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Donegal GAA thread

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Replying To SouthOfTheGap:  "I'd be happy enough with the way Paddy is playing at the minute, he's performing a different role. He scored one fantastic point against Armagh, the one where he ran straight from deep. Moments like that will give opponents something else to think about and give our attack another dimension.

Actually I realised today I haven't been to a game in Limerick either. And from 1993, I remember going on a bus run by the club to the first National League game against Derry, the new All Ireland Champions. It was in Casement Park, and it was the day after the Shankill Bomb. I remember that experience well. Different times!"
Loose paddy Mc this year and our season is busted..

eunans4ever (Donegal) - Posts: 1682 - 05/03/2024 09:36:43    2529887

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Replying To eunans4ever:  "I never mentioned anything about taking players from outside parishes - maybe slow down a little reading the posts or give them a second glance before getting fired up."
You still didn't answer my question. Your right or your wrong that's the question.?rorysboys awaits .

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2583 - 05/03/2024 10:13:45    2529894

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Replying To eunans4ever:  "I'll educate you on that one as your prob too young to remember or have only recently jumped on the glenties/fintown bandwagon.

The messiah didn't start the county final - he was coaching the team due to a bad knee injury - they threw him on for 5 mins at the end as a token gesture when the game was over - nearly backfired when Conal Dunne kicked a late goal to bring to a nervy conclusion.

Think the messiah last club game - may be wrong - was in the 2009 county final where we thumped glenties/Fintown by double scores if my memory serves me well."
Just because your last few seasons have collapsed like the tree beside O' Donnell park, you don't have to keep going down memory lane with your posts.

tidytownman (Donegal) - Posts: 298 - 05/03/2024 17:26:58    2529969

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Our most important player could be out for the season in Brendan Mc Cole. Unlike other areas in the pitch we don't have a replacement for him. Worrying.

TheRock2121 (Donegal) - Posts: 1197 - 05/03/2024 17:33:52    2529972

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Replying To TheRock2121:  "Our most important player could be out for the season in Brendan Mc Cole. Unlike other areas in the pitch we don't have a replacement for him. Worrying."
Domhnall McGiolla Bhride was used at full back in the McKenna Cup. Although he wasn't tried there on Sunday, the next two games against Louth and Meath could be the ideal games to try him out there.

SouthOfTheGap (Donegal) - Posts: 722 - 05/03/2024 18:07:59    2529980

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Is it a notion to me or are fellas picking up a lot more injuries nowadays than years ago? I suppose they are training more and the games are coming up a lot quicker maybe that's it.
I hope McCole isn't too bad anyway and is back before the Derry game. Do we care if we win the league or not?
I always think these league finals are stupid, if you top the table you should be the Champions. It's to our advantage though as it's another game to get fellas up to speed before Championship.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3071 - 05/03/2024 19:50:56    2530001

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Replying To Tirchonaill1:  "Is it a notion to me or are fellas picking up a lot more injuries nowadays than years ago? I suppose they are training more and the games are coming up a lot quicker maybe that's it.
I hope McCole isn't too bad anyway and is back before the Derry game. Do we care if we win the league or not?
I always think these league finals are stupid, if you top the table you should be the Champions. It's to our advantage though as it's another game to get fellas up to speed before Championship."
True about more games but there is also much more S&C training which is supposed to be injury preventing so it seems a bit of a paradox.

peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 1083 - 05/03/2024 21:18:53    2530008

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Replying To eunans4ever:  "Loose paddy Mc this year and our season is busted.."
I wouldn't be overly optimistic. Paddy is pulling us out of the fire against Tier 2 defences. We know how quiet a fully fit Derry team can keep him, and worryingly Farah is not firing on all cylinders against Div2 defences and we need to unearth or mould a third forward for next year.

StockholmGael (Donegal) - Posts: 135 - 06/03/2024 02:59:34    2530020

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Replying To tidytownman:  "Just because your last few seasons have collapsed like the tree beside O' Donnell park, you don't have to keep going down memory lane with your posts."
One of your comrades from Fintown/glenties who has a very keen interest in me which I'm flattered by obviously went down memory lane - I was only schooling him on the facts my friend.

Your been pretty harsh on yourselves there saying our season collapsed the last 2 years - we were simply beaten by the better team on both occasions - don't be underselling yourselves as only been good enough to beat us when we collapse.

No use going down memory lane either……….

eunans4ever (Donegal) - Posts: 1682 - 06/03/2024 07:04:15    2530021

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Replying To Tirchonaill1:  "Is it a notion to me or are fellas picking up a lot more injuries nowadays than years ago? I suppose they are training more and the games are coming up a lot quicker maybe that's it.
I hope McCole isn't too bad anyway and is back before the Derry game. Do we care if we win the league or not?
I always think these league finals are stupid, if you top the table you should be the Champions. It's to our advantage though as it's another game to get fellas up to speed before Championship."
Players are completely wrapped up these days - any wee soft niggle at all and they are out - think in the past where men were men they played on regardless on any niggles and there wasn't as much medical / physio input into stopping them as there is today.

eunans4ever (Donegal) - Posts: 1682 - 06/03/2024 07:06:05    2530022

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Replying To eunans4ever:  "I never mentioned anything about taking players from outside parishes - maybe slow down a little reading the posts or give them a second glance before getting fired up."
Direct quote from previous page'"Fantastic engine and an exciting talent.

Hopefully glenties/fintown won't try claim he's theirs too…..

Not sure if he b a corner back- his best qualities are in the attacking half of the field."

Maybe you could enlighten us with what that actually means. I'll stand corrected if I picked it up wrong.

ballboy101 (Donegal) - Posts: 225 - 06/03/2024 08:34:15    2530027

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Replying To eunans4ever:  "Players are completely wrapped up these days - any wee soft niggle at all and they are out - think in the past where men were men they played on regardless on any niggles and there wasn't as much medical / physio input into stopping them as there is today."
Could be down to a lack of proper recovery time too. You could use the example of pro soccer players who would train hard most mornings. But then they have full afternoons for swimming pool, massages and a nap. They are also very closely monitored. If the data shows their numbers dropping, decisions can be made in terms of rest or a lower traning load.

Whereas most county players get a quick dinner into them after training and a drive home. Then into the day job the next morning. And that's just the lads that are based at home.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9551 - 06/03/2024 09:00:34    2530029

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Replying To rorysboys:  "Good to be young .them days are long gone for me. Il follow donegal as long as I'm able. It's what makes me happy and maybe that's why I don't understand people not supporting their county. I remember staying in a little hotel outside Carlow with 3 friends who have sadly passed to there eternal reward. 3 fantastic donegal men. We were given a guard of honour next day sorry not us the team were. We win well. Expecting a better performance the next day. Mc brearty scoring heavily but it's mostly free kicks so teams will know this and frees will be scarcer against the better teams. A wee word on Louth there well organised a team that's hard to beat. One more thing I see mc Guinness has drafted in young gallagher from downings and Broderick from killybegs is there any word of anyone leaving the squad no sign of Charlie mc Guinness yet. Was surprised Kevin mc gettigan didn't get a run with so many defenders out, doesn't look good for him now. Curran seems to be the man in possession."
I think McGuinness needs a large training squad for in-house training games etc, we have a lot of players with niggly injuries at the moment, so he probably wants extra bodies on hand.

Based on what I have seen of him at club level and McKenna Cup for Donegal, I couldn't see Charles McGuinness breaking into the Donegal team unless there is a dramatic improvement in his performance level and discipline. He definitely has raw potential, but it remains to be seen if that potential can be realized.

I think Kevin McGettigan is still out with the injury he picked up against Fermanagh.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1223 - 06/03/2024 09:40:31    2530037

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Replying To StockholmGael:  "I wouldn't be overly optimistic. Paddy is pulling us out of the fire against Tier 2 defences. We know how quiet a fully fit Derry team can keep him, and worryingly Farah is not firing on all cylinders against Div2 defences and we need to unearth or mould a third forward for next year."
We could play Michael Langan inside if we had a fully fit panel, move Oisin out to Left corner forward. Michael Langan is a handful one on one for anyone and has height and pace too.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1223 - 06/03/2024 09:44:25    2530038

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Not being smart but when we were picking up injuries a few years ago it was the manager and his physios fault.. now it's nobody's fault , injuries happen. One poster even said players shoul not be picking up injuries with this new thing called injury prevention. My response being injuries happen even at the top level, just look at Liverpool and Man U they both have about a dozen of players out injured where is this injury prevention helping. Players are humans who can pick up injuries anytime and as I said before the teams who have big squads and avoid losing key players are usually the most successful. If Dublin lose con or Fenton or Kerry lose one of the Clifford's would they win an all Ireland probably not same as donegal in 2012 we had a great run with injuries so fingers crossed the messiah can keep it that way.

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2583 - 06/03/2024 10:52:43    2530049

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Replying To rorysboys:  "Not being smart but when we were picking up injuries a few years ago it was the manager and his physios fault.. now it's nobody's fault , injuries happen. One poster even said players shoul not be picking up injuries with this new thing called injury prevention. My response being injuries happen even at the top level, just look at Liverpool and Man U they both have about a dozen of players out injured where is this injury prevention helping. Players are humans who can pick up injuries anytime and as I said before the teams who have big squads and avoid losing key players are usually the most successful. If Dublin lose con or Fenton or Kerry lose one of the Clifford's would they win an all Ireland probably not same as donegal in 2012 we had a great run with injuries so fingers crossed the messiah can keep it that way."
Yeah we were blessed in 2012 all the key men stayed injury free throughout the year. Plus the games were more spread out back then which left time for niggly injuries to heal up.

If ever there was a year where a kind Ulster draw would have been welcome it's this year. But the squad is strong so we can't be crying about injuries, just have to get on with it.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9551 - 06/03/2024 11:26:36    2530056

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Replying To Commodore:  "We could play Michael Langan inside if we had a fully fit panel, move Oisin out to Left corner forward. Michael Langan is a handful one on one for anyone and has height and pace too."
Would Hugh McFadden be another option at full forward, he is difficult to handle in there. We could definitely do with another scoring forward as we are very reliant on Paddy and Oisin Gallen for scores. Niall O'Donnell or Conor O'Donnell would have been perfect but they are running out of road fitness wise for the Derry game but could be back for the all-Ireland series which doesn't start until June.

Green_Gold (Donegal) - Posts: 1904 - 06/03/2024 11:27:29    2530057

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "Yeah we were blessed in 2012 all the key men stayed injury free throughout the year. Plus the games were more spread out back then which left time for niggly injuries to heal up.

If ever there was a year where a kind Ulster draw would have been welcome it's this year. But the squad is strong so we can't be crying about injuries, just have to get on with it."
I know Jim has the focus on one competition at a time but would we be better off putting all the focus on the All Ireland series this year after we hopefully get promotion so that is competition 1 mission accomplished?
A hard run through Ulster if we get past Derry could leave us more tired and with more injuries,
I think I'd rather see us going as far as we can towards the All Ireland but anyway I suppose Ulster will be Jim's focus first.
Saw the headline on the main page here and for a second I thought it said 'Murphy poised for shock Donegal comeback!' lol.
but alas it's about Matty Clarke and Down.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3071 - 06/03/2024 12:05:46    2530064

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Replying To Green_Gold:  "Would Hugh McFadden be another option at full forward, he is difficult to handle in there. We could definitely do with another scoring forward as we are very reliant on Paddy and Oisin Gallen for scores. Niall O'Donnell or Conor O'Donnell would have been perfect but they are running out of road fitness wise for the Derry game but could be back for the all-Ireland series which doesn't start until June."
Definitely so in my opinion, a big strong man like Hugh at FF is a great option inside to catch or break ball(s) lol.
We seen it plenty times in recent years when the old style high dropping ball has caused havoc in well drilled defences who are protecting the 'scoring zone' as they call it'
Kicking it high in behind them and having that different option is great imo.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3071 - 06/03/2024 12:18:50    2530067

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Replying To Goldengreen:  "oh yea 1993, that was the year of mix ability groups, the two top teams in each group ended up in division one the follow year, the second and third ended up in Division two etc. Some novel games Carlow as mentioned and Longford I recall as well. Some road tips, great following too, as we were All Ireland Champs."
I remember that league experiment , did it last for just one year ? You met Clare in the league semi final. I was visiting KK that week end and ended up at the Carlow match , they were managed by Alan Larkin an All Ireland winner with Dublin in the 70s. Recall Longford officials being unhappy after having to play on a wet Sunday with no cover in Ballybofey. Like many counties Donegal had no covered stand at that time. Longford Leader banner headline ran a quote from manager or chairman 'treated like muck' .. lol .
On Aughrim , Wicklow some will recall Donegal winning there 0.16 - 0.12 in a Round1 qualifier about 2005.

Curlew66 (Roscommon) - Posts: 579 - 06/03/2024 12:42:18    2530068

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