National Forum

Donegal GAA thread

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post


I've a feeling that Jim is trying to engineer around Kerry what he did with Tyrone in his previous reign as manager. Beat Kerry everytime we meet them, and it'll be a serious shot in the arm to the belief of the group. A hard ask, of course. Especially off a defeat to Down. My big fear is McGuinness's public comments over the years about winning Ulster is a requirement for them to win Sam. Now, he has to convince the group this isn't true, and it's not. We've been jaded, physically and mentally by the closing stages of the Ireland so many times, not to mention the injuries due to the relentless physical gauntlets of the Ulster Championship. Kerry currently are in walking wounded mode with injuries, and that would not have bothered them as they wouldn't have been expecting to play us so soon, and they'll be primed to peak later. A great opportunity to spook them psychologically further. We'll need Langan back, and we'll need Tommo back if we want Sam, as well as Patton. Down ran at us, just like Roscomman ran at us in the league and showed were flailing in disarray when teams do, and teams will have taken note. This won't get fixed this year, so the only antidote is outscoring the opposition, and we were poor the last day in that regard. Great to see Oisin make his mark on the scoreboard. We really need him sharp, and to shoot the lights out consistently. I'd say we'll win in Killarney. Love the Kerry fans. Great bunch, and always great company regardless of the result.

StockholmGael (Donegal) - Posts: 151 - 12/05/2026 23:00:54    2672699

Link

I'd be of a similar opinion that if we were to lose heavily, it would be very hard to pick things up again.
I don't think that will happen though. Kerry in Killarney is obviously a huge ask for any team. But I don't think they'll be opertating at full tilt just yet, and they're also nursing a few injuries of course.

Even looking at last year, on June 14th they were comprehensively beaten by Meath by 9 points. Their team that day...

Shane Ryan, Paul Murphy, Jason Foley, Tom O'Sullivan, Tadhg Morley, Mike Breen, Gavin White, Joe O'Connor, Mark O'Shea, Graham O'Sullivan, Tony Brosnan, Micheal Burns, David Clifford 0, Killian Spillane, Dylan Geaney.

The more I think of it, they more I think we can eke out a result down there, and what a shot in the arm it would be. I just got the feeling in recent weeks that the Down result burst our bubble a wee bit. A win down in Kerry would seriously reignite things. Keep the faith!

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 10328 - 13/05/2026 09:35:59    2672723

Link

Tough game to weigh up with potential injuries on both sides. Shane Ryan is a massive loss to Kerry but will Donegal have a fully firing Michael Langan? If we're to do anything this year we'll need a performance be it in defeat or victory. Another Down performance and it could be curtains there after.

panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2949 - 13/05/2026 09:51:54    2672728

Link

Replying To StockholmGael:  "I've a feeling that Jim is trying to engineer around Kerry what he did with Tyrone in his previous reign as manager. Beat Kerry everytime we meet them, and it'll be a serious shot in the arm to the belief of the group. A hard ask, of course. Especially off a defeat to Down. My big fear is McGuinness's public comments over the years about winning Ulster is a requirement for them to win Sam. Now, he has to convince the group this isn't true, and it's not. We've been jaded, physically and mentally by the closing stages of the Ireland so many times, not to mention the injuries due to the relentless physical gauntlets of the Ulster Championship. Kerry currently are in walking wounded mode with injuries, and that would not have bothered them as they wouldn't have been expecting to play us so soon, and they'll be primed to peak later. A great opportunity to spook them psychologically further. We'll need Langan back, and we'll need Tommo back if we want Sam, as well as Patton. Down ran at us, just like Roscomman ran at us in the league and showed were flailing in disarray when teams do, and teams will have taken note. This won't get fixed this year, so the only antidote is outscoring the opposition, and we were poor the last day in that regard. Great to see Oisin make his mark on the scoreboard. We really need him sharp, and to shoot the lights out consistently. I'd say we'll win in Killarney. Love the Kerry fans. Great bunch, and always great company regardless of the result."
There is no winning mind games with this group of Kerry players. This squad already have 2 All Irelands under their belt.
They do have the advantage of playing in a weak Munster championship year in year out , but they still produce the finest footballers consistently who can lift their game once they come out of Munster and challenge at the All Ireland level every year. While other counties shine for a few years and fade away for a few years.

The above can be siad of Dublin also.

ulsterrules (Donegal) - Posts: 281 - 13/05/2026 10:04:36    2672733

Link

Replying To TheFlaker:  "I see you have your finger on the pulse again in your own county. Would it not be fairly obvious a lad who plays most games for Jim now wouldn't be randomly playing for his club?"
Thanks for taking the time to respond to my post

Two points I suppose.

It was taken from our regional paper, one would suspect it would be a good enough source of accurate information. If I was from that neck of the woods I might have known there was a Mark Campbell that plays for Glenties too. Alas, I'm from the other end.

Secondly, when has Jim ever done anything that's "obvious". He's well known for left field decsions. We should have 'obviously" beaten Down but we didn't.

Thanks again for taking the time to respond to my post.

peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 1596 - 13/05/2026 10:20:55    2672736

Link

Replying To Lockjaw:  "I'd be of a similar opinion that if we were to lose heavily, it would be very hard to pick things up again.
I don't think that will happen though. Kerry in Killarney is obviously a huge ask for any team. But I don't think they'll be opertating at full tilt just yet, and they're also nursing a few injuries of course.

Even looking at last year, on June 14th they were comprehensively beaten by Meath by 9 points. Their team that day...

Shane Ryan, Paul Murphy, Jason Foley, Tom O'Sullivan, Tadhg Morley, Mike Breen, Gavin White, Joe O'Connor, Mark O'Shea, Graham O'Sullivan, Tony Brosnan, Micheal Burns, David Clifford 0, Killian Spillane, Dylan Geaney.

The more I think of it, they more I think we can eke out a result down there, and what a shot in the arm it would be. I just got the feeling in recent weeks that the Down result burst our bubble a wee bit. A win down in Kerry would seriously reignite things. Keep the faith!"
With the new rules though anything can happen. Clifford could score 3-5 against us. We could make mistakes that lead to goals or something. On the flip side those can happen for us in our favor too. COD was off the boil against Down so I fancy him to have a good game. But if we don't have Langan the. I really doubt we will win. Very strange that there has been little mentioning of his injury since.
If we win we will be all Ireland contenders but if we lose I highly doubt it

eddieSize5Balls (Donegal) - Posts: 359 - 13/05/2026 16:34:01    2672824

Link