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Donegal GAA thread

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Replying To panamasam:  "Anyone dismissing based on last isn't worth your time reading their posts. Kerry were missing 3 of their most important players. Ryan was a big loss as Murphy's kick outs were poor especially in that first half period Donegal made hay. It'll be a completely different game if they meet later in the summer but from a Donegal perspective it heals some scars from last summer. Jim made a mistake not starting big Hugh and having Jason fully fit is a big bonus. We'll need these lads if there is a repeat pairing later in the year."
No one is dismissing Kerry but talking about the players they were missing is foolish. Look at the players we had missing.

eddieSize5Balls (Donegal) - Posts: 332 - 04/04/2026 22:46:08    2664812

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Replying To eddieSize5Balls:  "No one is dismissing Kerry but talking about the players they were missing is foolish. Look at the players we had missing."
Foolish talking about missing players of the calibre of Gavin White, Shane Ryan and Paudie Clifford? Were you in a space capsule and miss last year's AI final?

panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2926 - 05/04/2026 12:04:00    2664861

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Replying To panamasam:  "Foolish talking about missing players of the calibre of Gavin White, Shane Ryan and Paudie Clifford? Were you in a space capsule and miss last year's AI final?"
Take a leaf from pauric Joyce, and play the hand your dealt. No point in what ifs, and maybes

Expertinall (UK) - Posts: 19 - 05/04/2026 13:09:43    2664875

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Replying To Beagslife:  "Their Irish is a bit ropey!"
You thinking they couldn't read the registration form and ticked box for wrong competition?

HEREBENJI (Donegal) - Posts: 444 - 05/04/2026 13:54:23    2664886

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Replying To panamasam:  "Foolish talking about missing players of the calibre of Gavin White, Shane Ryan and Paudie Clifford? Were you in a space capsule and miss last year's AI final?"
Shaun Patton, Ciaran Thompson, Ciaran Moore, Oisin Gallen etc were missing for Donegal too. Reread what I had said. I didn't dismiss them. Not difficult to read is it.

eddieSize5Balls (Donegal) - Posts: 332 - 06/04/2026 01:53:35    2664942

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Replying To eddieSize5Balls:  "Shaun Patton, Ciaran Thompson, Ciaran Moore, Oisin Gallen etc were missing for Donegal too. Reread what I had said. I didn't dismiss them. Not difficult to read is it."
The drop off from Ryan to Murphy is more substantial than Patton to Mulreaney so much so that more and more it's looking more difficult that Patton might break back in. While the players you mention are all excellent in their own right in terms of importance to the team the most comparable to Paudie in terms of importance to their team is Langan or Shane O'Donnell. None can really be compared to Gavin White probably our chief tormentor along with the two Cliffords in last year's AI.

panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2926 - 06/04/2026 13:04:42    2664967

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Replying To panamasam:  "The drop off from Ryan to Murphy is more substantial than Patton to Mulreaney so much so that more and more it's looking more difficult that Patton might break back in. While the players you mention are all excellent in their own right in terms of importance to the team the most comparable to Paudie in terms of importance to their team is Langan or Shane O'Donnell. None can really be compared to Gavin White probably our chief tormentor along with the two Cliffords in last year's AI."
That's fair.

eddieSize5Balls (Donegal) - Posts: 332 - 06/04/2026 23:48:32    2665027

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I would imagine a lot of us will be tuning into Armagh v Tyrone on Sunday. Assuming we can take care of Down, we'll in all likelihood be facing the winner down the line in the Ulster semi-final.

Tyrone look to be in disarray. It will be interesting to see what team starts the match. They have released a starting 15 but as we all know that could change come throw-in. I would never write off a Tyrone team, but is Armagh away too big an ask? I heard Pat Spillane questioning whether Tyrone still have that ferocious bite about them. We'll see on Sunday I suppose.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 10289 - 10/04/2026 12:29:04    2665570

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Think Armagh will beat them by 5 or 6 points handy enough, could be more even with the way the game is now with 2 pointers, the loser of this match has a long wait then till a game in the All Ireland series, could be a wet windy day too by the looks of it, Armagh will have massive home support, can only see an Armagh win.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3822 - 10/04/2026 12:42:38    2665574

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "I would imagine a lot of us will be tuning into Armagh v Tyrone on Sunday. Assuming we can take care of Down, we'll in all likelihood be facing the winner down the line in the Ulster semi-final.

Tyrone look to be in disarray. It will be interesting to see what team starts the match. They have released a starting 15 but as we all know that could change come throw-in. I would never write off a Tyrone team, but is Armagh away too big an ask? I heard Pat Spillane questioning whether Tyrone still have that ferocious bite about them. We'll see on Sunday I suppose."
I don't think it has anything to do with bite with Tyrone, they're just not physically able to match a lot of the top teams at the moment. They were blown away physically by Kerry last year. Most times they took the ball into contact they lost it, while on the other side Kerry were breaking their tackles more easily.
Apart from Con Kilpatrick who stood up admirably on the day, they were also cleaned around the middle. For all the usual sound bytes about Kerry's football, it was their physical advantage that was the biggest difference on the day.

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2754 - 10/04/2026 14:15:41    2665602

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Replying To WanPintWin:  "I don't think it has anything to do with bite with Tyrone, they're just not physically able to match a lot of the top teams at the moment. They were blown away physically by Kerry last year. Most times they took the ball into contact they lost it, while on the other side Kerry were breaking their tackles more easily.
Apart from Con Kilpatrick who stood up admirably on the day, they were also cleaned around the middle. For all the usual sound bytes about Kerry's football, it was their physical advantage that was the biggest difference on the day."
I will be shocked if Malachy O'Rourke hasn't taken major steps to address this behind the scenes, they beat us in the All Ireland series last year in Ballybofey, and I suspect come Championship he will be expecting them to show progression this year.

I know their Division 2 campaign was very poor, but I just expect O'Rourke to bring them together for a strong All Ireland series. He might skip Ulster, instead focus only on the All Ireland series, but I wouldn't write Tyrone off based on the league, they have a lot of players they can bring in.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1720 - 10/04/2026 16:38:42    2665637

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "I would imagine a lot of us will be tuning into Armagh v Tyrone on Sunday. Assuming we can take care of Down, we'll in all likelihood be facing the winner down the line in the Ulster semi-final.

Tyrone look to be in disarray. It will be interesting to see what team starts the match. They have released a starting 15 but as we all know that could change come throw-in. I would never write off a Tyrone team, but is Armagh away too big an ask? I heard Pat Spillane questioning whether Tyrone still have that ferocious bite about them. We'll see on Sunday I suppose."
What you mean in all likelihood you would be facing the winner of Tyrone and Armagh? Sure hasn't the draw been made so all you have to do is get over a weak Down team to play the winner.

winatallcost (Meath) - Posts: 968 - 10/04/2026 18:58:44    2665667

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Replying To winatallcost:  "What you mean in all likelihood you would be facing the winner of Tyrone and Armagh? Sure hasn't the draw been made so all you have to do is get over a weak Down team to play the winner."
Do your research.
Tyrone armagh winner play fermanagh next

NORTHMEN (Donegal) - Posts: 33 - 10/04/2026 20:10:23    2665672

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Replying To winatallcost:  "What you mean in all likelihood you would be facing the winner of Tyrone and Armagh? Sure hasn't the draw been made so all you have to do is get over a weak Down team to play the winner."
We never take any match for granted. Anything can happen on the day.
Ye should know better than most? You beat Dublin last year, you then thought the Leinster championship was won but............

Scenicparish (Donegal) - Posts: 896 - 10/04/2026 20:29:36    2665676

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