manager for everything view out of it some of the players have not been at the level they need to be at. Whether it was injury, loss of form or whatever they've not just been at it.
Despite all the negatives Shane O'Donnell is a young man who as done very well and kicked I think 4 points from play today. Peader Mogan although not at the level of say the Derry game has been very good this year. I think there are some players from the 20s who'll start to see game time next year as well. There's definitely a few who look like they'll be able to add something."
What 20s?

TheRock2121 (Donegal) - Posts: 1208 - 13/06/2022 19:26:39    2424802

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Replying To rorysboys:  "I'm not sore on players never have been. Point out where I was sore on a player. I respect everyone of them, great lads who deserve the utmost respect. What is did say is we haven't as good a team as people are making out we have. I don't individually blame players not my style. Another thing they deserve is a bit of support. Alot of people commenting on our lack of support."
Rory we told you last year our county board showed lack of vision and hunger to get a new man with different ideas and plans. I had great time for Declan and always will but the time had come for change at the helm and there us no shame in That. That lack of hunger filtered through to fans and has to the players it's clear to be seen. We told you numerous times but you were blinkered and didn't see this . Guess what we were right. And well done to all those who showed lack of vision you have cost us an all Ireland spot looking at that draw this morning. Should be very proud of where they are taking dgl fball.

marty234 (Donegal) - Posts: 158 - 13/06/2022 19:41:58    2424807

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Thanks Declan, management and players for giving it everything. I felt we were really up for the game yesterday, we dealt with the early Armagh goal well but we couldn't get off the canvas the second time.

We looked more lively in attack and we also forced a few early turnovers.

Saying that, our season wasn't lost yesterday, we were poor all year. Signs were there, I feel we are quite unlucky with injures. Players like Michael Langan, Caolon Mc Gonagle, and Niall O D have missed large chunks of time.

Whatever Declan decides he's put a lot of work into Donegal, underage sides, brought a lot of the players through that was playing all year.
Patton(brought him into GAA), Mc Menamin, Mc Cole, Mc Gonagle, Langan, Brennan, O Baoill, (I know I'm missing more)

Thanks again.

TheRock2121 (Donegal) - Posts: 1208 - 13/06/2022 19:45:06    2424808

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Replying To Tirchonaill1:  "Not much odds anyway about what bs is spouted on here unless we get a top management team in place that can really change the mindset and get the best out of our players we will just get more of the same.
The fans are voting with their feet, spoke to a fair few people today who were that sickened after the Ulster final display that they didn't go yesterday and were glad today they didn't go.
I predicted earlier that Armagh would have round 80% of the support and I'd say I wasn't far wrong."
The Donegal teams deserve supporters better than you. You never add anything positive to any discussion.

Ulsterchamps_32 (Donegal) - Posts: 802 - 13/06/2022 19:50:14    2424809

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What would people think about Mickey harte as the new manager, he's been there done it over and over ,

inisboy (Australia) - Posts: 1 - 13/06/2022 19:56:14    2424815

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Replying To TheRock2121:  "What 20s?"
Caolan mccolgan was in the panel against Armagh and would imagine will start seeing proper game time next year. Kieran Tobin had a great club championship last year for eunans and would imagine will start seeing time. Jamie grant is another. Caolan dunleavy hit three points from Hb in the match against Tyrone and think he's another. We need hbs. I wouldn't limit to that either and maybe some of these chaps won't make it. That under 20s team lost in extra to a team that won the all Ireland and there was talent there.
I think the sigerson for lyit (and a good chunk in dcu) will present opportunity for Donegal footballers to show their worth next year.

Ulsterchamps_32 (Donegal) - Posts: 802 - 13/06/2022 22:03:31    2424839

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i dont expect Declan to walk away , he has more year left and because of his service to the county i don't to see him sacked .
The reality is there is no one to replace him we have a bunch of good time media Charlies but none will put there necks on the line .

red.hugh (Donegal) - Posts: 176 - 14/06/2022 09:47:50    2424872

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Hopefully bonner will see out his term. Plenty of people talking on the media front, who won't put there name forward. Hopefully bonner will come out soon and clarify his intentions. I feel if he goes it'll mean the end of a few players.

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2609 - 14/06/2022 11:06:14    2424894

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Replying To Ulsterchamps_32:  "Caolan mccolgan was in the panel against Armagh and would imagine will start seeing proper game time next year. Kieran Tobin had a great club championship last year for eunans and would imagine will start seeing time. Jamie grant is another. Caolan dunleavy hit three points from Hb in the match against Tyrone and think he's another. We need hbs. I wouldn't limit to that either and maybe some of these chaps won't make it. That under 20s team lost in extra to a team that won the all Ireland and there was talent there.
I think the sigerson for lyit (and a good chunk in dcu) will present opportunity for Donegal footballers to show their worth next year."
We already have half backs in the form of Tony McClenaghan, Jack McKelvey who should have been playing along with Eoghan Ban Gallagher, others like Paul Brennan too.

I have complained on here for the last few years about Ryan McHugh being played as wing back, it leaves our defence exposed as he doesn't have the stature, yet he is started there game after game. I seen Michael Langan playing at center half back quite a lot against Armagh too, what a waste of a player.

Derry and Armagh are the new top dogs in Ulster, yet this under performing Donegal side took Derry to Extra time in the Ulster final and should have beaten them, and we already beat Armagh in Ulster and looked on course to beat them again until the black card/penalty turned the game on its head. My point? We are not far away despite us not playing very well.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1332 - 14/06/2022 11:52:01    2424917

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Just want to say thank you to all of the Donegal Squad, management, coaches and people who help behind the scenes, it hasn't been the best year and many fans are frustrated, but I appreciate the time and effort everyone puts in behind the scenes. I appreciate the contribution of Declan Bonner, Stephen Rochford and the other lads, while I might complain here from time to time, Its never personal and is meant with the greatest respect and only discussion with desire to see Donegal play to their potential.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1332 - 14/06/2022 12:04:22    2424919

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If Bonner stays I'd really like to see a serious shake-up of the backroom team. Whatever about continuity things have gotten very stale and I think some of these players have been hearing the same voices for too long.

JoeSoap (Donegal) - Posts: 1432 - 14/06/2022 13:18:54    2424935

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Whether Declan stays or goes, people need to be a bit more realistic with their expectations of this team, they give everything for the shirt, but just don't have the quality. Jim McGuinness isn't going to come back and wave a magic wand and turn us into an all ireland winning team. All the experts writing in the media about how the team should play would all run for the hills if the job became available.
The 2012 team managed to win just one all Ireland. Compare that team to the current team ..
Not one of our current defenders would get in the 2012 team, yeah people like McCole and Ward have improved but they'll never be Neil McGee or Karl Lacey, we don't have a defender to put the shackles on good forwards, McMenamin used to be able to but seems to have struggled since his injury.
We don't have a midfielder in the county near to the level Neil Gallagher was at, or someone like Brian Fenton is today.
Murphy and McBrearty are 10 years older , they can't do what they could do in 2012, and we have nobody who can clock up the kind of tally's Colm McFadden achieved . Oisin Gallen is promising but injury prone.
We've had little or no underage success in recent years. Yeah we have decent players in our underage teams but that's what they are, decent, good players. Nobody standing out massively.
I've never been a fan of Declan as a manager, and I do think after 5 years we need a different voice in the dressing room, but I don't see it suddenly getting a whole lot better if he's replaced. As for Rochford, I'd really love to know what exactly he does.

greenfan (Donegal) - Posts: 624 - 14/06/2022 13:22:59    2424937

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I also think maybe there needs to be a proper clear the air meeting or something along those lines - I've no idea what the panel and management get up to outside of training but something similar to when Jim came in in 2011. Ask the players where they truly think they are at versus the rest of the country. Proper honesty about application and all the rest. At the end of the day we are now known as a soft touch, no ifs or buts about it. The national media and other counties will praise us to the high heavens for our talent and then shake their heads as we fail at the big moment. I saw Darren O'Sullivan tweeting about our 20 minutes vs Armagh that he was chatting to the Gooch about it saying it was some serious kicking, and the Gooch replied "They'll have a quiet flat period just as quick". The truth hurts but are the players and management happy with that perception and how do you fix it. All the way back to the league you can see my posts on here talking about going 20, 25, 30 minutes without a score. How do we fix that and what do we need to do to get there? Do we want to win an All-Ireland or not?

Like I said I don't know what goes on behind closed doors or with private conversations but I sometimes feel we're not all pulling in the one direction and there's a bit of coasting going on at times. If players and management just front up and say what's on their minds then maybe we can get past the disappointment of the last few years.

JoeSoap (Donegal) - Posts: 1432 - 14/06/2022 13:28:41    2424938

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Replying To greenfan:  "Whether Declan stays or goes, people need to be a bit more realistic with their expectations of this team, they give everything for the shirt, but just don't have the quality. Jim McGuinness isn't going to come back and wave a magic wand and turn us into an all ireland winning team. All the experts writing in the media about how the team should play would all run for the hills if the job became available.
The 2012 team managed to win just one all Ireland. Compare that team to the current team ..
Not one of our current defenders would get in the 2012 team, yeah people like McCole and Ward have improved but they'll never be Neil McGee or Karl Lacey, we don't have a defender to put the shackles on good forwards, McMenamin used to be able to but seems to have struggled since his injury.
We don't have a midfielder in the county near to the level Neil Gallagher was at, or someone like Brian Fenton is today.
Murphy and McBrearty are 10 years older , they can't do what they could do in 2012, and we have nobody who can clock up the kind of tally's Colm McFadden achieved . Oisin Gallen is promising but injury prone.
We've had little or no underage success in recent years. Yeah we have decent players in our underage teams but that's what they are, decent, good players. Nobody standing out massively.
I've never been a fan of Declan as a manager, and I do think after 5 years we need a different voice in the dressing room, but I don't see it suddenly getting a whole lot better if he's replaced. As for Rochford, I'd really love to know what exactly he does."
It all goes back to club football, standard of club football has nosedived in last ten years. Most teams in county at all age groups try and play a blanket style defence, and nearly all the teams don't know how to do it. But that's the norm in Donegal club football. Over and back side to side and try and create an overlap. Hold the ball at all costs and don't dare kick a pass or try for a score unless you are 99% sure of a successful pass or score. There is some merit to the blanket if the team is fit, organised and are able to counter at speed once ball is turned over. Most club team aren't able enough to play this style but do so regardless. We need to address this, especially in underage. But you need all the clubs on board. If some of the teams try and play the game in the more traditional way, a lesser skilled team will revert to blanket style.

KerrymanStuckInDonegal (Kerry) - Posts: 269 - 14/06/2022 15:21:07    2424976

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Replying To rorysboys:  "Yea that's fair weather supporters in a nutshell.. we have thousands of them"
Reality is every county has them, you have a core support and I'd guess the 60% or more extra you see when things are going well are just jumping on the bandwagon,
Derry weren't packing out many venues this last 20 years or so, I'd say a lot of the boo boys that were supporting them at the Ulster final were more used to the Brandywell, they probably had to look up on a map were Clones was.
What annoys me more in Donegal is the section of soccer fans we have who just hate everything to do with the GAA.
to me the GAA represents who we are, that's why it hurts so much to see the county team not delivering on their potential, maybe we aren't just good enough anymore, it's not all the managements fault but like always the buck stops at the top.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3175 - 14/06/2022 15:24:43    2424977

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Replying To greenfan:  "Whether Declan stays or goes, people need to be a bit more realistic with their expectations of this team, they give everything for the shirt, but just don't have the quality. Jim McGuinness isn't going to come back and wave a magic wand and turn us into an all ireland winning team. All the experts writing in the media about how the team should play would all run for the hills if the job became available.
The 2012 team managed to win just one all Ireland. Compare that team to the current team ..
Not one of our current defenders would get in the 2012 team, yeah people like McCole and Ward have improved but they'll never be Neil McGee or Karl Lacey, we don't have a defender to put the shackles on good forwards, McMenamin used to be able to but seems to have struggled since his injury.
We don't have a midfielder in the county near to the level Neil Gallagher was at, or someone like Brian Fenton is today.
Murphy and McBrearty are 10 years older , they can't do what they could do in 2012, and we have nobody who can clock up the kind of tally's Colm McFadden achieved . Oisin Gallen is promising but injury prone.
We've had little or no underage success in recent years. Yeah we have decent players in our underage teams but that's what they are, decent, good players. Nobody standing out massively.
I've never been a fan of Declan as a manager, and I do think after 5 years we need a different voice in the dressing room, but I don't see it suddenly getting a whole lot better if he's replaced. As for Rochford, I'd really love to know what exactly he does."
But the reality is all these things were being said about the mcgee's, lacey's and so on pre mcguinness. They were to soft, to easy to play against. But the right man came it at the right time in mcguinness and he changed there attitude. Big neil gallagher was known to be bullied in games pre mcguinness.
Its amazing the difference a top quality manager can do to change things around.
You only have to look at other sports, kloop in soccer, a great manager makes average players good, and improves the entire squad, and has them playing for the cause, dying for the cause.
Is it guaranteed to win the all Ireland every year, No. But no one is guaranteed that.
Can we say this team is all pulling together at the moment, the answer is no, can we say the manager is getting the best out of the squad, the answer is No. And he has had five years.
Will changing him guaranteed the next man we get will be better, No.
But surely we have to try and find the right man, otherwise we are just going to have more of the same.
I would rather try and move forward that be happy standing still and more of the same.

The keeper (Donegal) - Posts: 711 - 14/06/2022 15:33:10    2424980

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Replying To The keeper:  "But the reality is all these things were being said about the mcgee's, lacey's and so on pre mcguinness. They were to soft, to easy to play against. But the right man came it at the right time in mcguinness and he changed there attitude. Big neil gallagher was known to be bullied in games pre mcguinness.
Its amazing the difference a top quality manager can do to change things around.
You only have to look at other sports, kloop in soccer, a great manager makes average players good, and improves the entire squad, and has them playing for the cause, dying for the cause.
Is it guaranteed to win the all Ireland every year, No. But no one is guaranteed that.
Can we say this team is all pulling together at the moment, the answer is no, can we say the manager is getting the best out of the squad, the answer is No. And he has had five years.
Will changing him guaranteed the next man we get will be better, No.
But surely we have to try and find the right man, otherwise we are just going to have more of the same.
I would rather try and move forward that be happy standing still and more of the same."
Nail on the head^

fielder (Donegal) - Posts: 137 - 14/06/2022 15:49:34    2424985

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Replying To The keeper:  "But the reality is all these things were being said about the mcgee's, lacey's and so on pre mcguinness. They were to soft, to easy to play against. But the right man came it at the right time in mcguinness and he changed there attitude. Big neil gallagher was known to be bullied in games pre mcguinness.
Its amazing the difference a top quality manager can do to change things around.
You only have to look at other sports, kloop in soccer, a great manager makes average players good, and improves the entire squad, and has them playing for the cause, dying for the cause.
Is it guaranteed to win the all Ireland every year, No. But no one is guaranteed that.
Can we say this team is all pulling together at the moment, the answer is no, can we say the manager is getting the best out of the squad, the answer is No. And he has had five years.
Will changing him guaranteed the next man we get will be better, No.
But surely we have to try and find the right man, otherwise we are just going to have more of the same.
I would rather try and move forward that be happy standing still and more of the same."
Talking about Mc Guinness is a waste of time now that ship has sailed. We had great days yea but we also had bad days. The way I feel it's entirely in bonners hands what happens. If he wants another year I might be wrong but I think he got 2 years then it's up to him. Do I think he will I can't see it , he's a great Donegal man but the abuse he gets from d•••s on line might make him think, my family doesn't need this or it might spur him on to say, why should I let these numskulls win. I was talking to an ex player last night and he was saying that he heard that a lot of the abuse was coming from two neighbouring clubs. Seems to be a personal thing on there behalf. Shame on whoever they are.. whatever you do Declan I hope you take your time and come to the decision that's best for you. You owe Donegal gaa nothing and you'll go down as the only man to take us to an all Ireland minor final..

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2609 - 14/06/2022 16:37:58    2424999

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To those who think the management team deserve to see out their term, what progress can you identify in the past three seasons?

greatpoint (USA) - Posts: 436 - 14/06/2022 16:43:10    2425000

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Replying To JoeSoap:  "If Bonner stays I'd really like to see a serious shake-up of the backroom team. Whatever about continuity things have gotten very stale and I think some of these players have been hearing the same voices for too long."
If Bonner stays its hard to see the logic in massive change of backroom team / players when he has only one year left on his term. I agree things are very stale and need to be shaken up. No harm to Declan and his team, but I think it has run its course.

People talking about the low support numbers. I was at the Kildare game in Ballybofey in the league this year and I think it must have been the lowest crowd I ever saw at a home game. We had very small crowds at Cavan and Derry matches also. People have been voting with their feet all year and its hard to blame them for not spending their time and money on watching a team playing terrible football and a team playing with zero confidence or joy

himachechy (Donegal) - Posts: 293 - 14/06/2022 17:20:39    2425014

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