National Forum

Donegal "Won't Have A Team" On Sunday

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Replying To sam1884:  "We cannot have our cake and eat it. They really are very precious up in Donegal maybe it's why they've never really achieved their potential. What Donegal are asking is to move the game 48 hours so their students can play in the Sigerson cup at the weekend and then line out for their county two days later. And Donegal posters are complaining the Ulster council don't care about welfare. Donegal are very much not looking after players welfare, they're looking after the interests of the county first and foremost. Donegal knew the dates of the competition and understood why Uni's were redrew; now they want to hold the Ulster council to ransom. Play or don't play but in the interests of welfare the Ulster Council are right with their decision; well done to Monaghan for getting to the final and good luck to the Donegal players competing in the Sigerson. If I was the Ulster council I'd elimate Donegal from the 2021 McKenna Cup for failing to fulfil fixtures."
you seem to have absolutely no idea of the issue involved, Donegal, Down and several other counties being treated with contempt. this isn't an issue that just affects Donegal. as for holding the ulster council council to ransom?????............

totalrecall (Leitrim) - Posts: 916 - 10/01/2020 15:36:20    2258753

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Replying To totalrecall:  "you seem to have absolutely no idea of the issue involved, Donegal, Down and several other counties being treated with contempt. this isn't an issue that just affects Donegal. as for holding the ulster council council to ransom?????............"
I think Armagh should be given the oppertunity to play v Monaghan being the next best Runner-up. Monaghan ones may disagree and take the bye to the final but I would see that Armagh would give them a good test after what I saw on Wednesday night.

Monaghan also have 2 Clubs taking part in the Club All-Ireland Series which would cause them to lose 3/4 players from Blackhill and Magheracloone.

Still cant believe that player welfare is still coming into question and all over the McKenna Cup stage of the season. Then come the Summer we'll be complaining about the lack of club games etc.

GAA need to outline a schedule and they need to do it soon.

Find_the_space (Tyrone) - Posts: 313 - 10/01/2020 15:51:17    2258758

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There has be players that would love to have played at the weekend, lads who would only get the chance when so many others are missing..a county team should never have the excuse of not being able to field a team, thats sounding like a professional team..
What if the weather was terrible and pitch was un-playable

tommy132 (Mayo) - Posts: 601 - 10/01/2020 16:13:30    2258762

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "Ridiculous post. Anyone with half a brain can see that this is more of a "line in the sand" stance re: fixtures. If anything Declan Bonner should be applauded. All we hear is moaning and crying all the live long day about fixtures and "something" needing to be done. Well at least Donegal have done something. It will probably mean the death knell for the McKenna Cup but who cares really? In 2021 teams can arrange challenge matches on mutually beneficial dates and times as preparation for the League instead."
A touch of arrogance there from Donegal. The McKenna cup is a well thought, well supported, liked competition and Donegal as a sole county will not being it down in 2021. If Donegal have an issue with it which is becoming clear then a 2x4 structure with semi's and a final will be well received by the 8 who want to continue the competition. Donegal aren't drawing any line, what they're proposing is madness and going completly against the welfare argument they're trying to spin their stance as. Making young players play two games in 48 hours smacks in the face of welfare. Other Ulster counties agreed for the Uni's not to take part and allow them space to play sigerson. Donegal knew this and should have made arrangements; to me the problem is solely with Donegal but they're trying to come across as the victims. Fair play to the Ulster Council.

sam1884 (UK) - Posts: 999 - 10/01/2020 16:23:41    2258764

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Replying To himachechy:  "Donegal asking to move the game to Tuesday was an attempt to come up with some kind of solution as a way out of this, but Bonnar himself said that it wasn't a good solution either as lads would be playing too many games then. The overall problem is the scheduling of these three competitions at the same time (mckenna, sigerson, u20).

People saying Donegal knew the fixtures when they signed up for the competition, they did, but there are a lot of variable between then and now. I'm sure they thought they could work their way through it somehow, but now that just can't be done due to sickness and injuries along with the fixture clashes

Suggesting that we should just round up any lads to play... I think that is disrespectful to those players, the Jersey and the competition.

I support Declan in this as it highlights the fixtures farce. If we get put out of the 2021 McKenna cup then fair enough, that's Ulster council's call. Think it would be counter productive and cost the council revenue. They should be looking to address the fundamental problem of fixtures"
He says that he only has 23 players. How many did he intend playing?

neverright (Roscommon) - Posts: 1648 - 10/01/2020 16:38:28    2258767

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "I would be the missing piece in the jigsaw..."
I can see it now, half time of the Ulster Final. Lockjaw puts the arm round Michael Murphy's shoulder....... "listen Mick, let the ball do the work, don't mind McBrearty, just get the ball into me, I'll do the rest"

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13707 - 10/01/2020 17:43:16    2258780

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Everyone agreeing with his decision are clueless in my opinion. Fair enough its his decision and i hope it works out for him and Donegal. But realistically the players that are not playing with the colleges and the U20's could of played the semi, almost every county has 40+ players training this time of year. But now that there not playing the game they will be training and when there is not a game on you will train to a higher intensity and possibly squeeze another session in midweek. So the people citing burnout are nuts. The players will be doing more workouts and sessions because there not playing a game.
I personally believe they pulled out as it did not fit there plan to prepare for the league . They will focus on fitness from now till the league starts and a game at the weekend and a very possible final would definitely interfere with that.

But hey on the plus side Monaghan are in the final lol. (dont understand why they did not allow one of the other teams to play the semi instead?)

farneygael (Monaghan) - Posts: 277 - 10/01/2020 18:12:32    2258789

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Replying To neverright:  "He says that he only has 23 players. How many did he intend playing?"
Do you have to name a panel of 26? Is there a minimum number for the McKenna?

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4700 - 10/01/2020 18:19:26    2258795

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Replying To neverright:  "He says that he only has 23 players. How many did he intend playing?"
He had 23 fit players last Wednesday night. Take the Sigerson 13 out of it this week and then you might understand why donegal are not playing on Sunday.

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2401 - 10/01/2020 19:31:41    2258818

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Replying To totalrecall:  "you seem to have absolutely no idea of the issue involved, Donegal, Down and several other counties being treated with contempt. this isn't an issue that just affects Donegal. as for holding the ulster council council to ransom?????............"
I'd say Donegal thought we want the game on Tuesday so we'll tell the Ulster Council we won't play without our Sigerson players so move the game or we pull out. Donegal likely thought the Ulster Council wouldn't want to lose revenue or have bad press. Delighted the Ulster council held firm as counties cannot be allowed to change competition dates to suit themselves.

sam1884 (UK) - Posts: 999 - 10/01/2020 20:34:41    2258832

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Replying To MesAmis:  "I can see it now, half time of the Ulster Final. Lockjaw puts the arm round Michael Murphy's shoulder....... "listen Mick, let the ball do the work, don't mind McBrearty, just get the ball into me, I'll do the rest""
Feed the bear...

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9133 - 10/01/2020 20:35:59    2258833

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Replying To tommy132:  "There has be players that would love to have played at the weekend, lads who would only get the chance when so many others are missing..a county team should never have the excuse of not being able to field a team, thats sounding like a professional team..
What if the weather was terrible and pitch was un-playable"
Honestly I'm not so sure club players would be lining up to play. I don't think it's realistic.

Sending out the message to a handful of decent club players a few days before the game..

"Here, we don't actually think you're good enough for Donegal, and we know you've done hardly any training the last few months, but we're wild stuck for players this weekend. Will you play to make up the numbers?? PS. You won't be needed again after Sunday, we don't think you're good enough in the long term.. But hey, even if it's only by default, at least you'll get to pull on the Donegal jersey ! "

But I do agree with your point that a County team should never have to get to the point of not being able to field a team, but I don't think Donegal were left with much of an option in this scenario.

HandballRef (Donegal) - Posts: 520 - 10/01/2020 20:53:48    2258838

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Replying To MadgeKing:  "Monaghan could do the decent thing and stand down their own u20 and sigerson players for the fixture."
Or maybe they could do what every other county does and look after themselves

I'm not sure if teams have any obligation to play in the McKenna cup, I'm sure Armagh would step in if asked or maybe even Cavan given the opposition

Problem is the college games together with teams experimenting at this time of year, I would say it was a genuine oversight by the Donegal management given their commitment against us and Derry, could be that the competition is in danger of losing teams committing to it in the future.

mhunicean_abu (Monaghan) - Posts: 1044 - 10/01/2020 21:01:31    2258839

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Replying To sam1884:  "I'd say Donegal thought we want the game on Tuesday so we'll tell the Ulster Council we won't play without our Sigerson players so move the game or we pull out. Donegal likely thought the Ulster Council wouldn't want to lose revenue or have bad press. Delighted the Ulster council held firm as counties cannot be allowed to change competition dates to suit themselves."
You just made a fictional story up there in your head and then made up a fictional conclusion from your fictional story. You don't know, same as I don't. But I do know that your distain towards Donegal is not fictional, it's very real and very evident from your posts.

HandballRef (Donegal) - Posts: 520 - 10/01/2020 21:05:17    2258840

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "Ridiculous post. Anyone with half a brain can see that this is more of a "line in the sand" stance re: fixtures. If anything Declan Bonner should be applauded. All we hear is moaning and crying all the live long day about fixtures and "something" needing to be done. Well at least Donegal have done something. It will probably mean the death knell for the McKenna Cup but who cares really? In 2021 teams can arrange challenge matches on mutually beneficial dates and times as preparation for the League instead."
Exactly though I am sure Declan would like the McKenna Cup to remain. Just the GAA need to drop their stubborn bravado and use a clean sheet approach to fixtures and scheduling. Say nothing and nothing happens has gone on far too long.

panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2781 - 11/01/2020 01:23:31    2258874

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Replying To sam1884:  "I'd say Donegal thought we want the game on Tuesday so we'll tell the Ulster Council we won't play without our Sigerson players so move the game or we pull out. Donegal likely thought the Ulster Council wouldn't want to lose revenue or have bad press. Delighted the Ulster council held firm as counties cannot be allowed to change competition dates to suit themselves."
Won't be too much said about the McKenna cup come summer. I know some counties cherish it.

Donegal_abroad (Donegal) - Posts: 1321 - 11/01/2020 12:29:47    2258892

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Bonner wasn't thinking much of the players welfare if he was happy for them to play College football on Sunday and County on Tuesday and College again on Saturday and County on Sunday if they kept winning and maybe a few sessions in the Gym and on the field training thrown in also.

culmore (None) - Posts: 1398 - 11/01/2020 14:25:44    2258913

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Replying To culmore:  "Bonner wasn't thinking much of the players welfare if he was happy for them to play College football on Sunday and County on Tuesday and College again on Saturday and County on Sunday if they kept winning and maybe a few sessions in the Gym and on the field training thrown in also."
Bonner seems to annoy you a lot. Maybe there's a reason..

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2401 - 11/01/2020 17:13:33    2258950

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Replying To rorysboys:  "He had 23 fit players last Wednesday night. Take the Sigerson 13 out of it this week and then you might understand why donegal are not playing on Sunday."
Kerry had 7 available for their game against Tipperary last week, still managed to play the game and an under 20 game against Cork the day before.

expe (UK) - Posts: 31 - 11/01/2020 18:53:32    2258962

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Replying To expe:  "Kerry had 7 available for their game against Tipperary last week, still managed to play the game and an under 20 game against Cork the day before."
Fair play to them cudnt have been easy with 7 players.

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2401 - 11/01/2020 19:46:43    2258967

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