Folks do Donegal have the strength in depth to win all Ireland. They prob have more consistent 1-15 with no inquries but its intersteing they only seem to the same 3-4. They hammered Armagh a few weeks only bringing on young lads with 2 minutes. Last Saturday they only used 4 subs 2 of whom came on in injury time. The likes of Kerry have 9/10 lads on line that would make any team in country. THey even afford to leave sigerson star conor cox on junior team

HughHunt24 (Cork) - Posts: 841 - 30/06/2015 15:14:41    1745491

Folks do Donegal have the strength in depth to win all Ireland. They prob have more consistent 1-15 with no inquries but its intersteing they only seem to the same 3-4. They hammered Armagh a few weeks only bringing on young lads with 2 minutes. Last Saturday they only used 4 subs 2 of whom came on in injury time. The likes of Kerry have 9/10 lads on line that would make any team in country. THey even afford to leave sigerson star conor cox on junior team

**injuries** damn phone

HughHunt24 (Cork) - Posts: 841 - 30/06/2015 15:27:28    1745503

Good point. I think that u might be right. We have a really strong core, but after that, match time on the field seems to be limited. Experienced players in croke park are needed, and we possibly are not flush with them this time around.

We will see, but I really would swap any prospects of an all ireland to win ulster this year.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 30/06/2015 15:27:38    1745504

We certainly have all our eggs in one basket. Apart from 3 or 4, the rest of our team have been on the go together for a long long time. And by the same token a lot of the players on the bench have been sitting on that bench for a long long time without much championship gametime. Its a big worry if we get a few injuries and its a very big worry that it'll be a long transition after the next coupld of years when the majority of our stalwarts will be hanging up the boots.

To win Sam this year we will probably have to beat:
Tyrone
Armagh
Derry
Monaghan
Tyrone again
Kerry
Dublin

Thats a massive ask of players who have so much mileage on the clock (and completely unfair in reality)

benjyyy (Donegal) - Posts: 1422 - 30/06/2015 15:45:48    1745526

No. A very strong 15 but after that, it is threadbare. Dublin and Kerry both have stronger squads.

Donegal_abroad (Donegal) - Posts: 1321 - 30/06/2015 16:09:01    1745553

Whatever happened to Leo McLoone, Ryan Bradley, Rory Kavanagh? if you could add those three boys to the panel then it would be very strong indeed. You could also add Brick Molloy to that list aswell.

And what about Darach O Connor, havent seen him this year, is he on the panel?

So_it_is (Fermanagh) - Posts: 40 - 30/06/2015 16:34:18    1745564

So_it_is
County: Fermanagh
Posts: 24

1745564
Whatever happened to Leo McLoone, Ryan Bradley, Rory Kavanagh? if you could add those three boys to the panel then it would be very strong indeed. You could also add Brick Molloy to that list aswell.

And what about Darach O Connor, havent seen him this year, is he on the panel?

Leo will likely be back at some stage - maybe not this year but hopefully next year. Same as Brick. They seem to be concentrating solely on Naomh Chonaill for now.

Bradley is away working in the UAE so no hope there.

Kav has retired and is playing football in Boston this summer.

Jigger is injured at the minute but will probably be available for action the August bank holiday should Donegal get that far.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9136 - 30/06/2015 16:50:56    1745578

Daragh O' Connor - Injured but due back soon
Rory Kavanagh - Retired
Leo Mc Loone - Dropped/Left Panel
Brick Molloy - Left panel due to lack of game time
Ryan Bradley - Not in the country

To be honest we have some U21's and minors from the past few years that are in the training panel and you could see them making the bench soon. Jamie Brennan, Stephen Mc brearty are two that could be brought in to give an option up front.

Tir Conaill Abu (Donegal) - Posts: 1671 - 30/06/2015 17:00:18    1745587

It is hard to argue against the main thread, Donegal do have limitations in their squad depth. To be fair they won the All-Ireland in 2012 with limited squad depth as well. Last year Jim McGuinness could call on Patrick McBrearty, McElhinney and Toye but this year they are certain starters with others leaving. We are operating with 18-19 players. Still we had Mark McHugh and Anthony Thompson to call upon last weekend, so its not all bad.

Rory Kavanagh has retired, Leo McLoone and Brick Molloy have taken a year out and Ryan Bradley had to emigrate to get work. We really could do with one or tow of those lads.

JimTheLegend (Donegal) - Posts: 247 - 30/06/2015 17:01:40    1745588

Donegal's biggest problem isn't their bench (or perceived) lack of, as alluded to before, it's the horror run of games they have to face. Quite rightly a joke that other teams can stroll through their province untested. But with every downside, there is an up, if Donegal beat Monaghan, there won't be one team in the country that will want to play them (no matter what they might say outwardly).

Rory Gallagher is a very smart man, I don't see muscle injuries causing Donegal too much bother this year - it'll be those caused in game, collisions or bad luck but it won't be from poor training or lack of understanding of training techniques. Donegal have already tweaked their gameplan to reduce the amount of running certain players have to do, Lacey being most notable for me and they are also giving their players 'rests' in game, Neil Gallagher going into Full Foward etc.

GetOverTheBar (Tyrone) - Posts: 1388 - 30/06/2015 17:15:25    1745597

Don't think it's a huge factor with potentially only 4 games to go. I think the manner in which they play, high intensity, swarm defence etc. means that a lot of players are replaceable in that they have all bought into this style and are programmed to defend in numbers. I think they would have problems if they lost a couple of key forwards, especially in the inside line, the best in the country IMO. How would they cope if both Murphy and McBrearty were out for example? In short, I think they have cover from midfield back but would have problems if they lost a couple of key forwards. They don't have the cover options up there that Kerry, Dublin or Mayo have.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4700 - 30/06/2015 19:05:02    1745656

I think Donegal could be as well off as most teams as regards their bench
Take the team that started against Derry and you can add the following::::: Mark mchugh, Declan Walsh, Antony Thompson, Hughie McFadden The jigger and David Walsh
I think we have more cover for the backs, I thought myself that Eamonn Doherty might have made the team but I suppose it's hard for a back to get a place the way we play some of the other outfield players
Good to see Declan Walsh back I also thought Hughie MC Fadden might have made the team , he is the one young fella I was watching closely and I think he can play midfield/ full forward plus I think he is about 6-3 so quite a big man
But don't get carried away about Kerry's bench or indeed Dublin's ::: last year against Donegal the bench did not save Dublin ( supposed to be another team sitting on it)
Same in 2005 I heard so much talk about Kerry's bench against Tyrone yet Tyrone won the game
I know Dublin have good players on the bench but I think if things go wrong during games the bench don't always put it right
Their are lots of ifs and buts about us, let's get the Ulster final over first and we should have a better idea where we stand

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 30/06/2015 19:21:37    1745665

Joxer - totally agree , good assessment .

TheRightStuff (Donegal) - Posts: 1688 - 30/06/2015 21:04:30    1745709

doesn't say a lot for Donegal bench that they started Lacey and Murphy who were clearly injured.You won't win all Ireland 18/19 players.Donegal don't enough players to make impact from bench

HughHunt24 (Cork) - Posts: 841 - 24/07/2015 18:59:31    1758561

In fairness, with the exception of Dublin, I don't think many teams could cope with the loss of two such influential players. From what Rory is saying Karl picked up an injury during the game though and was pulled when he couldn't shake it.

mickyrua (Donegal) - Posts: 55 - 24/07/2015 19:19:07    1758569

Donegal won't have to worry about all Ireland's after Saturday. I might be biased but I see Galway taking them.

galwaydublin (Galway) - Posts: 226 - 24/07/2015 20:54:29    1758591