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Replying To HandballRef: "Shocking. Ive never left a game we won feeling so disappointed with out own perfermance. Very worrying for Donegal at the moment. Can't see us going too much further this year. I want Mayo in the next round. Might be the only game to try and get some sort of reaction out of us.
We look completely flat. Playing with half the intensity we were playing with in the league. Defence is as vulnerable as it's been in 7 years. Struggling to find scores from play. Slow, ponderous, no width to our play, just a cluster of men in the middle around the 45 handpassing with no real ideas. What has happened to Ryan Mchugh? A lot of players look out of sorts. McElhinney did really well and Neil McGee had his best game in a while. Hard to find any other positives really." funnily enough this is how meath played today too..
ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 01/07/2017 22:00:06
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This performance should give some encouragement to Down cause they see now that the Donegal team that Tyrone beat so easily are playing rubbish at the moment,
I can't see us changing until RG gets the road, I'd rather we get Mayo as well and they might put us out of our misery, we need a change of manager, someone everyone can get behind and put some life back into our game, Donegal supporters deserve better.
Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 2757 - 02/07/2017 00:20:53
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RG isn't going anywhere fast so will have to put up with the one dimensional defensive play we have been getting over the past few games
Feel we need someone with motivation to instill some confidence in actually playing an attacking running game.
Again its a strange feeling when you question how we managed to win that game after playing the way we did
Not out to discredit Longford they played a good game
Maybe we're reading too much into the tactics. We won after playing 'average'
What are we going to be like when we up our game???
Kirkintilloch (Donegal) - Posts: 43 - 02/07/2017 01:34:34
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Heads up lads, rory is on year 1 of a 4 year plan.
ryan (Donegal) - Posts: 725 - 02/07/2017 02:39:43
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Chill the beans lads, Rory in year 1 of a 4 year extension. #some county board we have.
ryan (Donegal) - Posts: 725 - 02/07/2017 02:57:26
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Replying To Tirchonaill1: "This performance should give some encouragement to Down cause they see now that the Donegal team that Tyrone beat so easily are playing rubbish at the moment,
I can't see us changing until RG gets the road, I'd rather we get Mayo as well and they might put us out of our misery, we need a change of manager, someone everyone can get behind and put some life back into our game, Donegal supporters deserve better." I feel your pain and understand it. Being in the same boat. I hope Cork put in a performance but doubt it and can only hope for a quick exit to allow somebody with vision to manage them.
I think Donegal are similar although not as far down the decline as Cork. They have good players and fine young players that have won Ulsters in their grades. A manager with vision could mound another great team.
I would say however that the ultra defensive approach is dead though and a team that is able to put scores on the board is the only way to beat the Dubs. That is what Kerry are trying to do, as in the league final. Champ is different though.
BaldyBadger (Cork) - Posts: 311 - 02/07/2017 03:01:39
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Tyrone could and probably should have beaten us by 20 points. A full throttle Dublin would annihilate us on current form.
Luckily it doesn't seem likely we'll be seeing the business end of things this year.
The frustrating thing is that the talent is there but is being criminally under utilised.
Longford came up and knew exactly how to defend against us. Our play was ponderous and predictable and just so disappointing....
5 years since the AI win. Seems like a life time ago.
Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9155 - 02/07/2017 07:13:25
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A truly horrible performance. Thanks be to God we were playing against a team that couldn't hit the proverbial barn door from 10 yards or we would be gone.
One thing is for sure this is the end for Rory. He achieved nothing while in charge in my opinion.
Mind you my real criticism here is of the clubs, my own included, who voted him back into the job by a huge majority last year not to mention the players who supported him as well.
There are some great young players on that team but watching them yesterday it was obvious the the confidence & energy is gone.
MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 02/07/2017 08:50:53
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I can't see us changing until RG gets the road, I'd rather we get Mayo as well and they might put us out of our misery, we need a change of manager, someone everyone can get behind and put some life back into our game, Donegal supporters deserve better.
Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts:46 - 02/07/2017 00:20:53
It won't take Mayo to "put us out of our misery". If I was from either Meath or Clare I would be champing at the bit to get a rattle at Donegal.
MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 02/07/2017 08:53:23
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Replying To Oddball: "Longford have lost two players to black cards and one to a red with 25 minutes left. Game being refereed by an Ulster ref with one Ulster team involved! Cards go the way of the Ulster team. When are the GAA going to wake up an appoint referees from outside either teams province??" Yeah time to look at appointing international referees. I mean, sure with everyone been near related in Ireland someone from somewhere in either County is bound to know the ref and could leave the result open to question.
It's good that oddballs eagle eye caught this the first time it has ever happened so as the GAA can nip it in the bud before it gets out of control and you end up in a situation where someone from a County bordering one of the Counties is refereeing...... oh wait....
Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 02/07/2017 09:28:08
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Replying To Oddball: "Longford have lost two players to black cards and one to a red with 25 minutes left. Game being refereed by an Ulster ref with one Ulster team involved! Cards go the way of the Ulster team. When are the GAA going to wake up an appoint referees from outside either teams province??" Considering the fact that the game wasn't on television & judging by your post you weren't in Ballybofey to witness events, how do you know that those cards weren't wholly deserved, which they were, as opposed to the ref favouring Donegal?
Just curious like.
MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 02/07/2017 10:05:21
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Replying To MuckrossHead: "A truly horrible performance. Thanks be to God we were playing against a team that couldn't hit the proverbial barn door from 10 yards or we would be gone.
One thing is for sure this is the end for Rory. He achieved nothing while in charge in my opinion.
Mind you my real criticism here is of the clubs, my own included, who voted him back into the job by a huge majority last year not to mention the players who supported him as well.
There are some great young players on that team but watching them yesterday it was obvious the the confidence & energy is gone." Have to say, that as a longford person, I would've been always willing donegal on in latter stages of championship....disappointed to see comment about barn door etc....a bit disrespectful to be honest...these lads of ours, who most are very young, go out and put in the same effort as any donegal player for very little prospect of silverware... really is for the love of county and gaa in general....this unfortunately is general attitude of more successful counties, towards other "lesser" teams, who are doing their best to progress and compete with counties with half the playing population and funding/sponsorship....i for one was proud of our young teams display, and lament the fact of some very harsh refereeing decisions and what we could have achieved if we were lucky enough to have got a home draw...i have optimism for the future, with some players of the calibre of Sean McCormick and Dermot Brady missing yesterday...sean would definitely hit the barn door.....onwards and upwards to donegal, wishing them well in the competition.
Longfordbaz (Longford) - Posts: 145 - 02/07/2017 11:37:27
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It seems very clear to me over the past 2 games that Rory has lost the dressing room. His lack of a gameplan is obvious and the players know it. When we try to run the ball and it doesn't work we have no plan b and the players know the game is up. Rory had tried to mimic Jim but the game is up with that system and our current crop of players don't suit it. Rory should be removed at the end of the season and the county board should look outside the county for a new manager. There's another big beating on the horizon this year.
Tir Conaill Abu (Donegal) - Posts: 1671 - 02/07/2017 11:56:57
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Replying To Longfordbaz: "Have to say, that as a longford person, I would've been always willing donegal on in latter stages of championship....disappointed to see comment about barn door etc....a bit disrespectful to be honest...these lads of ours, who most are very young, go out and put in the same effort as any donegal player for very little prospect of silverware... really is for the love of county and gaa in general....this unfortunately is general attitude of more successful counties, towards other "lesser" teams, who are doing their best to progress and compete with counties with half the playing population and funding/sponsorship....i for one was proud of our young teams display, and lament the fact of some very harsh refereeing decisions and what we could have achieved if we were lucky enough to have got a home draw...i have optimism for the future, with some players of the calibre of Sean McCormick and Dermot Brady missing yesterday...sean would definitely hit the barn door.....onwards and upwards to donegal, wishing them well in the competition." No disrespect was intended & I apologise if what I said caused offence.
However the truth of the matter is that Longford's shooting was as poor as I have seen at county level & only for it they might well have won the game.
MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 02/07/2017 12:48:44
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Replying To Longfordbaz: "Have to say, that as a longford person, I would've been always willing donegal on in latter stages of championship....disappointed to see comment about barn door etc....a bit disrespectful to be honest...these lads of ours, who most are very young, go out and put in the same effort as any donegal player for very little prospect of silverware... really is for the love of county and gaa in general....this unfortunately is general attitude of more successful counties, towards other "lesser" teams, who are doing their best to progress and compete with counties with half the playing population and funding/sponsorship....i for one was proud of our young teams display, and lament the fact of some very harsh refereeing decisions and what we could have achieved if we were lucky enough to have got a home draw...i have optimism for the future, with some players of the calibre of Sean McCormick and Dermot Brady missing yesterday...sean would definitely hit the barn door.....onwards and upwards to donegal, wishing them well in the competition." I don't think this is being disrespectful, more blunt with facts than anything. I admire Longford for coming to Donegal to win rather than to look good, but the fact remains that their shooting let them down big time yesterday. 3 easy wides in the 2nd half in particular could have seen them set up a famous win. I hope you can take confidence from this game to aim at promotion next year.
Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 02/07/2017 12:49:57
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Replying To Longfordbaz: "Have to say, that as a longford person, I would've been always willing donegal on in latter stages of championship....disappointed to see comment about barn door etc....a bit disrespectful to be honest...these lads of ours, who most are very young, go out and put in the same effort as any donegal player for very little prospect of silverware... really is for the love of county and gaa in general....this unfortunately is general attitude of more successful counties, towards other "lesser" teams, who are doing their best to progress and compete with counties with half the playing population and funding/sponsorship....i for one was proud of our young teams display, and lament the fact of some very harsh refereeing decisions and what we could have achieved if we were lucky enough to have got a home draw...i have optimism for the future, with some players of the calibre of Sean McCormick and Dermot Brady missing yesterday...sean would definitely hit the barn door.....onwards and upwards to donegal, wishing them well in the competition." Ignore it lad- he has form .,
Hard luck yesterday
eunans4ever (Donegal) - Posts: 1595 - 02/07/2017 14:51:04
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I have to say that Saturday was a grim experience from a Donegal point of view. I'll start with the very short list of bright sparks - Martin McElhinney turned the game on his own coming off the bench, and had some great fielding in the second half as well. Eoghan Ban Gallagher probably played his best game since the league, and Neil McGee looked fitter even though he was inexplicably up in the full forward line on numerous occasions. Patrick McBrearty shows his class again, imagine if he got more ball.
I'd also like to say hats off to Longford and their support. From what I understand it's a young team in Longford and that showed at times with inexperience. They also missed a few very handy frees that let us off. I think as well, if I was a Longford fan, I wouldn't be happy with the ref. That's not related to the cards - to be honest I think they were all fair. But more that the ref gave us a few handy ones, and there was one or two times I felt we could've seen a black card ourselves. So it must have been frustrating for Longford in a lot of ways - we were definitely there for the taking.
Onto ourselves - it's baffling to me how awful we've been in Championship. We beat Antrim easily after a dodgy first half, and who knew that the first half was the better indicator of where we were at for the summer. I've seen some say maybe we put too much into the league (but I think it was very important not to get relegated) but to be honest we don't look like we're doing the same things as we were in the league. I saw a lot more variation during the league, and the first 50 minutes against Mayo for example was some of the best football I've seen us play in years. I saw support runners and little dinked balls into the corners, pulling defenses wider and great score taking as well as great decision making.
That's all disappeared. We get to the oppositions 40, turn back, hand pass, turn back, hand pass, hand pass again, eventually it makes it's way to maybe Murphy or Thompson who try and make a burst, a shot under pressure, a terrible wide, or just turned over as they try another handpass out of the tackle. It was woeful. Nobody supporting. Runs inside being ignored. Shooting from all angles. How many wides did we end up with? At least 20?
All the good aspects of our league has disappeared as well as our best performers from the league going off the boil. I can't really get my head around it, I felt Rory was doing good things during the league and now it seems it's all out the window. I'm normally one to take a breath and review things, sometimes it's just not your day and all that. But Saturday was truly one of the most demoralising and apathetic performances I've seen from Donegal in years. Very worrying.
JoeSoap (Donegal) - Posts: 1432 - 03/07/2017 11:51:32
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Yep. It got so bad at one stage I started watching the game a gang of young bucks were having on the wee astro field behind the terrace.
Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9155 - 03/07/2017 12:04:22
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The problem within the squad at present is unfortunately with the management and particularly Rory Gallagher. He is at best a No.2 at inter county level, as proven when Jim was there. He is all right to bounce ideas off, but not at coming up with an alternative plan B or C.
He has lost the dressing room, looking at the displays against Tyrone and against Longford.
The verbals he was giving the players (Frank, Eoin Mc Hugh, Murph) and Maxi along the sideline on Saturday evening was embarrassing to say the least. When a manager is reduced to that, he has not been doing his job over the winter or in training. You would not see Jim Gavin or Eamon Fitzmaurice at it!
I wanted us to be drawn against Mayo this morning, as it would probably have encouraged the players to raise their game. As it is, we will inevitably be going out of the All Ireland Championship 2017 v Meath next weekend or against Roscommon/Cork the following weekend, as the appetite and hunger are just not there.
I do not understand how players and management can sacrifice so much of their time and personal lives over the winter and spring months, to just halfheartedly give up in the heat of the battle in the summer months. The pride i had in my fellow county men is slowly weaning away and it is now time to replace the current management team.
When Jim took over the hotseat in Donegal in 2010 we were ranked unofficially at No.19 in the country. If the clubs and county board are not careful, Rory Gallagher will return us very close to that ranking and 2012 would seem like a lifetime away
green and gold (Donegal) - Posts: 105 - 03/07/2017 12:41:30
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Donegal not at the races.way too defensive.
Playing with 14men behind the ball against longford.not a bit of attacking nouse whatsoever..look a bit lost to me.as bad as meath are i think they will beat donegal..i think the donegal posters are right about gallagher being a better assistant' looks a bit of a bluffer to me.
GGdub (Dublin) - Posts: 260 - 03/07/2017 20:17:38
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