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Donegal GAA thread

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "I think the main lesson to be learned from yesterday is that teams who let the handbrake off and take more risks are going to be more successful under the new rules. Moran would have been crucifed if his gung-ho tactics had backfired, but fortune favoured the brave. Fair play to them."
Remember Mayo were basically about to exit until a soft red card changed the game v Meath.

They came to Croke Park and looked like a new team.
They weren't the best team but unquestionably the best team yesterday. Their ferocious performance v both Kerry and Louth in tackles was a joy to watch and went back to the team of a decade ago but the rules, quality and bravery of an excellent full forward line was the deciding difference this time.

I hate chat about league and provincials mean nothing but the truth is to win Sam now, it's basically about making sure you are ready to go in a six week blitz, get the rub of the green and avoid the injuries.

Another thing Donegal can learn is the set up Andy had. Talent across the back room team including our own Durcan. We could do with a specialist forwards coach and I wouldn't say no to a Paddy Tally type.

Jim needs help if we are going to make 2027 the year we end our own 15 year famine :)

shaggykev (Donegal) - Posts: 508 - 27/07/2026 17:28:57    2687602

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "I think the main lesson to be learned from yesterday is that teams who let the handbrake off and take more risks are going to be more successful under the new rules. Moran would have been crucifed if his gung-ho tactics had backfired, but fortune favoured the brave. Fair play to them."
100%. They took some wild shots and missed some but also scored some at important times in the game. I hope Jim looks at what Mayo achieved and comes up with a plan to do the same next year. If we play the same old style we won't do anything.

eddieSize5Balls (Donegal) - Posts: 463 - 27/07/2026 21:26:09    2687644

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It will be interesting to see how many club teams move away from the defensive, handpassing style this year. Very few, if any of the club teams (in the top 2 divisions) in donegal actually kick pass the ball consistently. I think mayo has finally and thankfully bust the bubble of slow hand passing around the arc. To continue with that old style of playing is a waste of time, because once you meet a team who can kick and press properly, your in trouble. So do the club/ county managers in donegal finally move away from a now defunct tactic? e.g. the old rules!! And embrace the new, fast moving, kicking game? Are these managers able to implement these new tactics? I have my doubts...but I hope im wrong.

gaeltacht81 (Donegal) - Posts: 41 - 28/07/2026 09:29:08    2687697

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I also thought the decision to play man-on-man and press high was very brave.
Yes it did mean that there was a lot of space in front of David Clifford. But the thing was that Mayo's ferocious and relentless pressure from the full forward line back meant that Kerry weren't able to get the heads up early enough and get any kind of good ball into him. It looked like pure kamikaze stuff early on, and Clifford must ahve had about 1-3 after 15 minutes. But once Mayo got settled they never really looked back.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 10441 - 28/07/2026 09:34:08    2687702

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Replying To eddieSize5Balls:  "100%. They took some wild shots and missed some but also scored some at important times in the game. I hope Jim looks at what Mayo achieved and comes up with a plan to do the same next year. If we play the same old style we won't do anything."
This is cheap enough talk in fairness.

Kerry were noticeably struggling for fitness and didn't have the legs where they needed to be in the final. Referee missed a double bounce for the goal, marginal calls given coming out of defence for mayo tap over frees, and yet Kerry still almost brought that game to extra time despite Mayo clearly being by far the better team on the day and deserved winners.

I don't think there is anyone in the country who doesn't think a fully at it Kerry (like they were last year) wouldn't have comfortably beaten Mayo. Mayo high press or no high press.

The biggest takeaway from the final isn't anything new, its making sure a team has energy and freshness when it matters.

From a donegal perspective, we were gone from a long way out because we were relying on the usual suspects all the way through heavy sod in the national league and don't have a bench. This isn't a style issue, its a personnel issue and a planning issue. That's where Jim and the S&C guys really need to have a hard look at what we have.

Mayo pulled a group of super fit, fast players together a bit later in the year and the thing opened up for them with some favourable draws and then they were in better fettle than Kerry when it came to it. That is pure championship football and that is what a county like Donegal has to be ready for because it is going to be rare that we will be the best team in the competition.

inthru (Donegal) - Posts: 15 - 28/07/2026 09:47:59    2687703

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Replying To inthru:  "This is cheap enough talk in fairness.

Kerry were noticeably struggling for fitness and didn't have the legs where they needed to be in the final. Referee missed a double bounce for the goal, marginal calls given coming out of defence for mayo tap over frees, and yet Kerry still almost brought that game to extra time despite Mayo clearly being by far the better team on the day and deserved winners.

I don't think there is anyone in the country who doesn't think a fully at it Kerry (like they were last year) wouldn't have comfortably beaten Mayo. Mayo high press or no high press.

The biggest takeaway from the final isn't anything new, its making sure a team has energy and freshness when it matters.

From a donegal perspective, we were gone from a long way out because we were relying on the usual suspects all the way through heavy sod in the national league and don't have a bench. This isn't a style issue, its a personnel issue and a planning issue. That's where Jim and the S&C guys really need to have a hard look at what we have.

Mayo pulled a group of super fit, fast players together a bit later in the year and the thing opened up for them with some favourable draws and then they were in better fettle than Kerry when it came to it. That is pure championship football and that is what a county like Donegal has to be ready for because it is going to be rare that we will be the best team in the competition."
I'm much more in line with this post than some of the others. Andy Moran highlighted Mayo's fitness and freshness after the final, and I think that was a huge factor. Kerry clearly weren't at the level they needed to be at and, like every team, they need their key players firing. Too many of them weren't. Mayo took full advantage, backed themselves completely to win it.

I was thinking back to Donegal's league game against Mayo. Donegal were excellent that day, but there's not much value in peaking in February if you're falling apart in June when the championship is on the line. A good few players' form really disappeared as the year went on. As you say, it's about having the energy and fitness at the right time of the year, and that's probably one of the biggest things for Donegal to get right next season.

Ulsterchamps_32 (Donegal) - Posts: 1042 - 28/07/2026 21:00:40    2687904

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I think both things can be true.
It was obvious that we were ahead of many teams back in the spring. But when the ground hardened and the real stuff began, we didn't have it in the legs at all. The Cork game told us all we needed to know.

No doubt the s&c stuff will be looked at and tweaked for 2027. But I'd also like to see us play with a bit more variety at times, than just playing the running game all the time.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 10441 - 29/07/2026 13:41:35    2687996

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "I think both things can be true.
It was obvious that we were ahead of many teams back in the spring. But when the ground hardened and the real stuff began, we didn't have it in the legs at all. The Cork game told us all we needed to know.

No doubt the s&c stuff will be looked at and tweaked for 2027. But I'd also like to see us play with a bit more variety at times, than just playing the running game all the time."
According to reports, it seems there was a lot of running done in the week leading up to the Cork game. I wonder was it the same in the run in to the Down game?

I'd just love to know that if we had beaten Cork, with the training plan they were on, would the energy levels have come back again in time for a Quarter Final.

Or were we more mentally tired than physically tired?

SouthOfTheGap (Donegal) - Posts: 948 - 29/07/2026 14:42:24    2688016

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I'd encourage against reading too much into the All Ireland final in terms of innovation or tactics. For me, Mayo played how all good Mayo teams over the last 15 years have (and in fairness to Mayo as a county, how many bad years have they really had? Most counties would be happy with what they had as bad years in that run). Mayo have always backed themselves man to man when you look back to the days of Higgins and Barrett, and credit to their backs both on Sunday and throughout the year they brought that same culture again. My point being that it isn't necessarily new.

And even if it were new - everything had to go exactly right for Mayo, including Kerry playing below their potential. At the end of the day, it was a one score victory and they were under immense pressure for the last 10 mins. If we were still in the old days pre hooter, you would have to think they would have succumbed. None of this is to make light of their achievements; they were roundly written off against a team with terrifying talents. Hats off.

I don't think for Donegal much needs to change going in to next year. A lot is said of us dwelling in possession and I agree with it, but I think it's something you're just going to have to live with when teams know how good you are going forward. Like it or not we are going to find ourselves having to work around the arc for most of next year as we have this year also. Where I think there is true scope for change is to add a bit of decisiveness on the counter. It's one thing if teams filter back and force you to adopt a possession heavy style, but too often we sign up for it ourselves. We force a turnover and the first thought is to turn back and build slow. This for me is what emboldened Cork and Dublin in particular - when you turn us over after 3 minutes of possession, that's as good as a score. And that's before they rocket down to the far end and tack over a two of their own.

I don't think there will be a paradigm shift in tactical approach in light of mayo's success nor do I think there should be. The emphasis should be on minor adjustments rather than wholesale change.

Heading into next year, I think we can expect to see a lift in level from Shea Malone, Sean Martin and all of the Four Masters prodigies now that they have a senior intercounty season under the belts. Might I add also that the loss of Diarmuid O Connor for Kerry on Sunday is reminiscent to me of the loss of Ciaran Thompson for us throughout the year. He is Mr Reliable. Well able either fielding or sniffing the breaking ball and he's a notorious two point threat. If he gets back anywhere near his pre injury levels this is a serious string to have in the bow.

Don't be booking the Croke Park hotel for next July on the back of what I have to say, but to be honest folks I'll be resisting all of the doom and gloom talk as we come into the winter

papa_pump (Donegal) - Posts: 92 - 29/07/2026 21:31:25    2688087

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