First time in 10 years since we were last in an All Ireland Semi final. Very proud of what this team and management have accomplished so far. Galway will be a real battle up next but I think going in as underdogs will suit us.

FootballGuy (Donegal) - Posts: 239 - 30/06/2024 19:06:26    2556024

We got our result after a cagey first half. Three weeks on the trot showed in Louth in the second half. We looked like we never left 2nd gear, which could have cost us. Lots of silly mistakes as well but a lot of lads may have been nervous about playing on the hallowed sod. McBrearty I hope was carrying a knock, as he was largely ineffective. I think we need to stop starting O Baoill. He hasn't produced since his Derry spectaculars. Mogan immense today and great to see Gallen scoring in Croker. We desperately need to unearth two more forwards for next year. Noticed Ryan shouting at players to show today, and a lot of players seemed to be at the old ingrained mentality of wanting rid of the ball as soon as they were given it, something McGuinness will likely stamp out as makes more leaders in the team. Hat-tip to Thonpson today too, who had a fine game. If we bring our game up two gears, and Comer/Walsh don't improve dramatically with fitness/injury, we should be looking at a final.

StockholmGael (Donegal) - Posts: 128 - 30/06/2024 19:35:24    2556036

That is harsh on O'Baoill he was quiet today but so was Niall O'Donnell credit to Louth they really did a job on some of our key men. O'Baoill came up with massive scores in both the Ulster semi and the final.

Absolutely over the moon with the result and we have plenty to work on but into a semi final seemingly with a pretty clean bill of health you couldn't ask for more

CCFabu (Donegal) - Posts: 120 - 30/06/2024 20:59:26    2556060

Not long back from a day out in Croke Park. Big congrats to Jim and the lads on a first All Ireland semi final in ten years. Far from stellar today but a workman like relatively straight forward win was the order of the day and this was achieved to a degree. Saying that i thought Louth were well set up and could easily have been closer at HT today. We improved in the second half which allowed us to see it out comfortably in the end. The games probably caught up on them today but they're definitely a side on the up. I was surrounded by many of their supporters and enjoyed their company. Mogan was a well deserved MOTM and is surely an all star in waiting even at this stage. No surprise to anyone who followed him from the 2016 minors onwards. I thought Langan really improved as the game went on and the same for Ciaran Thompson who was excellent in the second half. Gallen was all class in the first half and kept the scoreboard ticking when needed.

Looking forward you'd have to have Galway as favourites especially with their important men back to fitness. I think we'll definitely need to have Jason fit against that Galway midfield. Saying that it'll take a fair performance to beat us especially with Jim on the sideline and Patton's kick outs. We've an excellent spread of scorers with pace everywhere. However if we're as loose as we were in the first half today Galway will really punish us. I think every team left will believe they've got a chance. Kerry got it done today and rightfully are favourites especially with the phenom up front. However they play more like an Ulster team these days and I think the 3 remaining teams will challenge them more in an attacking sense than what Derry did today. Shout out to those who took big odds on Donegal for the All Ireland after Jim was announced. I imagine you won't be selling on those dockets.

panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2794 - 30/06/2024 22:02:16    2556082

Brilliant result today folks..good second half. Definitely missed big Jason fielding today and hearing rumours that's he's could be in trouble with Achilles and not hamstring..hopefully not. But a word on Ciaran Moore..find of the season

RoryGall35 (Donegal) - Posts: 176 - 30/06/2024 22:06:04    2556084

FootballGuy (Donegal) - Posts: 239 - 30/06/2024 22:51:56    2556095

StockholmGael (Donegal) - Posts: 128 - 30/06/2024 22:54:40    2556097

Long day. Special mention to Mogan who is heading for Player of the Year if he keeps this form up. I don't think the man gets enough credit, he is really top class and we are lucky to have him. Moore and Gallen deserve a mention too, both imposed themselves well on the game. McGonagle with a big block for a goal chance. Nice spread of scorers, we look really slick and cohesive. In saying that, we looked somewhere between 3rd and 4th gear. We need to move that up the next day to give ourselves a fighting chance against Galway. I think we need to tighten up defensively but my thinking is that the overall intensity going up will improve that. Galway will be favourites, no harm at all. Minds will have to be fully focused and the biggest performance of the year has to happen. Are we capable ? Absolutely!

Donegal_abroad (Donegal) - Posts: 1365 - 30/06/2024 23:33:35    2556108

Fair play to donegal and congratulations team and management.
There was a job to do and they did it. The intensity wasn't really there in defence with very few turnovers until near the end of the first half. They did get a few turnovers then and helped build the three point lead. They continued momentum well enough to close it out in the second half though overall 18 points concession wasn't ideal. Louth did kick some lovely points in fairness though did hit quite a few wides as well. And a little call out to mcgonagles block. It was a super effort.

The attacking efficiency was very good, probably the best of the year. Ryan mchugh, ban and mogan add a real threat from the back coming forward. Mogan covers some amount of ground and some of his points were real quality. Oisin farrah did look sharp yesterday. Mcbrearty had to give him the ball rather than shooting into the goalkeepers hands.

Donegal did build up a lead at the start of tge second half. Just before the goal that killed the game they did give the ball a few times in unforced errors that nearly got louth back in. Unforced errors has been a challenge for most of the year and something they need to keep working on. Patton also has a few wayward kick outs. Without mcgee they also struggled a bit when they went long.

It's great to have got back to a semi and hopefully a huge donegal crowd can make its way to the semi.

Ulsterchamps_32 (Donegal) - Posts: 739 - 01/07/2024 07:52:55    2556120

Decent enough performance yesterday again a good Louth side. Louth never throw in the towel and have some fine players. Hopefully they can progress next year and really challenge Dublin in Leinster (they were close this year already).
The winning of the game was our shooting accuracy compared to Louth. We put up a big score which is very encouraging. Peadar Mogan was sensational and some good performances from Gallen, Lanagan, Ryan, Moore and Thompson. Do we have another gear? I think we do and we will need it and more.

We were porous enough in defence at times, particularly in the first half. Our intensity in the tackle wasn't there yesterday but that should return for the semi final. Will upping the intensity levels shore up our defence? Or will Jim consider bringing in more defenders like Curran, McColgan and McMenamin? It was noticeable that we are the team who attacked the most in those games over the weekend, we rarely slowed down the play and just kept attacking, great to see us being so positive.

What a season we are having and it's bonus territory already. However we have a serious chance now and need to go all out to win the All Ireland. There was nothing in the other quarter final matches that should scare us. Galway had a fantastic second half against Dublin but could have been beaten in the first half. Armagh are a very good side but no better than us, two teams are really evenly matched. I wasn't impressed at all with Kerry, they kept Derry in that game for long periods, granted Kerry have more gears and the pedigree.

Green_Gold (Donegal) - Posts: 1899 - 01/07/2024 09:32:14    2556141

Good win done what we had too. Still concerned about our defence we have two weeks to get it right now. Great to have a clean bill of health going into the semi. We have a huge chance of going the whole way . Shane Walsh and Sean Kelly going to be very doubtful even if they play thell be nowhere near fully fit which tips the scales in our favour. Mogan what a player guaranteed an all star already.. Donegal by 4 very confident

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2506 - 01/07/2024 10:53:55    2556157

I know that our intensity in defence wasn't at the level that we would've liked. But I could hear Shaun Patton roaring "Stay Narrow". We didn't want to concede a goal because they would have got greater energy from scoring a goal. I know they scored 18 points, a good score, but not conceding a goal was crucial. Also, Conor Grimes, one of their go too men, he kicked 6 wides without rising a flag.

Galway will be a very different story. They haven't been prolific goal scorers this season. Against Dublin they didn't really create a clear cut goal chance, and were happy to take their points in their comeback. So, do we change our defensive shape, and as others have suggested, go with more man markers? I don't know yet, but I'm sure Jim will have a good idea already on his approach.

SouthOfTheGap (Donegal) - Posts: 629 - 01/07/2024 11:06:33    2556164

do we know when they'll announce what day we are on? I have another f-ing wedding on the 13th!

I'm hoping they fix Armagh for the Saturday as that is also the day of the Tailteann final. Realistically Kerry will not bring a big crowd so they may hope that fixing that semi with Down and Laois in the Tailteann will get it close to a sellout

And then hopefully us being on the Sunday will enable more people, I think Galway will bring a huge crowd.

CCFabu (Donegal) - Posts: 120 - 01/07/2024 11:18:43    2556167

A long old day yesterday but a very worthwhile one. It was great to be back in Croke Park for a big game although the atmosphere was poor enough.

I thought the lads gave a very assured performance. Credit to Louth who look a well coached team and never gave in. But I always felt we had a gear or two to go into if needed. We were a bit looser than usual at the back, and conceding 0-18 isn't ideal. But I just wonder, was it a case of maybe Jim keeping a few tricks up his sleeve yesterday when I'm sure there were some interested eyes watching on? Similarly with the kickouts, we either went short or Patton boomed the ball out the pitch. I can only recall one kickout which looked rehearsed, when McColgan sprinted up the sideline and Patton found him beautifully on the run with of his usual laser guided kicks.

Thought Mogan was outstanding. He really is a top top county player now. Langan and Moore were very good as well, and Farrah looked very dangerous on occassion.

All things considered we're in Dreamland really at this stage. Galway will be a tough assignment but they are beatable, especially if the likes of Walsh, Kelly and Comer aren't all full tilt. Hopefully we'll get an even bigger crowd down for the semi-final now and roar the lads into an All Ireland final. It's incredible really, even as I type this I can hardly believe it. What a turnaround.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9291 - 01/07/2024 11:40:30    2556178

Fantastic to be back in an All Ireland semi final, absolute dreamland after the last few years,
Jim McGuinness must have some magic dust the way he has made us a team again, he gets the best out of everyone and he is only getting started, I always knew we had the players.
Some brilliant scores from both teams yesterday but I knew we had the better shooters to get the job done, a very clean game of football too, I'd imagine the intensity will go up a massive amount the next day.
Galway look the real deal, if we don't win it then I really hope they do, but I think we can and will beat them,
excited by the prospect of both semi finals, Dublin have been great Champions but it's great to see other teams in with a chance now,
Dublin may have some retirements but they will still be a very strong team next season.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 2877 - 01/07/2024 11:41:39    2556180

SouthOfTheGap (Donegal) - Posts: 629 - 01/07/2024 11:45:37    2556183

I might be crazy but I wouldn't be too concerned about the 18 points conceded yesterday. I think Donegal had another couple gears and always felt they could outscore Louth. The game was quite boring because in all honesty, it never looked like Louth could win it. I expect to see much more intensity in 2 weeks time. Galway will be favourites now. Its the ideal scenario for McGuinness, stuff to work on and going into the game as underdogs.

greenfan (Donegal) - Posts: 514 - 01/07/2024 11:50:19    2556185

Scenicparish (Donegal) - Posts: 359 - 01/07/2024 12:02:45    2556191

Fkd12 (Louth) - Posts: 173 - 01/07/2024 12:27:33    2556203

shaggykev (Donegal) - Posts: 259 - 01/07/2024 12:42:55    2556212