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Donegal GAA thread

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Good to have Jimmy back, well done to all concerned. It will be interesting to see what he'll bring to the table this time round as has been said by many, the game has evolved a lot since is last stint.

I fully expect to see a return of players to the squad too and I wouldn't rule out Murphy either. I also expect Lacey to join Jim or return to the Academy once a clear out of the county board finally happens.

PeterQ92 (Donegal) - Posts: 118 - 23/08/2023 08:26:24    2501850

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So the second coming is here despite some spoofers telling us it would never happen. Absolutely fantastic news and an exciting time ahead. It's just a shame there is no Donegal forum for us to all deep dive into games and speculate on our prospects looking forward. I'd be very optimistic about our prospects looking forward. Again lots of spoofer talk about not having defenders and man markers (alot of which coming from one particular ex player prominent in the local media) but anyone who has played to a decent level knows much of this can definitely be learned on the training pitch once you have a buy in mentality matched with a willingness to work. I'd imagine the players are excited as we are and it's a big positive that Jim's return was in part player driven. Arguably one of Jim's biggest job will be the mentality aspect but who better to drill in the belief and toughness.

panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2818 - 24/08/2023 15:03:16    2502091

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Replying To panamasam:  "So the second coming is here despite some spoofers telling us it would never happen. Absolutely fantastic news and an exciting time ahead. It's just a shame there is no Donegal forum for us to all deep dive into games and speculate on our prospects looking forward. I'd be very optimistic about our prospects looking forward. Again lots of spoofer talk about not having defenders and man markers (alot of which coming from one particular ex player prominent in the local media) but anyone who has played to a decent level knows much of this can definitely be learned on the training pitch once you have a buy in mentality matched with a willingness to work. I'd imagine the players are excited as we are and it's a big positive that Jim's return was in part player driven. Arguably one of Jim's biggest job will be the mentality aspect but who better to drill in the belief and toughness."
There are no second acts in American lives. Might be different in Donegal though. Great first term in charge but the 2014 All Ireland Final might be seen as one that got away. As always, Ulster will be very interesting next year.

endgame (Roscommon) - Posts: 2308 - 24/08/2023 15:25:53    2502098

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Replying To TheRock2121:  "Lacey has done great work with the academy but at this stage the man should be let enjoy his own time now. He has no interest in going back, we need to get modern coaches back in now to get things up and running again."
Lacey with kilcoo now

totalrecall (Leitrim) - Posts: 1000 - 24/08/2023 18:26:46    2502132

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I don't think any of us have any doubt that Michael Murphy could still do a massive job for us at FF and taking frees etc, now I know the man owes us nothing and we have no right to expect any more from him but I'm thinking it must be very tempting for him with Jim back in charge to give it a go for a at least one more season, maybe not play the early rounds of the league or McKenna cup but keep him for Championship days,
In my opinion he is still the best footballer in this county I think he could do a massive job for us still in the FF line but keep him in there as much as possible, the days of asking him to cover every blade of grass for us are over.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3066 - 25/08/2023 12:50:55    2502215

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With McGuinness,McGee,and the two McFaddens,Barret from the minors and McLoone and Eamonn with the 20's plus a decent chairman things seem to be getting joined up and harmonious.All the supporters will also be on board as well .The Academy now seems to be the only problem to be solved.The darkest hour is just before the dawn.Onwards and upwards.

gunman (Donegal) - Posts: 1126 - 26/08/2023 12:45:02    2502308

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Listening to Eamon McGee on off the ball there he says his club played Sean Mc in the championship last week and it was the best show of point scoring he ever saw from Oisin Gallen

RoryGall35 (Donegal) - Posts: 189 - 26/08/2023 15:31:48    2502330

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Replying To Tirchonaill1:  "I don't think any of us have any doubt that Michael Murphy could still do a massive job for us at FF and taking frees etc, now I know the man owes us nothing and we have no right to expect any more from him but I'm thinking it must be very tempting for him with Jim back in charge to give it a go for a at least one more season, maybe not play the early rounds of the league or McKenna cup but keep him for Championship days,
In my opinion he is still the best footballer in this county I think he could do a massive job for us still in the FF line but keep him in there as much as possible, the days of asking him to cover every blade of grass for us are over."
he was a cracking player thats for sure, but i think that ship has sailed, for a start he would need to loose about 4 stone, But having said all that Heffo took back Jimmy Keeveney and went on to win another couple of All Irelands, so you never know

germac (Down) - Posts: 557 - 26/08/2023 20:46:50    2502372

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If Murphy comes back even as a full forward all ball will be going through him, that will leave Gallen starved of ball and he is best forward in County at present and best player to take a score, a slow Murphy back means the best forward in County is not used to full potential.

jacktheboy (Donegal) - Posts: 452 - 26/08/2023 21:00:02    2502374

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Replying To jacktheboy:  "If Murphy comes back even as a full forward all ball will be going through him, that will leave Gallen starved of ball and he is best forward in County at present and best player to take a score, a slow Murphy back means the best forward in County is not used to full potential."
Sad day for you Mayo lads with Kevin mc Loughlin retiring.

TheRock2121 (Donegal) - Posts: 1194 - 26/08/2023 22:02:02    2502383

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Replying To jacktheboy:  "If Murphy comes back even as a full forward all ball will be going through him, that will leave Gallen starved of ball and he is best forward in County at present and best player to take a score, a slow Murphy back means the best forward in County is not used to full potential."
Doubt that. If it's as obvious a tactic as you make out then Jim is hardly likely to adopt it is he?

A full forward line of Gallen, McBrearty & Murphy doesn't sound too bad at all I have to say.

With ball players such as Langan, Thompson, O'Donnell, runners like Mogan, McHugh, Ban etc etc feeding them...

Interesting times ahead

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9541 - 26/08/2023 22:13:08    2502386

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Replying To jacktheboy:  "If Murphy comes back even as a full forward all ball will be going through him, that will leave Gallen starved of ball and he is best forward in County at present and best player to take a score, a slow Murphy back means the best forward in County is not used to full potential."
I think you are right.It is time to move on and let other players step up and become leaders.McBrearty showed good leadership qualities in adverse circumstances this year and should be allowed to continue in that role.Sometimes a player of Murphy's standing can be overpowering for other players and they can go in to their shell a bit.We have been talking for years about him staying in at full forward but I don't think he wants to do that and probably Managers left up to himself what to do.Maybe McGuinness could make him stay in.

gunman (Donegal) - Posts: 1126 - 27/08/2023 10:54:01    2502419

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "Doubt that. If it's as obvious a tactic as you make out then Jim is hardly likely to adopt it is he?

A full forward line of Gallen, McBrearty & Murphy doesn't sound too bad at all I have to say.

With ball players such as Langan, Thompson, O'Donnell, runners like Mogan, McHugh, Ban etc etc feeding them...

Interesting times ahead"
Agreed, having two class forwards inside is hardly an issue if you get the right amount of ball into each and the correct type. Gallen looks to be on fire in 2023 and his ceiling is high, I feel Jim will have surveyed the squad and possibly sees that star potential in Gallen going forward as one of the good reasons for taking the job. But Murphy inside with him, that's potent. Give me that any day!

Donegal_abroad (Donegal) - Posts: 1389 - 27/08/2023 13:17:40    2502438

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Replying To jacktheboy:  "If Murphy comes back even as a full forward all ball will be going through him, that will leave Gallen starved of ball and he is best forward in County at present and best player to take a score, a slow Murphy back means the best forward in County is not used to full potential."
With Gallen's injury plagued history and McBrearty a shadow of his former threat to elite defences, it'd do no harm to have the best forwards in the county in the squad. It would also give us more options to have a variety of attack, which has often been one dimensional and predictable in the post-jim years and as a result, easy to defend against.
One of the concerns I would have is the current crop of players, and their seeming inability to take ownership of their part in recent years. Jim mentioned in the media in recent days about a group of players coming to his house the day following the Tyrone defeat and pleading with him to return and the effect it had on him. Now, if that helped with his return, that's brilliant but one thing I find difficult to ignore is the then management had not resigned at that point and these are the same players that asked the previous manager to resign. I've been reading Anthony Molloy's book in recent days and he talks about the first term of McEniff's management and his removal was because the players had not applied themselves and McEniff was in no way at fault in their performances. I strongly suspect the current crowd are difficult to govern, something Jim should be able to fix, and that the 'player power' within the group has grossly overshot the mark, coupled with trigger happy attitude to managers within the group and not enough application on and off the pitch, to achieve real success. It feels like the inmates have been running the prison for a while, but I sense a new era of following a direction awaits.

StockholmGael (Donegal) - Posts: 135 - 27/08/2023 15:12:27    2502456

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Jim is asking the question of Michael really and it's up to him now, the man owes us nothing as I said previously but I think he still has so much to offer this team and I also think this new split season will suit him as he can give his full attention to the club for Championship.
I rem watching Michael as a BBC pundit at the Ulster final this year and you could see the itch was still there to get his hands on the leather as he once said,
with McGuinness back and the buzz back in the county the temptation must be there, if he has a stormer of a club Championship the calls for his return will only get louder imo.
http://www.donegaldaily.com/2023/08/26/door-remains-wide-open-for-michael-murphy-return-mcguinness/

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3066 - 27/08/2023 15:22:38    2502459

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Replying To TheRock2121:  "Sad day for you Mayo lads with Kevin mc Loughlin retiring."
I have wondered if jacktheboy and the flaker are one and the same?
both have an unhealthy interest in Donegal GAA more so than their own county it seems to me anyway.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3066 - 27/08/2023 15:26:32    2502460

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The game on TG4 is but 5 minutes old and already you can see there is no love lost between these teams.

Even the home stewards are getting involved!

Hopefully a game of football might break out soon.

peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 1074 - 27/08/2023 16:08:20    2502461

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Replying To Tirchonaill1:  "I have wondered if jacktheboy and the flaker are one and the same?
both have an unhealthy interest in Donegal GAA more so than their own county it seems to me anyway."
I took an interest in a huge story being debated on here where I had some knowledge on. The academy debacle, the shambolic county board and the return of McGuinness. The main problem I see here is the infighting between various clubs on here, petty comments always to the fore. But feel free to have a pop at me if you wish. The rage is strong in you lads who are utterly clueless on what goes on behind the scenes on your doorstep.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8208 - 27/08/2023 17:27:47    2502466

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Poor game. Very low scoring. Conditions weren't that bad. Been a few Donegal club games shown live over the past few years and mostly dour games

FoolsGold (Cavan) - Posts: 2839 - 27/08/2023 17:29:00    2502467

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A game of 2 halves (both sides winning a half 7-2). Draw a fair result. Poor on quality with needlessness throughout which culminated with some unsavoury scenes after the FT whistle. Certainly not what we want to be broadcasting to the rest of the country.

Fair play to Enda McFeely and his team of officials today, the patience of the UN would have been tested today.

peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 1074 - 27/08/2023 17:55:59    2502470

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