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Replying To Lockjaw: "Good result at the weekend against an under-strength Kerry. They're tight bucks. At one stage it looked like a hammering was on the cards when we went 8 or 9 points up I think it was. It would have been easy for an inexperienced team to just fold at that point. But Seanie O'Shea is some bit of stuff. His free-taking and leadership was superb, and they were dangerously close to ekeing out a draw. The lads look in good shape. If we can get a win against Mayo in 2 weeks time that'd be us more or less safe I reckon. Could be a chance to rotate then, and re-integrate some of the injured lads. I'm just wondering thoygh with the four week gap to the Down game, might Jim be tempted to go for the league? Get a game in Croke park and possibly a bit of national silverware. One small thing I took from Sunday's game is that we might be lacking a natural left-footed free-taker? I know Conor O'Donnell is a good two-footed player, and is probably a decent option for closer-range left-footed frees. But for the longer distance we only really have Ciaran Thompson now that Paddy has stepped away?" I think the lack of a left footer freetaker can be a little exaggerated. To me it's more important to have a very reliable freetaker. Dublin in their pomp had dean Rock hitting all their frees and he was only right footed. Kerry are blessed to have o'se and Clifford and even then for the further out ones, they'll go to o'se from the ground regardless of side. Hitting the two pointers like o'se did the last day is absolutely invaluable. It kept them in a game they shouldn't really have been in. Murphy is a good freetaker but would not be as good as o'se. Murphy also has to have a lot of wear and tear having hit frees for so long.. It is another string that mulreanny has that has to be considered Ulsterchamps_32 (Donegal) - Posts: 966 - 03/02/2026 18:03:00 2654848 Link
Thompson is one of the first names on the sheet if fit and firing. Only thing that would hold him back is his rehab. He is a fantastic player who was in brilliant form last year, one of our best performers and a huge loss when he went off in the final. Who would keep him out? With everyone fit I would want Hughie, Langan, McGee and Thompson all starting. CCFabu (Donegal) - Posts: 293 - 03/02/2026 18:30:07 2654851 Link
Was Ryan McHugh dropped on Sunday or was it a tactical move? peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 1434 - 03/02/2026 20:35:44 2654869 Link
Replying To peiledoir20: "Was Ryan McHugh dropped on Sunday or was it a tactical move?" Most likely tactical selection, we will probably see more of that this year depending on the opposition. If we are facing a team with a lot of height and physicality, Ryan might be kept back as a sub, come on to steady things. Its not a case of getting dropped due to not performing etc, its more about tactics. Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1599 - 03/02/2026 21:14:48 2654872 Link
Replying To gunman: "I always think O'Baoill gets a raw deal.He is always the first dropped or hooked if he is not shooting the lights out.Something similar with big Hughie.As regards Thompson he might be important for left footed frees with McBrearty gone,otherwise with a fully fit squad does he get in the first 15." He doesn't get a raw deal. Like another poster said, he often drifts in and out of games. Can be hit or miss. And Hugh is 32 or close to it. When we are chasing games or need to freshen up of course you'd take him off for someone faster and who offers a scoring threat. eddieSize5Balls (Donegal) - Posts: 278 - 03/02/2026 23:31:26 2654889 Link
Replying To peiledoir20: "Was Ryan McHugh dropped on Sunday or was it a tactical move?" I think McGuiness said in an interview they wanted to give Ryan McHugh a rest. But it could have been an experimental change also, as Kieran Gallagher was named at half back but played most of the game as an inside forward or full forward (no high ball was kicked in), but he came out for the kick outs. So maybe McGuiness wanted Kieran's height there to contest/give an option for the longer kickouts down one of the flanks. When McHugh came on he was showing for the shorter kickouts. Also Interesting to see McGonagle tracking and getting tight to Seanie O'Shea for parts of the game, so he could be an option for picking up a playmaking half forward when we're defending/pressing. McCole did a great job on young Tomas Kennedy, he didn't give him an inch. Another point that stood out, was Kerry's ability to getting breaking ball, even for their the goal, high ball in, ball broke and first to react to it was a Kerry man, who stuck it in the net. I'm not concerned about the contesting of the high ball, the real concern is if it breaks around our goal. We need to get more tuned in and savvy in anticipating breaking ball and no better team to learn from than Kerry. The_viewer (Donegal) - Posts: 26 - 04/02/2026 00:14:52 2654892 Link
Replying To CCFabu: "Thompson is one of the first names on the sheet if fit and firing. Only thing that would hold him back is his rehab. He is a fantastic player who was in brilliant form last year, one of our best performers and a huge loss when he went off in the final. Who would keep him out? With everyone fit I would want Hughie, Langan, McGee and Thompson all starting." Exactly. It's not exactly the most profound or enlightening tactical insight to say that with the new rules, dominating the middle sector has never been more important. Even last Sunday, we appeared to be coasting against almost a Kerry B team. But once they started winning all their kickouts the game wasn't as comfortable for us at all. If Kieran Gallagher can continue to ramp up he'll be a useful man to have about the middle as well. Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 10224 - 04/02/2026 09:21:04 2654907 Link
Replying To The_viewer: "I think McGuiness said in an interview they wanted to give Ryan McHugh a rest. But it could have been an experimental change also, as Kieran Gallagher was named at half back but played most of the game as an inside forward or full forward (no high ball was kicked in), but he came out for the kick outs. So maybe McGuiness wanted Kieran's height there to contest/give an option for the longer kickouts down one of the flanks. When McHugh came on he was showing for the shorter kickouts. Also Interesting to see McGonagle tracking and getting tight to Seanie O'Shea for parts of the game, so he could be an option for picking up a playmaking half forward when we're defending/pressing. McCole did a great job on young Tomas Kennedy, he didn't give him an inch. Another point that stood out, was Kerry's ability to getting breaking ball, even for their the goal, high ball in, ball broke and first to react to it was a Kerry man, who stuck it in the net. I'm not concerned about the contesting of the high ball, the real concern is if it breaks around our goal. We need to get more tuned in and savvy in anticipating breaking ball and no better team to learn from than Kerry." Regarding the Kerry goal on Sunday last, I noticed that on two occassions late in the game, the Kerry kicker (Sean O'Shea I believe) purposely kicked to the ball to drop at the far post, and they had players there anticipating that it was going to drop short. It seemed like a well drilled set piece. Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1599 - 04/02/2026 09:35:15 2654911 Link
Will be interesting this year... the rule changes will expose teams that don't have man marking, ball winning , physical defenders... LKGael (Donegal) - Posts: 237 - 04/02/2026 11:01:42 2654924 Link
Replying To LKGael: "Will be interesting this year... the rule changes will expose teams that don't have man marking, ball winning , physical defenders..." In the pre-new-rules days, when defensive tactics were common, it meant that a lot of the traditional one-on-one duals we associated with corner-forwards vs corner-backs fell away. But I think you're right that we'll see it coming back into fashion now. Do teams have those types of specialist man-markers anymore though? Time will tell I suppose. Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 10224 - 04/02/2026 12:16:39 2654955 Link
Replying To Lockjaw: "In the pre-new-rules days, when defensive tactics were common, it meant that a lot of the traditional one-on-one duals we associated with corner-forwards vs corner-backs fell away. But I think you're right that we'll see it coming back into fashion now. Do teams have those types of specialist man-markers anymore though? Time will tell I suppose." I suppose it is a balance between defending and attacking.I would rate Mark Curran as our best defender and possibly Mogan as our best attacking defender.Which would you pick.I guess in the modern game you need a man that can do both. gunman (Donegal) - Posts: 1221 - 04/02/2026 12:51:13 2654963 Link