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I'm no expert but my opinion is our defensive problem is largely down to how the players are being coached and selected for those defensive positions, also the way we play over and back is so frustrating to watch, sometimes you'd wonder if the players even know which goal we are attacking, when we had to go at Monaghan we looked a much better team. Don't know what we'll do in this county when Murphy retires. Glad to read today that the water breaks may be coming to an end, we were getting like the American football with the 4 quarters. Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 2739 - 24/01/2022 20:52:20 2396292 Link 0 |
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I think that will be pretty close to the team named. the only positions I would say are debatable is 12. S O'Donnell/N O'Donnel and 15. C O'Donnell I just don't think these players have done enough to secure a place in the team and could easily be replace with no big worry. Would love to see Thompson play midfield over McGee but don't see it happening. Does anyone know what the story is with Conor Morrison and is he anywhere near close to be back training? naomh_conaill_4 (Donegal) - Posts: 481 - 25/01/2022 08:53:44 2396302 Link 0 |
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RMcH needs to be taken out of defence. End of. He is not a natural defender and does not have the physique to stop players coming through. It is a glaring weak link in our team and opposition are getting more and more wise to it. He is a fantastic play maker so play him at CHF. We are going no where fast with him in defence. Play Mogan half back instead, start Langan in the corner and let him roam. Shane and Conor still a bit raw yet to be starting a NFL game, it's a big step up from the McKenna Cup remember. No harm taking them on. peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 797 - 25/01/2022 08:56:42 2396303 Link 1 |
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Totally agree with you on this.. I would put Langan full forward and Ryan into half forward. Can anybody remember what position Ryan played when he took Dublin apart in 2014 semi final.. I'm nearly sure it was half forward?
RoryGall35 (Donegal) - Posts: 167 - 25/01/2022 09:37:02 2396312 Link 0 |
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Would play Mc Hugh at 11 and mogan coming from deep. Big Hugh is a huge loss must have had a bad injury.. we also need gallen and Jamie back two Scoring forwards. I feel we have two many small players all gifted lads but it's getting the right formation. We all know what Mayo will bring they will put a big press on Patton s lockout so that he has to go long so I feel we need ball winners in our midfield and half forward line.. hopefully we have good travelling support got my season ticket last night so hoping it'll be money well spent. rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2392 - 25/01/2022 10:39:19 2396321 Link 0 |
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Forgot about Mogan. I'd say he'll definitely be starting but hard to know in what position. Maybe wing forward to combat Eoghan McLaughlin's surging runs from deep? That lad is a machine.
Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9116 - 25/01/2022 10:44:55 2396323 Link 0 |
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Yeah but I think Declan Bonner needs to realise that starting Ryan McHugh and Peadar Mogan at wing back is a mistake and leaves our full back line very exposed. Start them both at wing forward positions instead, give us more physicality in the half back line. I don't think Jason McGee has warranted a starting place against Mayo, I thought he lacked energy and drive against Monaghan, I think he needs to be slowly integrated and see how he progresses, at the moment him and Conor O'Donnell are not at the required level. My personal selection 1. Patton 2. McFF 3. McCole 4. Ward 5. McClenaghan 6. Ban Gallagher 7. Paul Brennan 8. McGonigle 9. Thompson 10. R McHugh 11. Langan 12. P Mogan 13. N O'Donnell 14. Murphy 15. McBrearty Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1106 - 25/01/2022 10:49:40 2396328 Link 0 |
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I've been saying for months and years that Ryan McHugh is too light for the half back line, and Peadar Mogan is no better, these guys are both wing forwards who can drop deep as runners, neither should be in the defensive back six. Michael Langan is the perfect CHF, if Patton kicks long over the midfield, Langan has aerial ability to win those balls and turn to goal, I rate him now as Donegal's best player, I think most opposition teams consider him one of the most dangerous threats, last season he was heavily marked. Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1106 - 25/01/2022 10:53:23 2396331 Link 1 |
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Ryan is a super player but has been victim of management repeating mistakes. When he is targeted and man marked his influence is often negated against the better teams. Playing him wing back is OK against some opposition but against better teams management need to find a way for him to flourish. He played left half forward against Dublin in 2014 if memory serves me correctly. What about naming him corner forward with a roaming brief? Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9116 - 25/01/2022 11:45:50 2396341 Link 2 |
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Sigerson matches (particularly lyit match this evening) will also have a bearing on selection. I suppose firstly best of luck to lyit. From county point of view hopefully players all get though it injury free. Ulsterchamps_32 (Donegal) - Posts: 688 - 25/01/2022 14:43:59 2396394 Link 0 |
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Ha Ha thanks Rorys your like my very own hs fact checker. In fact hs could do worse than pay you to become a moderator and maybe we'll get our Donegal forum back. In my defense I think the commentator on the LYIT game got Walsh and the Sligo player mixed up saying it was Walsh who was from Thrloustone but again I could be wrong there. He did mistake Jason McGee and Rory O'Donnell a couple of times. Martin McHugh did say Walsh was from Donegal when commenting on the McKenna Cup game later that evening so I'd be advised to do my own fact checking first. In relation to last weekend's game it was good to get another run out but frustrating to lose by such a narrow margin. What I picked up on as already been posted. Defensively we got drawn out a couple of times leaving gaps behind despite having bodies back. To me that's just having the in game intelligence be aware that sometimes its better to concede a point than give up a goal. I thought Monaghan could've had more than one goal. The game was very reminiscent of some of last year's campaign by coming back from behind. Obviously Patton was a huge loss especially when you compare to the advantage Monaghan had by having Beggan's restarts. The substitutions made a big difference especially McGonigle and Murphy. I was disappointed Jason McGee didn't have more of a showing after been excellent midweek but hopefully he'll have enough opportunities to impress in the league. I thought Jack McKelvey done well too when he came on using ball wisely making correct decisions which was lacking in the first half. Good to see Murphy inside who looks in great shape. Playing inside can hopefully prolong his career but never get why in GAA in particular people are getting talked about in terms of retirement way before their time. Looking forward to the weekend on what will be a competitive game with two teams up for it. Happy its getting broadcast as I imagine Sligo will be a bottleneck with supporters coming from all directions. panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2779 - 25/01/2022 15:53:55 2396417 Link 0 |
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Ouch !........another sore loser
Shelbourne1 (Monaghan) - Posts: 346 - 25/01/2022 20:32:12 2396477 Link 0 |
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Ouch !........another sore loser"]Maybe Donegal missing a trick here not giving a more progressive Rochford the managerial seat this year. It will be same aul, same aul approah under Bonner, flattering to deceive again. Vish (USA) - Posts: 88 - 26/01/2022 07:24:52 2396482 Link 0 |
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Ouch !........another sore loser"]There was widespread heartache up here after losing the McKenna Cup Final.
Donegal_abroad (Donegal) - Posts: 1319 - 26/01/2022 07:48:53 2396484 Link 2 |
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Yeah but we could play just about any player at wing back against some lesser opposition and get away with it, the problem over the last 3 years has been that Ryan has gone missing against teams who really put it up to us. Mayo 2019 Cavan 2020 Derry 2021 This has made me question why Ryan McHugh was given an automatic starting place at wing-back by Declan Bonner, when he clearly wasn't adding anything in that role, why not play him in the forwards and let him draw fouls and get us frees. It might be an idea to only field 2 inside forwards, and play Ryan as a roaming role, however we already kind of do that with Michael Murphy, like he spends more time outfield than inside. Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1106 - 26/01/2022 11:12:01 2396513 Link 2 |
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I wudnt read too much about Ryan's positioning in the last two Mc kenna cup games. I believe he was just out to get game time. And from watching Donegal this year they seem to be getting more bodies back when defending.so I think management have decided to gave the defence more protection. We tried the all out attack but we haven't the man marking defenders to play the big teams and win. So I feel we'll be more cautious in our approach this year. One thing that's quite noticeable so far is that the players that bonner has played regularly this last few years are still way ahead of the pack. Management have been criticised for not playing Jason Mc gee . Aaron Doherty Conor o donnell and Oisin gallen last year but none of these have put there hand up this year so far .I know gallen has been injured but he was injured most of last year too.
rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2392 - 26/01/2022 11:53:01 2396523 Link 0 |
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Indeed we are more defensive, however this typical Bonner, who tends to be more reactive than proactive with tactics, probably looking at Tyrone last season and thinking we need to follow suit. I would agree that a few less experienced players didn't really take their chance in the McKenna Cup, but in fairness I though Tony McClenaghan, Conor Doherty and Shane O'Donnell definitely put their hands up. I think Conor O'Donnell's shooting let him down, but his pace and physicality looked good, and a few lads probably didn't get enough time to get a fair assessment. Oisin Gallen has proven himself to be a handful against top opposition, but injuries have basically ruled him out since 2019, but he is likely to be back in the next 4-6 weeks and he would be an important option for Donegal to have. Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1106 - 26/01/2022 12:39:34 2396535 Link 0 |
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Ouch !........another sore loser"]Maybe Donegal missing a trick here not giving a more progressive Rochford the managerial seat this year. It will be same aul, same aul approah under Bonner, flattering to deceive again."]Where is the evidence that Rochford is 'a more progressive manager' . He's been coaching this Donegal team for 3 or 4 years. Surely he has input to tactics and team selection, but never seems to get any criticism, it's always Bonner's fault when they lose a game greenfan (Donegal) - Posts: 463 - 26/01/2022 17:21:08 2396602 Link 2 |
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I see Mayo have named a strong team, no messing about from Horan. Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9116 - 27/01/2022 12:15:31 2396701 Link 0 |
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I got so fed up with Donegal forum moving to the national forum that I haven't been posting for a while but I just couldn't stay away. Firstly its great to be able to attend inter county games games again. Green_Gold (Donegal) - Posts: 1873 - 27/01/2022 14:10:33 2396720 Link 0 |