Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 10128 - 13/11/2025 15:15:48    2644309

PeterQ92 (Donegal) - Posts: 170 - 13/11/2025 16:05:52    2644321

WeGoAgain (Donegal) - Posts: 111 - 13/11/2025 16:30:14    2644328

Kevin Cassidy
Rory Gallagher
Mark McHugh
Luke Barrett

ryan (Donegal) - Posts: 753 - 13/11/2025 17:27:45    2644337

Whyme923 (Donegal) - Posts: 126 - 13/11/2025 23:21:47    2644373

dgcrusader (Donegal) - Posts: 144 - 14/11/2025 11:49:38    2644430

All 4 are only interested in self and have little interest in the teams they are involved with. It's me before we with them all.
In Jim we trust #

ryan (Donegal) - Posts: 753 - 14/11/2025 16:10:49    2644462

Barrett and McGuinness were doing a lot of talking to each other, when things were going bad in final, maybe Barrett wanted to change things and put someone man to man on P Clifford and G White who were running loose and controlling the game. Being a one man show and total Boss might be Jim's weakness.

jacktheboy (Donegal) - Posts: 517 - 14/11/2025 19:31:24    2644484

If he wants to go to Derry, let him. I don't think he is going to change there fortune's that much.
My only fears in Ulster are tryone and Armagh.
And I am sure McGuiness is more concentrated on unearthing new talent.
I heard there is quite a few fringe players that will not be there next year, a lot of them were never really going to get a game anyway. The only player that I heard that was thinking about pulling out that would have a chance of starting is N O'Donnell, hopefully he stays and gets the head down and works hard. Has great potential but has suffered injuries the last year.
Can see a few young players coming into the panel for the league, from my own club, I would say definitely Max Campbell, and maybe Malone and Gallagher.
Some of these young players in the county have great potential, hopefully McGuiness extends his contract and helps develop these young stars over the nest few years

The keeper (Donegal) - Posts: 742 - 14/11/2025 22:21:48    2644498

Alot of talk about the League and Championships needing reform after the 3 Donegal teams getting beat in Ulster.

My suggestion would be the following;

Leagues - make number of teams in each league smaller. I would change to 8 teams per division and work all the way down to reserves like this. Base it league poistions in 2025. League and Championship won't be linked at all. Play home and away in league, everyone gets 14 games. Top 2 play league final. Bottom 2 get relegated in all senior club divisions (Div1 to Div4) with no relegation from Div 5.
Division 6 to Div 9 would be Reserve teams, again with 8 teams per division. I would have 2 up/down between Div 6 and Div 7 with 1 up/down from the other division.
Divison 10 would be for 3rds teams / Junior B teams with no promotion/relegation.
The league need to run a bit later so county players can play a few games for their club. Play last 4 games after All Ireland Final every year so county player can play a few games before Championship. The league games should be mid August.

Senior Leagues would look like this in 2026 if this came to pass (based on final league poistions in 25)
Div 1 (Termon, Four Masters, Naomh Conaill, Glenswilly, St Eunans, Gaoth Dobhair, St Micheals, Glenfin)
Div 2 (McCools, Kilcar, Downings, Buncrana, Malin, Dungloe, Aodh Ruadh, Naomh Mhuire)
Div 3 ( Ardara, Milford, Muff, Carndonagh, Cloughanely, Noamh Columba, Bundoran, Fanad Gaels)
Div 4 (Killybegs, St Nauls, Convoy, Burt, Red Hughs, Naomh Brid, Naomh Ultan, LK Gaels)
Div 5 (Urris, Pettigo, Na Rossa, Robert Emmets, Newton, Lifford, Moville)

Teams in Div 5 would play each other home/away (12 games) and then 2 more rounds of games based on positions after round 12. Top 3 would play each other again basically. Teams in Div 5 won't be relegated in this proposal.

I believe teams would be closer matched in this format. It would make it more competitive. Also current league structure makes it very easy to stay up in Div 1 due to large number of teams.

Championship
Senior - go back to home/away/3rd games as done in the past. Keep 16 teams in senior championship. Last 16 games (8v8) should be spread out a bit so clubs can get a week off between games. Goes into QF, SF and Final then. Have replays for draws at SF and Final stages. Do these mid week if needs be with extra time/penalties then.
For the 8 losing team at the last 16 stage I would run a secondary Championship called the senior premier championship. 8 teams drawn out at random. Straight knock out. Losing 4 teams go into relegation play off. These games to play as double header with senior QF/SF/Final. Spread out Chanpionship a bit, give teams a max of 3 week before Ulster games not 5 weeks like Glen this year. I would suggest 2 up/down between senior and intermediate each year as teams can stay in senior championship to easily and need to near perfect to win the intermediate. 2 teams in intermediate final should be up. Last 2 teams in relegation play off in senior should be gone. This should happen regradless of championship formats changing next year.

Interediate Championship should be kept as it is, very good competitive games in group stages and knock out stages. Very little between most teams in it.

Junior Championship - keep it as it is but have something for lower placed teams to go after group games. Winner of Junior gets into Intermediate. I would keep it as 1 up/down from Junior to Intermediate as bigger jump than from intermediate to seniors.

U21 Championship - please don't play round robin games in the winter!!! keep current format but run off the round robin games during the year between league games and mid week in Summer. Use this a grading for Championship games as is there now. Play QF, SF, Final on week offs during the senior championships, can be spread out a bit if needs be but should start earlier. Pick a weekend in August to play all QF's in U21. Pick a weekend in September to do all U21 SF's and do Final week before senior final.

Other Ideas for consideration (October/November time)
Regional Competition - split county into old underage divisions (South, SouthWest, East, Inishowen, North West) and play local Championship. Give all a few games then knock out games based on positions.

Senior Championship Cup - 16 teams, play last 16, QF, SF, Final. Could be tried if leagues are kept as they are. A bit like Kerry, why not have 2 Championships. Play before current senior championship if clubs get 4 week break that is currently there.

KHL (Donegal) - Posts: 120 - 15/11/2025 00:00:09    2644502

Agree that competition structures should be reviewed and changed every 5 years or so as they get a bit stale with teams figuring out how to approach different competitions.
As regards poor showing in Ulster, in 23 NC went very close to Glen team who won the all-ireland in ulster semi-final and Eunans should have beaten Errigal Ciaran who went to All ireland final last year.
I think Errigal are the only club from Tyrone to win an ulster club senior title.
Scotstown have won 10 of last 13 in Monaghan and Kilcoo have god knows how many in a row in Down. There season is all planned around ulster club competition. You don't get that luxury in Donegal or Tyrone.

ryan (Donegal) - Posts: 753 - 15/11/2025 12:21:14    2644538

Whyme923 (Donegal) - Posts: 126 - 15/11/2025 12:46:15    2644544

I'm sure everyone agrees we need a good assistant manager in. If we have to go outside the county to get one so be it..

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2673 - 15/11/2025 16:12:51    2644579

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3556 - 15/11/2025 17:34:03    2644601