Given the raft of retirements and persistent rumours of unease in the camp, are Donegal a real contender in 2017? I have to say I dont think they are. Sure they still have some top class footballers, but the losses of McLoone and MacNiallis in particular do not bode well. Do Donegal have the strength in depth to replace these lads?
Would be very interested in Lockjaws opinion on this and the other Donegal lads and lassies.
The wheels do seem to have come off a little lads, have they? Is their truth that ye know of in the rumors of unrest? Heard from a reliable source recently that a certain ex player might be planting negative seeds locally re RG also?

Its very hard to see Donegal of 2017 beating Tyrone/Mayo or Kerry this year. I couldnt see them beating the Dubs atall I am afraid.

What say ye folk of Tir Chonaill?

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 19/01/2017 12:45:24    1946954

eunans4ever (Donegal) - Posts: 1595 - 19/01/2017 13:36:07    1946972

Mobot (Donegal) - Posts: 459 - 19/01/2017 14:15:01    1946988

There is an Ulster title in them alright but I couldn't see them lifting Sam come September. McNiallis is a big loss as is Leo McLoone who would be a significant addition to any panel, but he was treated very badly last year and his departure was flagged. I hear plenty of Donegal folk being rather downbeat about their chances this year but maybe they're being cute :-)

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3734 - 19/01/2017 14:46:37    1946996

What would Donegals expected championship starting 15 this year be?

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12116 - 19/01/2017 15:50:16    1947027

Target for the year will be to stay in Division 1 and to win Ulster. We will likely be meeting Tyrone in the Ulster semi final and then Monaghan or Cavan waiting in the final. I think there isn't much to choose between the counties in Ulster and that will be reflected again come championship.

We've younger legs in the panel now so I would be hopeful that we're in for a long summer anyway, but for these lads I think an Ulster title would be a great achievement and would be very welcome after a few years without silverware.

JoeSoap (Donegal) - Posts: 1432 - 19/01/2017 16:16:00    1947043

The simple answer is no. I don't think we're a live contender to win Sam this year. As others have mentioned, I think we'll still be very competitive in Ulster. There is a likely semi-final with Tyrone on the horizon which would be another ding dong battle. I just think Ulster tends to be cyclical. We've had a period of dominance over Tyrone which was ended last summer and my fear is that the Red Hands may be about to embark on a similar run of dominance within the province. That said, and I'm sure Tyrone fans would be the first to admit, we'll be a hard bloody nut to crack.

A run in the qualifiers might not be such a bad thing as it would give our newcomers some valuable senior championship experience under the radar so to speak. But of course, winning a provincial medal would trump all that completely.

Ideal Scenario: Win Ulster, beating Tyrone and Monaghan along the way. A favorable QF draw and then you're in the semis. Who knows what momentum/confidence can bring.

Realistic Scenario: Come up short against Tyrone in Ulster semi. Get a few qualifier games under the belt where the newcomers get some good experience. Reach QF stage and hope to ruffle some feathers in Croke Park.

Having said all the above what I really want to see this year is some freshness and some variation to how we've been playing these past 2 years. The defensive stuff has had it's day.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9132 - 19/01/2017 16:30:43    1947050

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9132 - 19/01/2017 16:36:25    1947054

Mobot (Donegal) - Posts: 459 - 19/01/2017 16:46:20    1947059

Mobot (Donegal) - Posts: 459 - 19/01/2017 17:16:50    1947070

Thanks lads. Fairly strong team all things considered but yeah not as good as last years so unlikely to be AI contenders in 2017.

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12116 - 19/01/2017 17:21:08    1947073

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 19/01/2017 17:24:23    1947075

Donegal have a lot of good players with a good mentality.They also have alot of quality young players coming through.The future is fine,but I don't think they are quite All-Ireland contenders this year.They will be competitive and could easily make the last 4.

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 19/01/2017 17:38:49    1947084

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 19/01/2017 17:41:42    1947085

New legs don't always become better legs ,is what's coming through better than what's left jury well and truly out on that , as to the question no I don't see Donegal as contenders at all think it will be a frustrating year for Donegal , been wrong before will be again

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 19/01/2017 17:42:22    1947086

McBrearty was excellent when introduced last night for UUJ. Cavan haven't a forward of his class

FoolsGold (Cavan) - Posts: 2763 - 19/01/2017 17:54:40    1947094

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 19/01/2017 18:33:16    1947109

Smashing potential there among the new players and still with a great blend of experience. Actually, it could make us very dangerous under the right conditions and set-up.

Therein lies my fear; that we don't actually have a manager of the very highest calibre. He seems to be the kind of guy that will ensure we are competitive as hell but without having that killer touch, that dynamic expectation we had a few years ago under McGuinness that we were going to win big games. Gallagher seems to have the team playing in such a way where they try to defend a one point lead or hold a game level for 20 minutes. Under McGuinness we would generally speaking contain a game and control it from being 4/5 points up, then just pick teams off and keep the scoreboard moving. So we don't look as clinical or controlled. Our game lacks variety under Rory, the intensity of our tackling isn't at the same level either. These are all very fundamental issues and at the highest level they represent the difference. Also at times his selections in the team, while generally speaking seem fine, have been bizarre. Donegal need to find something different again this year, a new angle, the element of surprise. If we find that and encourage an explosiveness in the younger lads on the field, then we can match anyone in Ulster and could certainly compete at All Ireland level. I just don't trust the management to get the most out of this group.

Donegal_abroad (Donegal) - Posts: 1321 - 19/01/2017 18:33:38    1947111

I don't think Donegal will be anywhere near contenders for AI glory this year. Yes there is good young talent coming through but it is based on potential rather than substance. While most of the younger players have tasted provincial glory none have achieved intercounty success at national level especially when you compare to Kerry whose recent success at minor level has been phenomenal. Yes Donegal will be very competitive in Ulster but there seems to be a mindset in place where failure to win Ulster means nothing can be achieved beyond that which I have found completely bemusing.

As for rumours of unrest in the squad there is no smoke without fire. Yes you can point at some of the retirements being obvious but it was the timing more than anything especially in the case of Christy Toye. No surprise Leo left the panel with the treatment he got from the current management but then Anthony Thompson and Odhran McNellis. Must be some coincidence then if some supporters are making up rumours. In the case of Odhran he is 24 and most would agree he is a supremely talented footballer. I ask the question if he was playing in Kerry or Dublin where players have more freedom to express themselves would he be taking a year out? Or if Jim McG was still in charge? I doubt it in both cases. He is asked to perform a role in a system which tempers his talent in order to constantly chase back. So while some would say rumours are unfounded the facts would say otherwise.

The current game plan has not really changed much in the last 2 years. Donegal have become one dimensional and play the game to not lose especially against the top teams. Last year Donegal had a huge opportunity against Dublin when scoring a goal and faced with 14 men yet still did not remove any of the shackles and went out with a whimper. Mayo handed Donegal their arse the year before in Croker so I think since 2014 this team has been dropping off at a national level.

I do think the squad still has serious talent and can be a force at national level but are regressing because of a lack of nous and leadership becoming a victim of their own system. I hope that Donegal can achieve some underage success at a national level over the next couple of years but this will be difficult given the bear pit that is Ulster and the endless product line coming out of Kerry. I think with the right leadership and management in place this team still could be more than capable of competing at a national level.

panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2781 - 19/01/2017 19:26:43    1947130

Nowhere near being AI contenders in 2017.

Survival in Div 1 & an Ulster title would see me coaxing my old bones into a jig of delight.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 19/01/2017 20:48:04    1947158