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Donegal GAA thread

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Replying To ryan:  "Last 3 years in ulster senior club championship.
2025 - NC lost away to Scotstown (Ulster champions
2024 - St. Eunans lost away to Errigal Ciaran (All-ireland finalists)
2023 - NC lost semi-final to Glen (won all-Ireland)"
Funny, I was just thinking the same thing after the game yesterday. 2019 was another Ulster final NC lost to Kilcoo who made it to the all ireland final, eventually losing out to Corofin. Hopefully there's another ulster senior club title for a Donegal team soon.

The standard has been high in Ulster with Kilcoo, Glen and Scotstown in the mix. The rule changes really suited Scotstown, having Beggan in your team is like having a cheat code! Great to see him and the likes of the 2 Hughes win it.

FootballGuy (Donegal) - Posts: 288 - 14/12/2025 09:24:06    2648294

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Not saying it's a major factor but it hasn't helped that in the last 10 Ulster club Championship draws 1st game , the Donegal team has been drawn at home 2 times and away 7 times, 2020 (no Ulster comp)

Samforthehills26 (Donegal) - Posts: 1 - 14/12/2025 18:39:18    2648343

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2025 - NC lost away to Scotstown (Ulster champions
2024 - St. Eunans lost away to Errigal Ciaran (All-ireland finalists)
2023 - NC lost semi-final to Glen (won all-Ireland)

If's and buts. Bottom line Eunans and NC weren't good enough on those days to get over the line. Scotstown this year were by far the better team. Eunans could have beat Errigal in 24, not starting Niall O Donnell due to missing trainings due to holiday was major decision. NC competed really well with a super Glen in 23.

The lanscape in senior football has changed a bit in the last year I feel. Eunans and NC are still the best teams/squads but likes of Termon, Four Masters, Gaoth Dobhair all narrowed that gap this year and won't fear them going forward. MacCumhaills with a new management should improve again, St Micheals are a good seasoned champonship team, Glenswilly if they have a fit Murphy after Donegals season will take beating as well. Donegal football could do with someone other than Eunans or N Conaill winning the senior champioship next year. The leagues have gone stale due to the number of teams and unavailability of county players; and 4 game round robin championship is very dragged out as well.

KHL (Donegal) - Posts: 121 - 15/12/2025 00:10:50    2648367

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Replying To KHL:  "2025 - NC lost away to Scotstown (Ulster champions
2024 - St. Eunans lost away to Errigal Ciaran (All-ireland finalists)
2023 - NC lost semi-final to Glen (won all-Ireland)

If's and buts. Bottom line Eunans and NC weren't good enough on those days to get over the line. Scotstown this year were by far the better team. Eunans could have beat Errigal in 24, not starting Niall O Donnell due to missing trainings due to holiday was major decision. NC competed really well with a super Glen in 23.

The lanscape in senior football has changed a bit in the last year I feel. Eunans and NC are still the best teams/squads but likes of Termon, Four Masters, Gaoth Dobhair all narrowed that gap this year and won't fear them going forward. MacCumhaills with a new management should improve again, St Micheals are a good seasoned champonship team, Glenswilly if they have a fit Murphy after Donegals season will take beating as well. Donegal football could do with someone other than Eunans or N Conaill winning the senior champioship next year. The leagues have gone stale due to the number of teams and unavailability of county players; and 4 game round robin championship is very dragged out as well."
Lets not beat around the bush here we lost by 6 against Scotstown and that made us look good. They were a millions miles the better team and I stated here prior to the county final that Gweedore would have given a better shot at ulster than Naomh Conaill and I stand by that still.

The thing is in Donegal is we don't ever look passed county. Kieran Hughes stated in his interview since 2013 there goal with that group was ulster and he thought there chance were gone. I can guarantee since Naomh Conaill won their first title in 2005 up until 2025 they never started a season or never looked passed Donegal.

For the bigger teams they have aspirations beyond their own county.
If I were to hazard a guess who is most likely to become this type team I think it will be Four masters. Those lads a serial winners already and as they get more experience I genuinely believe they won't care about Donegal championships and will be hunting Ulsters and All Irelands. This will only improve Donegal.

naomh_conaill_4 (Donegal) - Posts: 513 - 15/12/2025 17:28:58    2648442

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Replying To naomh_conaill_4:  "Lets not beat around the bush here we lost by 6 against Scotstown and that made us look good. They were a millions miles the better team and I stated here prior to the county final that Gweedore would have given a better shot at ulster than Naomh Conaill and I stand by that still.

The thing is in Donegal is we don't ever look passed county. Kieran Hughes stated in his interview since 2013 there goal with that group was ulster and he thought there chance were gone. I can guarantee since Naomh Conaill won their first title in 2005 up until 2025 they never started a season or never looked passed Donegal.

For the bigger teams they have aspirations beyond their own county.
If I were to hazard a guess who is most likely to become this type team I think it will be Four masters. Those lads a serial winners already and as they get more experience I genuinely believe they won't care about Donegal championships and will be hunting Ulsters and All Irelands. This will only improve Donegal."
I think Naomh Conaill were unfortunate to draw Scotstown in the first match of Ulster. The 4 week break didn't do them any favours either. It was always a tough ask to progress in Ulster without Ciaran.
As for Four Masters they are an up and coming team, there is no doubt about that with the amount of quality players they have coming through. However I don't think they can ever take Donegal Championship lightly because there is always a team in Donegal that can beat you in any given day.

Scenicparish (Donegal) - Posts: 812 - 15/12/2025 19:43:51    2648452

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Thanks for the 14 years Paddy. Great servant and unfortunately if not for a couple ACL injuries, likely would still be playing at a high level. Same age as myself. Terrorized our underage teams. Probably the best technically gifted footballer we have produced since Murphy.

eddieSize5Balls (Donegal) - Posts: 256 - 15/12/2025 19:57:53    2648453

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Sad to hear that Donegal captain Paddy McBrearty has retired from inter-county football on medical advice.

Hell of a player.

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 4756 - 15/12/2025 20:49:38    2648457

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Happy retirement Paddy, it's a pity we couldn't land the big one in July to send him off in style.

What a servant. Stayed with the sinking ship in 2023 when others quickly abandoned it. Was the catalyst in getting McGuinness back the same summer.

Thanks for the memories.

peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 1396 - 15/12/2025 21:23:34    2648463

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Yes many thanks to Paddy mac for all the great days, he retires with some record, 7 Ulster's and an All Ireland medal in his back pocket. Wishing Paddy all the best in the future.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3599 - 15/12/2025 22:04:49    2648470

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Paddy will be fondly remembered.
His best days were long behind him so good luck to him. He did his bit.

PeterQ92 (Donegal) - Posts: 175 - 15/12/2025 22:37:12    2648475

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Kicked some superb and crucial scores over the years despite being hampered by injury. Would have started him in 2014 final

Curlew66 (Roscommon) - Posts: 642 - 15/12/2025 22:57:46    2648482

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A fantastic footballer, wish him all the best in his retirement.

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2628 - 16/12/2025 07:31:34    2648488

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Replying To naomh_conaill_4:  "Lets not beat around the bush here we lost by 6 against Scotstown and that made us look good. They were a millions miles the better team and I stated here prior to the county final that Gweedore would have given a better shot at ulster than Naomh Conaill and I stand by that still.

The thing is in Donegal is we don't ever look passed county. Kieran Hughes stated in his interview since 2013 there goal with that group was ulster and he thought there chance were gone. I can guarantee since Naomh Conaill won their first title in 2005 up until 2025 they never started a season or never looked passed Donegal.

For the bigger teams they have aspirations beyond their own county.
If I were to hazard a guess who is most likely to become this type team I think it will be Four masters. Those lads a serial winners already and as they get more experience I genuinely believe they won't care about Donegal championships and will be hunting Ulsters and All Irelands. This will only improve Donegal."
If they couldn't see yous out in the final what hope had they v Scotstown!!

Whyme923 (Donegal) - Posts: 133 - 16/12/2025 13:28:56    2648540

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Replying To ConyersHill04:  "Was thinking McGuinness is no mug after all......

While astute at setting teams up, his inability to make switches under pressure is fatal."
Only seeing your replies now lads..... was in no shape a dig at McGuinness at all.

Should have elaborated that this was in relation to Kieran Donnelly's appointment as Eunan's manager as can be seen from the post I replied to.

All of the above applies coming from the experience of him managing my own club especially in the 2018 Ulster Club Final.

ConyersHill04 (Monaghan) - Posts: 25 - 16/12/2025 14:13:04    2648548

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Replying To Whyme923:  "If they couldn't see yous out in the final what hope had they v Scotstown!!"
I genuinely believe that it was mentality that messed with Gweedore on final day.
They would have went into the Scotstown game with added confidence and shackles off mentality. Also I stated on here they would have represented Donegal better then the current NC crop prior to the final and still stand by it.

naomh_conaill_4 (Donegal) - Posts: 513 - 16/12/2025 15:47:22    2648569

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