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Donegal GAA thread

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Replying To shaggykev:  "Yes looking forward to tomorrow's draw. Some savage teams in our side of the draw and I commend the GAA for making draw tomorrow before provincial finals. It makes more sense, means teams know their path and wouldn't cause a bizarre scenario like a few years ago when winning a final put you into harder path.

Finals are now just about winning your title after tomorrow.

However with path decided, can't help but think it gives non finalists a big advantage. You get to come scout your opponent and watch them go hell for leather whereas you can time your team.

With Donegal, Mayo, Derry, Meath, Tyrone, Louth on one side, I can see the our side winning at least four if not more of the first round matches.

Preference would be

1. Kildare or Westmeath
2. Monaghan
3. Galway
4. Cork
5. Kerry
6. Dublin
7. Armagh/ Down
8. Roscommon"
Pretty much agree with that but I'd swap Kerry with Roscommon. They are a good team but I'm not afraid of them, providing we stop leaking goals..

eddieSize5Balls (Donegal) - Posts: 353 - 03/05/2026 19:28:38    2670720

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Replying To Commodore:  "I think we were caught cold last week, Down came in with fresh kickout strategy and us pulling big Caolan McGonigle from Center Half back to midfield to mark Murdock, left the center of our defence very vulnerable to a strong direct running game.

Armagh clogged up that middle area, hit Down players hard if they wandered in there and Down had no attacking plan B, they just struggled. Armagh also did some analysis on the Down kickouts last week, and were able to impact those as well. Basically stopped Down at source today.

Not sure why we couldn't adapt last week and react to these tactics, as it wasn't rocket science and I think we could have recalibated during that game."
Spot on analysis however in hindsight I'm glad we weren't in Clones today. I think we'd have really struggled today as I'm led to believe Langan's injury wasn't the only significant one in the squad with one player in particular who shouldn't have played (hand forced because of the Langan situation). The few weeks will hopefully allow us to heal up and really go again.

On a side note congrats to Mark McHugh on guiding Westmeath to a Leinster final and achieving the right to play for Sam. This without two of their best players.

panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2948 - 03/05/2026 21:48:01    2670755

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Replying To Commodore:  "I think we were caught cold last week, Down came in with fresh kickout strategy and us pulling big Caolan McGonigle from Center Half back to midfield to mark Murdock, left the center of our defence very vulnerable to a strong direct running game.

Armagh clogged up that middle area, hit Down players hard if they wandered in there and Down had no attacking plan B, they just struggled. Armagh also did some analysis on the Down kickouts last week, and were able to impact those as well. Basically stopped Down at source today.

Not sure why we couldn't adapt last week and react to these tactics, as it wasn't rocket science and I think we could have recalibated during that game."
Good observations on the kick out but just out of interest did you notice this in real time at the match or in the hours and days after? I can't imagine the pressure of a management in a championship match where you are overwhelming favourites. Very easy for us in the stands with a cup of coffee and no pressure to see these things.

Tir Conaill Abu (Donegal) - Posts: 1686 - 04/05/2026 11:10:11    2670810

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The draw we all knew was coming!!

Samforthehills26 (Donegal) - Posts: 6 - 04/05/2026 13:43:47    2670849

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Replying To Tir Conaill Abu:  "Good observations on the kick out but just out of interest did you notice this in real time at the match or in the hours and days after? I can't imagine the pressure of a management in a championship match where you are overwhelming favourites. Very easy for us in the stands with a cup of coffee and no pressure to see these things."
No during the game I didn't fully kop it, I thought out lack of intensity was the problem during the game, we didn't seem to have sweepers in position front and back of our big men for Down kickouts. To be honest I was thinking that we came in a bit too leisurely and were allowing Down to dictate the game.

It was only a few days afterwards that the moving of Caolan McGonigle for cover became so significant to Down attacks, because had we blocked up that center channel better, we probably would have still won that game despite our woes.

However in fairness Down also did an effective job on our attack, they deserved to beat us, they did their homework well and put in the training. But sustaining that level week on week against a number of top teams is a stretch too far at the minute for them.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1814 - 04/05/2026 14:21:40    2670877

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Replying To panamasam:  "Spot on analysis however in hindsight I'm glad we weren't in Clones today. I think we'd have really struggled today as I'm led to believe Langan's injury wasn't the only significant one in the squad with one player in particular who shouldn't have played (hand forced because of the Langan situation). The few weeks will hopefully allow us to heal up and really go again.

On a side note congrats to Mark McHugh on guiding Westmeath to a Leinster final and achieving the right to play for Sam. This without two of their best players."
I don't mean to sound critical of the Donegal management for not reacting quickly, because I myself didn't fully spot the subtle things that Down were doing until a few days afterwards, spotting it and getting the team to react to it can be challenging when the game is underway.

I don't hear anything from inside the camp, but that sounds worrying about two key players carrying injuries. We need Langan back for the All Ireland series, it would be great if Ciaran Thompson was on the road back also.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1814 - 04/05/2026 14:25:31    2670878

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To be the best you go to beat the best as they say but the chances of beating Kerry in Killarney are going to be next to zero.

Watch us draw Armagh or Galway in the last chance saloon game too.

Hope I'm wrong but this will be tricky

Only positive is we can't face Kerry again till final

eddieSize5Balls (Donegal) - Posts: 353 - 04/05/2026 15:13:59    2670894

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Replying To Commodore:  "I don't mean to sound critical of the Donegal management for not reacting quickly, because I myself didn't fully spot the subtle things that Down were doing until a few days afterwards, spotting it and getting the team to react to it can be challenging when the game is underway.

I don't hear anything from inside the camp, but that sounds worrying about two key players carrying injuries. We need Langan back for the All Ireland series, it would be great if Ciaran Thompson was on the road back also."
Talking to Glenties people he was very close before the league final so bar a setback I'd imagine he is very close. However not ideal to be returning to play Kerry down there. Like I said hopefully we're healed up as we'll need to be. Kerry carrying a few injuries too.

panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2948 - 04/05/2026 16:03:38    2670917

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Replying To panamasam:  "Talking to Glenties people he was very close before the league final so bar a setback I'd imagine he is very close. However not ideal to be returning to play Kerry down there. Like I said hopefully we're healed up as we'll need to be. Kerry carrying a few injuries too."
Kerry struggling with bodies right now and Jim can go to Killarney next Sunday and plot.

We can go there and win. My biggest fear would actually be beating them but they get revenge and beat us for third all ireland final after us beating them three times this season.

High chance but not impossible that we can't draw them again til a final.

Win and we are 70 minutes away from quarter final against a worst case scenario Galway, Dublin or Armagh.

Lose and based on odds, the dirtiest tie would be Derry, Meath, Tyrone or Monaghan/Mayo

shaggykev (Donegal) - Posts: 431 - 04/05/2026 17:01:15    2670937

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Replying To eddieSize5Balls:  "To be the best you go to beat the best as they say but the chances of beating Kerry in Killarney are going to be next to zero.

Watch us draw Armagh or Galway in the last chance saloon game too.

Hope I'm wrong but this will be tricky

Only positive is we can't face Kerry again till final"
If a team were to throw Round 1, by fielding a weakened team and resting key players, they would still need to win two games to reach the QF and would likely face softer opposition in those two games.
The hard route is winning Round 1 and Round 2A, especially if you get two tough teams in those rounds.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3052 - 04/05/2026 17:08:33    2670943

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Replying To eddieSize5Balls:  "To be the best you go to beat the best as they say but the chances of beating Kerry in Killarney are going to be next to zero.

Watch us draw Armagh or Galway in the last chance saloon game too.

Hope I'm wrong but this will be tricky

Only positive is we can't face Kerry again till final"
I guess your not going to killarney judging by your negativity?
Oh ye of little faith......

Scenicparish (Donegal) - Posts: 924 - 04/05/2026 18:29:01    2670959

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Replying To shaggykev:  "Kerry struggling with bodies right now and Jim can go to Killarney next Sunday and plot.

We can go there and win. My biggest fear would actually be beating them but they get revenge and beat us for third all ireland final after us beating them three times this season.

High chance but not impossible that we can't draw them again til a final.

Win and we are 70 minutes away from quarter final against a worst case scenario Galway, Dublin or Armagh.

Lose and based on odds, the dirtiest tie would be Derry, Meath, Tyrone or Monaghan/Mayo"
Plenty of shocks so far and a few more to happen I think!

You are spot on about getting Kerry now, I didn't think about it when I woke up and seen the draw but now, in a weird way, it may be a good idea to get them now.

Hopefully Langan is back. And Thompson and the rest.

eddieSize5Balls (Donegal) - Posts: 353 - 04/05/2026 19:09:35    2670968

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Replying To eddieSize5Balls:  "To be the best you go to beat the best as they say but the chances of beating Kerry in Killarney are going to be next to zero.

Watch us draw Armagh or Galway in the last chance saloon game too.

Hope I'm wrong but this will be tricky

Only positive is we can't face Kerry again till final"
I would disagree the chance is next to zero. Kerry won't like this draw either, more than any other county they gear themselves to peak for a few games, this is a disruption to their usual plans.
Look on the bright side and think of the dream scenario, we beat Kerry, Derry beat Armagh, then Kerry and Armagh draw each other.

JimB1991 (Donegal) - Posts: 161 - 04/05/2026 19:48:06    2670975

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