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Donegal GAA thread

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Replying To Commodore: "Speak up at your club about it, same goes for everyone else posting here, I find it hard to believe that club delegates are not raising concerns on behalf of the clubs the represent." Totally agree, no point on here complaining. Club delegates go to County Board meetings. That's the place to speak up. People can't have it everyway, jumping on the band wagon when the county team wins. Scenicparish (Donegal) - Posts: 409 - 17/12/2024 15:18:23 2583863 Link
Replying To ThroughTheGap: "Oisin Gallen played 1 minute for his club in his club ground this year. It's a disgrace. The players aren't allowed play until the all Ireland is over. Then they head on holidays, have surgeries, take a break…scores head off to the states, our club leagues are a joke, and they are treated as Singh by clubs and supporters. Nobody watches these games anymore, and even the teams that get to a league final play dummy teams." He was injured in the first minute!! donegaldouble (Donegal) - Posts: 316 - 17/12/2024 16:12:23 2583867 Link
Replying To Lockjaw: "With the return of a few, and barring injuries, what do you think our strongest 15 would be now? We might see a change in 2025 with a couple of out and out marking defenders being needed. But for now this would be my take.. 1. Patton 2. Gallagher 3. McCole 4. Curran/McFadden-Ferry 5. Moore 6. McGonigle 7. Mogan 8. McGee 9. Langan 10. S O'Donnell 11. Thompson 12. McHugh 13. McBrearty 14. Murphy 15. Gallen" I don't think many could really argue with that. The really good thing is we have seriously good options on the bench fighting for spots now. And subs coming on are as important as those starting these days. FootballGuy (Donegal) - Posts: 260 - 17/12/2024 17:12:30 2583876 Link
Replying To Lockjaw: "With the return of a few, and barring injuries, what do you think our strongest 15 would be now? We might see a change in 2025 with a couple of out and out marking defenders being needed. But for now this would be my take.. 1. Patton 2. Gallagher 3. McCole 4. Curran/McFadden-Ferry 5. Moore 6. McGonigle 7. Mogan 8. McGee 9. Langan 10. S O'Donnell 11. Thompson 12. McHugh 13. McBrearty 14. Murphy 15. Gallen" Starting 15 won't be far away from that team I would say. Rest of squad Goalkeepers Gavin Mulreanny Backs Aaron Ward Stephen McMenamin Cian McMenamin Finbarr Roarty Stephen Mc Menamin Caolan Ward Keelan McGroody Jeaic McKelvey Caolan McColgan Midfielders Hugh McFadden Donal MacGiolla Bride Forwards Daire O Baoill Niall O'Donnell Aaron Doherty Conor O'Donnell Jamie Brennan Odhran Doherty Eoin McHugh Eoghan McGettigan Luke McGlynn KHL (Donegal) - Posts: 111 - 17/12/2024 19:02:07 2583894 Link
Replying To donegaldouble: "He was injured in the first minute!!" Yeah, but he played no other game all year for his club. Yet he played every minute for Donegal. Same as McCole, and a few others. To be clear, I'm not criticising the players, the opposite, it's just the way the GAA has gone and kinda given up on the club. The split season is doing the Donegal leagues no good. ThroughTheGap (Donegal) - Posts: 56 - 17/12/2024 20:43:25 2583910 Link
Replying To SurelyToGod: "McGuinness started the trend in 2011, subsequently Gallagher/Bonner were never challenged by the clubs. It's been hugely detrimental to our club game and our county sides. It's a cycle that's near impossible to break, as today's club delegates are the same group for the most part that initially bent to Jim's will, and they been patting themselves on the back for 3 years of success since. Should be a two-year lifetime limit on all delegate positions." Just a question, Have you put yourself forward as a county committee delegate for your club. I did delegate for our club and it was nearly impossible to get anyone willing to replace me. Thankfully I'm not there anymore but you have to respect the people who go as delegates and if you feel they aren't representing your club well put your name forward at your clubs AGM. Whateveryourhavingyourself (Donegal) - Posts: 59 - 17/12/2024 21:55:17 2583916 Link
Replying To ThroughTheGap: "Yeah, but he played no other game all year for his club. Yet he played every minute for Donegal. Same as McCole, and a few others. To be clear, I'm not criticising the players, the opposite, it's just the way the GAA has gone and kinda given up on the club. The split season is doing the Donegal leagues no good." I totally agree with you but he played against gaoth dobhar in the Q final if I'm not mistaken.. club football is gone I'm afraid. Have to do something with the split season. rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2569 - 18/12/2024 13:43:36 2583991 Link
A very good interview with Jim on the DL debate on the Monday before last. Interesting to hear his thoughts on the season past and looking forward to 2025. Worth a listen. peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 1066 - 18/12/2024 15:52:00 2584004 Link
Replying To rorysboys: "I totally agree with you but he played against gaoth dobhar in the Q final if I'm not mistaken.. club football is gone I'm afraid. Have to do something with the split season." There was a motion at the Dublin convention that was passed, all county players have to play 4/5 league games for their clubs. Wonder how that would work out here? donegaldouble (Donegal) - Posts: 316 - 18/12/2024 17:08:43 2584017 Link
Replying To Commodore: "Speak up at your club about it, same goes for everyone else posting here, I find it hard to believe that club delegates are not raising concerns on behalf of the clubs the represent." Issues like these are brought up in club meetings across the country. It shouldn't shock you to find out you would gain more traction on issues like these at a local Cumann than you would at the GAA clubhouse, though this is certainly not a Donegal-specific issue. SurelyToGod (Donegal) - Posts: 443 - 18/12/2024 20:26:51 2584040 Link
Replying To Whateveryourhavingyourself: "Just a question, Have you put yourself forward as a county committee delegate for your club. I did delegate for our club and it was nearly impossible to get anyone willing to replace me. Thankfully I'm not there anymore but you have to respect the people who go as delegates and if you feel they aren't representing your club well put your name forward at your clubs AGM." No, not specifically as delegate for county committee, but yes on sub-committees. SurelyToGod (Donegal) - Posts: 443 - 18/12/2024 20:34:28 2584041 Link
Replying To rorysboys: "Yea but this amount of money is not sustainable in an amateur game. It'll be fine for another few years but I fear for down the line." I was reading up on the IRFU Provinces, their wages bill is approximately €10 million per year on average, not including operating costs for all teams, which is another few million. Leinster is the top spender, with Connacht the lowest spender. I think when you put the spending of each GAA County in that context, €1.7 million operating cost, while a sizable amount, pales in comparison to what it would be if GAA went professional. Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1212 - 19/12/2024 15:37:28 2584107 Link
A few rambling thoughts of a Friday morning... I wonder are we reaching a tipping point when it comes to finance? We're never more happy than when we're extolling the great amateur ethos of our games to outsiders. Yet in reality, there are plenty of people all over the country making a nice few pound from the game. It's nothing new of course, been going on for years. But I just think with the Revenue starting to take notice, could there be changes ahead? How much longer will it be before there is a complete decoupling of county players from the club game? As it stands, a lot of county players are now only playing a few championship games a season for their clubs. County managers almost want exclusive access to their players, even those on the periphery of the panel. It's a tricky one. We all want a good, competitive, vibrant club scene but at the same time we want our county team to be the best they can be. The split season has attempted to solve that, but I don't think it's working. The club leagues are are glorified challenge games, with maybe a wee bit of edge in it for teams pushing to get promoted or to avoid relegation. Lastly, how sustainable is the training load for our players? Despite what some may think, our players, especially club players are not professional atheletes. It's a great thing to get fit as possible, but not to over extert to the extent that the body simply can't take anymore (cruciate injuries, hamstring tears etc etc) I heard that Donegal u21s are training tonight and on Sunday? What exactly is to be gained from this? A lot of these lads have probably just come off Christmas college exams. Could they not be let enjoy their Christmas? Plenty of time to get fit in 2025 ;) Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9527 - 20/12/2024 09:05:41 2584173 Link
I think the whole thing has got far too serious, I don't know how much enjoyment fellas get out of it anymore, fear of losing and keep ball tactics turned the game in to such a borefest that we have been forced to invent a new game almost for next year, we'll see how that goes soon enough. It's a conundrum alright, getting the balance between club and county right, if we look back how Championship football used to be, straight knockout and it was brutal and exciting. I'm surprised the revenue haven't been investigating cash payments in football long ago, the dogs in the street know what's been going on, but this is still gombeen Ireland to some extent. Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3057 - 20/12/2024 12:53:14 2584191 Link
Replying To Tirchonaill1: "I think the whole thing has got far too serious, I don't know how much enjoyment fellas get out of it anymore, fear of losing and keep ball tactics turned the game in to such a borefest that we have been forced to invent a new game almost for next year, we'll see how that goes soon enough. It's a conundrum alright, getting the balance between club and county right, if we look back how Championship football used to be, straight knockout and it was brutal and exciting. I'm surprised the revenue haven't been investigating cash payments in football long ago, the dogs in the street know what's been going on, but this is still gombeen Ireland to some extent." I don't know how much enjoyment fellas get out of it anymore, fear of losing and keep ball tactics turned the game in to such a borefest that we have been forced to invent a new game almost for next year Nail on the head. I know club players who have zero interest in a county set up and will not accept any invitation to go to trials etc. If the enjoyment is not there - they wont do it, or will walk away. Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 4052 - 20/12/2024 13:00:11 2584192 Link
Replying To Tirchonaill1: "I think the whole thing has got far too serious, I don't know how much enjoyment fellas get out of it anymore, fear of losing and keep ball tactics turned the game in to such a borefest that we have been forced to invent a new game almost for next year, we'll see how that goes soon enough. It's a conundrum alright, getting the balance between club and county right, if we look back how Championship football used to be, straight knockout and it was brutal and exciting. I'm surprised the revenue haven't been investigating cash payments in football long ago, the dogs in the street know what's been going on, but this is still gombeen Ireland to some extent." Exactly. Fintan O'Toole of the Irish Times has a great book called We Don't Know Ourselves. In a good few chapters he speaks about Ireland's known and unknown truths. e.g. abortion was made totally illegal in this country once upon a time therefore it could be said that there were no abortions in Ireland and we could portray ourselves as pious, conservative God-fearing citizens of a staunchly Cathloic Republic of Ireland. Reality - thousands of young Irish women went to the UK and had abortions anyway. It was something widely known, yet was conveniently ignored and not spoken about. The same with contraceptives - totally illegal except under certain circumstances. e.g. the pill was given to some women as a "Menstrual Cycle Regulator". Complete nonsense, everyone knew the craic, and for the vast majority the pill was used or as intended - purely for contraceptive purposes. The same can be said of the GAA. Oh sure aren't we all great, doing it all for the love of the game. When every man and his dog knows there are thousands of euros being paid all over the country. Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9527 - 20/12/2024 13:41:31 2584195 Link
Replying To rorysboys: "I totally agree with you but he played against gaoth dobhar in the Q final if I'm not mistaken.. club football is gone I'm afraid. Have to do something with the split season." Yes, sorry. I was making an earlier point that he only played in his club ground once for his club, and it lasted less than a minute. There was a massive crowd there, a large increase from days when the county players are not allowed to play. ThroughTheGap (Donegal) - Posts: 56 - 21/12/2024 11:56:00 2584232 Link
Nice to see pictures of the 2012 squad having a few beers on Friday night. Hope that current panel members were there! ThroughTheGap (Donegal) - Posts: 56 - 22/12/2024 13:20:52 2584279 Link