Back down to reality for this team. Murphy and Langan only reason we had a chance. Will be difficult to make a quarter final now.

eddieSize5Balls (Donegal) - Posts: 148 - 24/05/2025 21:01:06    2612186

eddieSize5Balls (Donegal) - Posts: 148 - 24/05/2025 21:09:28    2612191

We're going nowhere without Patton.

Langan, Murphy, McCole and Roarty nearly won us that game on their own , the rest well below average.

peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 1208 - 24/05/2025 21:15:28    2612197

Mulreany had a bit of a disaster in the first and last 10 minutes, did ok for the rest on kickouts. But he wasn't the only problem. We were poor. Only for a magnificent Langan performance we didn't offer much of a threat. The looping runs is a bit too one dimensional and on an evening like that against a solid defense its just not enough. A bit more guile, dropping of a shoulder and direct running is needed. Langan was the only one doing it. In saying that we were still in a position to win that after McBrearty's 2 pointer but the man himself coughed the ball up cheaply on the next play and Tyrone got a point on the counter. That moment was the turning of the game because Tyrone won all the kickouts after that.

benjyyy (Donegal) - Posts: 1429 - 24/05/2025 21:18:00    2612199

greenfan (Donegal) - Posts: 648 - 24/05/2025 21:28:14    2612201

Player who rolled the ankle was Stephen mcM. Just wanted it confirmed and it was tonight.

We hadn't much option for kickouts other than hit it to Murphy when we needed primary possession.

Massive game now next weekend in Breffni!

Whyme923 (Donegal) - Posts: 34 - 24/05/2025 21:33:26    2612204

A couple of more experienced key men looking very leggy for you this evening and with 2 gruelling games coming fast it's hard to know if they'll stick it out. Will be a good test for your squad. I think all provincial finalists will look forward to the 2 week break after next weekend.

sam2024 (Armagh) - Posts: 55 - 24/05/2025 21:50:10    2612211

I'm not surprised by that. If winning and Ireland is your goal then putting so much emphasis on Ulster doesn't make logical. The rules screw the ulster championship winners. Monaghan and Tyrone were much better served getting knocked out. In saying that it doesn't excuse some the sloppy unforced errors. And although the one near the end when 2 points up was the losing of the game there were far too many errors overall. The kick out fell apart near the end and it's not all on the keeper. Who bar Murphy was looking for the kickouts.

Cavan will be ravenous next week. Unfortunately it's almost impossible to see Donegal challenging for the top honours now. There's more injuries this with mcgonagle and it's hard to believe gallen is not carrying something and obviously patton. And I guess Niall O'Donnell is not match fit.

Ulsterchamps_32 (Donegal) - Posts: 839 - 24/05/2025 22:00:13    2612216

eddieSize5Balls (Donegal) - Posts: 148 - 24/05/2025 22:14:05    2612222

The_Fridge (Tyrone) - Posts: 2100 - 24/05/2025 22:44:52    2612233

That felt good. Safe home everyone

The_Fridge (Tyrone) - Posts: 2100 - 24/05/2025 22:45:26    2612235

That result felt inevitable when the changes were announced beforehand, especially when Patton was ruled out. I feel really bad for Mulreany, I think he's a good player but that is absolutely enormous pressure to come in for that today. He had an extremely poor performance and in all honesty if you swap him for Patton there this evening we win that game by 4 odd points in my opinion, despite how poor we were.

Tyrone weren't great either. They went through long spells without scores and they had enormous fortune with the goals. Darragh Canavan was kept very quiet and McCurry wasn't allowed to be at his best, albeit he certainly grew into the game as it went on.

I wouldn't be too doom and gloom about things coming out of today, but maybe a little bit of a wake up call about our squad depth. We've seen very little of note from Conor O Donnell so far this year, O Baoil has found the last number of games much more difficult than the early season, and Gallen just isn't clicking how he could or should. McBrearty still has his touch of glass but he has a lot of mileage on the clock and it is showing. I can't believe Niall O Donnell is all but frozen out of this team, I think he brings a similar dynamism to Shane and he should absolutely be one of the first men we turn to down the stretch.

Back to reality now and hopefully the disappointment of today can drive a much better performance next week.

papa_pump (Donegal) - Posts: 74 - 24/05/2025 22:45:46    2612236

The_Fridge (Tyrone) - Posts: 2100 - 24/05/2025 22:46:34    2612237

Thought we had turned the screw when McBrearty scored his two pointer. I thought we slowed the game down prematurely (and ultimately handed the initiative back to Tyrone after an umpteenth fumble).
I think we'd have been better served going for Tyrone's throat at that stage. The crowd was egging us on, and another score or two could have sunk Tyrone.

Anyone else think McNally was poor enough on a couple of decisions? In particular for Canavan's equalising free?

Next weekend is absolutely massive now. Simply have to beat Cavan.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9783 - 24/05/2025 22:46:53    2612239

The price of winning ulster is a high one and given the ridiculous condensed season it is of no benefit. Given the players we have missing and the players that appear to be playing with knocks I believe we will do well to win in breffni next week.

We won't challenge for the all Ireland and are victims of our own success. Tyrone had 4 weeks rest at it showed, even when we went 2 up in the last 10 it never felt like we would see the game out. Can't fault our team, hate the condensed season and the GAA are flogging the players.

totalrecall (Leitrim) - Posts: 1069 - 24/05/2025 22:48:23    2612241

The_Fridge (Tyrone) - Posts: 2100 - 24/05/2025 22:48:43    2612243

Our season is totally dependent on how bad an injury patton has. He didn't look great before the game, he signalled a few times in the ulster final that he wasn't right. Hopefully he didn't cause more damage by playing on.

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2618 - 24/05/2025 22:55:52    2612250

Still think Donegal will be there or there abouts for the all Ireland
I am surprised though about the use of Michael Murphy when I heard he was back I thought would be more of impact player off the bench instead he's the go to man thought last 10-15 mins today he just didn't have the legs
Tight group though and big win for Tyrone

rossy15 (Roscommon) - Posts: 653 - 24/05/2025 23:03:18    2612251

A lot of doom and gloom anseo. Realistically if you are just a few % off it the top teams will punish you. Look at Armagh Derry when Armagh took the foot off the gas a bit. These teams are too good to let up or to hand things to them. We had the game and the momentum and coughed up possession. Tyrone were absolutely clinical from then on (a soft free against Roarty notwithstanding!). I don't think we got our hands on it again.

I don't like criticising individuals but needless to say the majority were a bit off today. McCole excellent again, and Roarty, what a player this kid is my god, so good in the tackle. Langan and Murphy led the fight. Other than that we weren't good enough. Sloppy in attack giving up easy ball, not really through tigerish Tyrone tackling, just a bad hop on a slippy surface or a poor pass etc. And defensively I thought we were a bit too passive at times. The less said about the first goal the better.

My biggest concern is just about bodies now. I still think we are good enough to go far. But we need a clear run - and we need the squad to step up big time next week. I would be worried if we're talking next weekend about Michael Murphy carrying the attack.

CCFabu (Donegal) - Posts: 192 - 24/05/2025 23:10:28    2612254

maybe winning ulstar was a death knell to our AI aspirations

highdropingball (Donegal) - Posts: 112 - 25/05/2025 03:03:46    2612264