National Forum

Tyrone v Donegal

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I don't agree with people taking pot shots at the young lads playing for Donegal yesterday. It was a great match for 15 minutes and could have gone either way at that stage.. Then Tyrone stepped up a gear and I think any team would have got it hard to live with that performance yesterday. It sure was the white heat of championship football and I have no doubt that they learned a valuable lesson yesterday and they will be the better for it. Everyone has to learn and you can only develop your skills from experience. Good luck to them in the qualifiers. I think that they will do very well.

border Gael (Monaghan) - Posts: 894 - 19/06/2017 23:08:07    2002230

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I would agree that Gough did a good job. Kept the play moving and wasn't looking for the limelight himself

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 20/06/2017 00:53:39    2002269

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Ryan McHugh - not in his peak form this year yet but definitely an A-list footballer.

Paddy McBrearty - soldiered on well on Sunday despite Tyrone's dominance. Our tactics probably don't maximise his potential. With a regular supply of good early ball I think Paddy could and would be considered in the same bracket as your Brogans and O'Donoghues.

Kieran Gillespie - watch this space. Will eventually replace his club mate Neil McGee as Donegal's full back. An excellent prospect.


As for the tiered competition. I'm not saying 'smaller' counties should be limited to B competition and that's it. There has to be a way that it can be seeded somehow based on league standings and incentivised so that if if you were successful at 'B' level it gave your team automatic entry at 'A' level next season.

The above would take some radical and creative thinking to implement but surely it isn't beyond the GAA to find the right balance.

To answer your Laois comparison I would counter that by saying that 1 of McGuinness' biggest legacies was the shakeup he gave our football at all levels. We are way better organised at underage level than we've ever been. The best young players in the county are mad to play and are practically being prepared from the age of 15. Now obviously not all will make it to senior level. But it just means that there is a structure in place for them now to really excel and so fewer of them are falling through the cracks. Before this you just turned up for the odd trial or two. So I would be confident we'll be there or thereabouts in the top 10 for the foreseeable.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9116 - 20/06/2017 01:48:40    2002270

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Replying To dstuction:  "Exactly. The result was always in doubt. the fact that bookies had Tyrone favourite proved that.
In fact I think Donegal support have been great in defeat. We are certainly not used to it and yet we are all giving credit to Tyrone.

Other counties appear to now be looking for any chance to take a shot at Donegal. Screw that. We are still in the top 8 in Ireland but got our asses handed to us yesterday. Its not nice but to compare us to div 3/4 if a joke and only displays peoples complete lack of gaelic knowledge."
I wouldn't worry about other counties looking to take a shot at Donegal after a defeat, Its more of a compliment that your county has been successful and are a top tier side.
When they start being nice to you is when you should start to worry.

Sunday was a bad defeat for Donegal, the young lads will learn a lot from it, about the pace and intensity of championship football, I've no doubt they will bounce back from it.

I've noticed a few Donegal posters saying that Gallagher needs to wind his neck in etc and get the best players in the county playing for their county.
What's that all about, has there been a fallout with certain players?

duke_raul (Tyrone) - Posts: 993 - 20/06/2017 03:01:00    2002271

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I wouldn't read too much into it. Donegal never got going and pretty much everything went right for Tyrone; once one of those teams got a few points in front, it was always going to be incredibly difficult for the chasing team. Sometimes that happens, and there's no point in over-analysing it. Unlikely that Tyrone will win by as much in their next game, and, provided Donegal's younger lads can get their heads right, I'd tip them to do well next time out. Comments about Donegal management far-fetched; young players need time. Best of luck to Donegal anyway, always my second team to support.

essmac (Tyrone) - Posts: 1141 - 20/06/2017 08:46:31    2002305

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Replying To dstuction:  "Exactly. The result was always in doubt. the fact that bookies had Tyrone favourite proved that.
In fact I think Donegal support have been great in defeat. We are certainly not used to it and yet we are all giving credit to Tyrone.

Other counties appear to now be looking for any chance to take a shot at Donegal. Screw that. We are still in the top 8 in Ireland but got our asses handed to us yesterday. Its not nice but to compare us to div 3/4 if a joke and only displays peoples complete lack of gaelic knowledge."
Certainly not used to losing? Jesus who do you think you are, yous have lost plenty over the last 20 years!

Media goes from one extreme to the other. Donegal aren't that bad, Tyrone aren't that good. Donegal a team in major transition with talented players coming through and continuing to come through. They are in exactly the same spot as tyrone were a few years ago. sunday would have been hard to take, but we have been there. The true fans will continue to turn out.

As for tyrone we are not there until we beat one of the big boys in croke park. Great performance though, definitely the best since 2008

redhanddefender (Tyrone) - Posts: 913 - 20/06/2017 10:03:35    2002345

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Replying To essmac:  "I wouldn't read too much into it. Donegal never got going and pretty much everything went right for Tyrone; once one of those teams got a few points in front, it was always going to be incredibly difficult for the chasing team. Sometimes that happens, and there's no point in over-analysing it. Unlikely that Tyrone will win by as much in their next game, and, provided Donegal's younger lads can get their heads right, I'd tip them to do well next time out. Comments about Donegal management far-fetched; young players need time. Best of luck to Donegal anyway, always my second team to support."
The comments about management are not far fetched and not a recent development either. The identity of players has changed but ultimately the management has not evolved and are tactically stagnant for the last 3 years. Some of the young players introduced should really have been more integrated than before this year.

panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2779 - 20/06/2017 10:24:59    2002360

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Replying To Donegalman:  "I would agree that Gough did a good job. Kept the play moving and wasn't looking for the limelight himself"
Agree - not a massive fan of him but have to say he did very well and allowed the game to flow - usually non-Ulster refs are whistle happy and ruin these games but he did a very good job.

IrishGael3 (USA) - Posts: 1092 - 20/06/2017 10:38:01    2002373

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Replying To duke_raul:  "I wouldn't worry about other counties looking to take a shot at Donegal after a defeat, Its more of a compliment that your county has been successful and are a top tier side.
When they start being nice to you is when you should start to worry.

Sunday was a bad defeat for Donegal, the young lads will learn a lot from it, about the pace and intensity of championship football, I've no doubt they will bounce back from it.

I've noticed a few Donegal posters saying that Gallagher needs to wind his neck in etc and get the best players in the county playing for their county.
What's that all about, has there been a fallout with certain players?"
Open secret regarding RG and Leo McLoone anyway. I don't think there was any falling out with MacNiallis I just think he wanted a break from county this year but I may be wrong.

JoeSoap (Donegal) - Posts: 1432 - 20/06/2017 10:56:54    2002386

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Replying To benjyyy:  "1. Ryan McHugh, Neil McGee, Paddy McBrearty
2. Yes"
Lockjaw if you think any of those guys would make the Dublin or Kerry Teams you are seriously deluded.

1. McBreaty - Couldn't make the Donegal Team v Antrim , never mind a Dublin 15.
2. McHugh - Too small and suited only to an outdated sweeper role which the top teams no longer play. Didn't feature in the game v Tyrone.
3. McGee - Too many disciplinary problems and given an absolute career ending run around by Tyrone on Sunday.

Thanks for proving my point.

spiritof1991 (Down) - Posts: 693 - 20/06/2017 12:30:50    2002454

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Replying To spiritof1991:  "Lockjaw if you think any of those guys would make the Dublin or Kerry Teams you are seriously deluded.

1. McBreaty - Couldn't make the Donegal Team v Antrim , never mind a Dublin 15.
2. McHugh - Too small and suited only to an outdated sweeper role which the top teams no longer play. Didn't feature in the game v Tyrone.
3. McGee - Too many disciplinary problems and given an absolute career ending run around by Tyrone on Sunday.

Thanks for proving my point."
If your point was about you knowing very little about Gaelic football, then you have certainly proved your point.

benjyyy (Donegal) - Posts: 1422 - 20/06/2017 12:56:00    2002477

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Replying To spiritof1991:  "Lockjaw if you think any of those guys would make the Dublin or Kerry Teams you are seriously deluded.

1. McBreaty - Couldn't make the Donegal Team v Antrim , never mind a Dublin 15.
2. McHugh - Too small and suited only to an outdated sweeper role which the top teams no longer play. Didn't feature in the game v Tyrone.
3. McGee - Too many disciplinary problems and given an absolute career ending run around by Tyrone on Sunday.

Thanks for proving my point."
You may want to re-read the responses.

Paddy McBrearty had been injured in the lead up to the Antrim game. I believe the thinking was that we'd have enough to overcome Antrim without him and so it proved. He came on and kicked 1-2 in his cameo. So to suggest that he was dropped, or otherwise is facetious in the extreme.

Ryan McHugh is a former young player of the year, an All Star and has regularly been a thorn in the side of this current great Dublin team. Admittedly his form has been a bit below his own high standards so far this year but he is a class footballer nonetheless.

I didn't mention Neil McGee. But he has been the best full back in Ireland for the best part of the last decade.
Kieran Gillespie is the heir and I believe he will go on to be an outstanding full back for Donegal in the years to come.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9116 - 20/06/2017 13:09:02    2002489

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Does one result change everything. Donegal were tipped by most pundits last week O'Se, Brolly, O'Rourke, Cooper etc and the reasons for this were sound enough. A lot of Northern Ireland pundits on the championship predicated Donegal would be the best Ulster team suited to compete on the All-Ireland stage. What has changed? Mayo even though they lost to Galway I suspect will also still have a big part to play. From Tyrone's point of view this was a great performance and result against a very good team and should be a big boost to their ambitions.

Byanthon (Tyrone) - Posts: 1780 - 20/06/2017 13:19:13    2002496

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Replying To GameOfTyrones:  "We will win and win well. . but Monaghan will be our real challenge. I definitely do not see the winner of this as the winner of Ulster."
Seen that one coming a mile off. Next game will be tougher with Monaghan after they win.

GameOfTyrones (Tyrone) - Posts: 469 - 20/06/2017 13:22:02    2002499

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Can still see Donegal making the semi finals now that they will be on the same side of the draw as Kerry and Galway / Roscommon in the QF.
Kerry, Donegal, Dublin and Tyrone as the last 4

ulster83 (Tyrone) - Posts: 114 - 20/06/2017 13:37:12    2002520

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Replying To Byanthon:  "Does one result change everything. Donegal were tipped by most pundits last week O'Se, Brolly, O'Rourke, Cooper etc and the reasons for this were sound enough. A lot of Northern Ireland pundits on the championship predicated Donegal would be the best Ulster team suited to compete on the All-Ireland stage. What has changed? Mayo even though they lost to Galway I suspect will also still have a big part to play. From Tyrone's point of view this was a great performance and result against a very good team and should be a big boost to their ambitions."
Donegal didn't show up on Sunday, and ultimately apart from boosting Tyrone's confidence, it did Tyrone no favours ahead of a potential stiff test against Monaghan and bigger teams down the road. Can you see Monaghan stand off the Tyrone attackers in the same way Donegal did on Sunday? Not a hope.

What we seen was a very poor Donegal performance on the day versus a very good Tyrone on the day, perhaps not a true reflection of where either side are really at.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1106 - 20/06/2017 15:10:25    2002582

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Replying To Commodore:  "Donegal didn't show up on Sunday, and ultimately apart from boosting Tyrone's confidence, it did Tyrone no favours ahead of a potential stiff test against Monaghan and bigger teams down the road. Can you see Monaghan stand off the Tyrone attackers in the same way Donegal did on Sunday? Not a hope.

What we seen was a very poor Donegal performance on the day versus a very good Tyrone on the day, perhaps not a true reflection of where either side are really at."
Donegal did show up. They showed up and got beat. This should have been posted on the cliches thread that somebody has started. They played very poorly but they were there. I suspect Rory Gallagher is not feeling the love from his squad. A few years ago donegal players would have literally died on the pitch for Jimmy. They showed up,but with no passion.

seanie_boy (Tyrone) - Posts: 4235 - 20/06/2017 17:31:10    2002673

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I hope that this year doesn't shape up the same way as 2007. Exactly 10 years ago almost to the day, tyrone and Dooher wiped us out in clones on a hot sunday. We clawed our way back through the back door against Leitrim and Westmeath only to be hammered by Monaghan in Omagh once the hype machine started to tick over in Donegal again. Tyrone went on to lose to Meath in the all ireland quarter final.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 20/06/2017 18:46:08    2002713

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "Ryan McHugh - not in his peak form this year yet but definitely an A-list footballer.

Paddy McBrearty - soldiered on well on Sunday despite Tyrone's dominance. Our tactics probably don't maximise his potential. With a regular supply of good early ball I think Paddy could and would be considered in the same bracket as your Brogans and O'Donoghues.

Kieran Gillespie - watch this space. Will eventually replace his club mate Neil McGee as Donegal's full back. An excellent prospect.


As for the tiered competition. I'm not saying 'smaller' counties should be limited to B competition and that's it. There has to be a way that it can be seeded somehow based on league standings and incentivised so that if if you were successful at 'B' level it gave your team automatic entry at 'A' level next season.

The above would take some radical and creative thinking to implement but surely it isn't beyond the GAA to find the right balance.

To answer your Laois comparison I would counter that by saying that 1 of McGuinness' biggest legacies was the shakeup he gave our football at all levels. We are way better organised at underage level than we've ever been. The best young players in the county are mad to play and are practically being prepared from the age of 15. Now obviously not all will make it to senior level. But it just means that there is a structure in place for them now to really excel and so fewer of them are falling through the cracks. Before this you just turned up for the odd trial or two. So I would be confident we'll be there or thereabouts in the top 10 for the foreseeable."
[url=]https://www.balls.ie/gaa/leitrim-fan-367475/url]

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9116 - 20/06/2017 18:46:33    2002714

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Replying To Lockjaw:  ""]Lockjaw, will Rory stick with the young lads or will there be an outcry in Donegal to go back to the more experienced players? Is there an 'anti Rory' element in the Donegal media?

neverright (Roscommon) - Posts: 1648 - 20/06/2017 19:52:02    2002741

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