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Donegal GAA thread

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Replying To rorysboys:  "Nice to see eoin ban and Murphy having high praise for bonner. That's from people who know and worked with him. Very popular with the players."
You are right they both spoke very well and very sincerely. I doubt anyone that knows the ins and outs of what goes into managing an intercounty team would be critical of what Declan Bonner committed to Donegal.

Ulsterchamps_32 (Donegal) - Posts: 817 - 24/07/2022 17:16:23    2433933

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Declan has moved on..he's no longer Donegal manager. Is it not time for guys on here to stop talking about him now.

greenfan (Donegal) - Posts: 636 - 24/07/2022 19:27:43    2434007

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I see the donegal under 16s are though to the buncrana football final after what looked like a decent game against monaghan. They'll play a tyrone team beat them in the group stages in the final. Tyrone beat dublin in the other semi in what looked a great game.
It's noticeable how many naomh conaill players are on the team and in general how good they've been at having players on the county underage teams most years. Just wondering does anyone know how they do such a good job developing players. It's not like the population is huge in the area.

Ulsterchamps_32 (Donegal) - Posts: 817 - 24/07/2022 19:27:58    2434008

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Replying To Ulsterchamps_32:  "I see the donegal under 16s are though to the buncrana football final after what looked like a decent game against monaghan. They'll play a tyrone team beat them in the group stages in the final. Tyrone beat dublin in the other semi in what looked a great game.
It's noticeable how many naomh conaill players are on the team and in general how good they've been at having players on the county underage teams most years. Just wondering does anyone know how they do such a good job developing players. It's not like the population is huge in the area."
We have a decent enough area to pick from in fairness. However you still need loads of volunteers to manage underage teams, and that is probably why we have been competing very well at underage and senior for 20 years.
Plus a lot of our senior players get involved with underage even if they are still playing senior football.
I guess thats where donegal have been slightly left behind over the years with little underage success. However i know that is improving and we are starting to see rewards.
I believe far more money should be pumped into underage in the county, and over time you will reap the rewards.
Its a pity we could not find a multi millionaire who has donegal connections to start sponsorship for underage development squads, pump enough resources into underage and you will see the rewards at senior in the future.
Be nice if more recent ex players would get involved also, but i can understand they have there lives to live also and have already given so much.

The keeper (Donegal) - Posts: 711 - 24/07/2022 21:41:11    2434076

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Replying To The keeper:  "As per usual, there is complete silence about what individuals are on the 3 man panel. Hopefully the county board come out and name them.
I dont get why there has to be this silence and creating the media as the bad guys.
I believe the donegal media have always been very fair to the Donegal gaa. Not to mention its a kick in the teeth to Donegal supporter's and only leaves the county board open for criticism by there closed door policy.

Have to also mention brian cody, stepped down after 1 week of getting beat in the all Ireland final. Thats a man that knows his own mind, and also puts his county first.

And off course players are going to praise the out going manager, there were players when john joe left that said he was a great manager and guy.
Very rarely will you get a player to come out and say the setup was average and i am glad he is gone. As they will no doubt bump into that manager in the future.

I very much doubt Martin Regan is anyway interested in Managing the county team, as he has a young family, and wanted to step away from NC management but had to take it again as there were no interested partys.


Everyone knows my ideal candidate, but i believe he will not be interested. I believe in years to come he will have regrets about not giving it another go."
I watched the RTE coverage of the game yesterday, didn't watch Sky. I'd agree with you that he won't take it but as a matter of interest was he quizzed about it on their coverage?

peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 1202 - 25/07/2022 07:40:41    2434087

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Replying To The keeper:  "As per usual, there is complete silence about what individuals are on the 3 man panel. Hopefully the county board come out and name them.
I dont get why there has to be this silence and creating the media as the bad guys.
I believe the donegal media have always been very fair to the Donegal gaa. Not to mention its a kick in the teeth to Donegal supporter's and only leaves the county board open for criticism by there closed door policy.

Have to also mention brian cody, stepped down after 1 week of getting beat in the all Ireland final. Thats a man that knows his own mind, and also puts his county first.

And off course players are going to praise the out going manager, there were players when john joe left that said he was a great manager and guy.
Very rarely will you get a player to come out and say the setup was average and i am glad he is gone. As they will no doubt bump into that manager in the future.

I very much doubt Martin Regan is anyway interested in Managing the county team, as he has a young family, and wanted to step away from NC management but had to take it again as there were no interested partys.


Everyone knows my ideal candidate, but i believe he will not be interested. I believe in years to come he will have regrets about not giving it another go."
Why wouldn't he be interested. I'm sure you could persuade him. After looking at yesterday's final we're a good bit off the pace. Marquee forwards and good defenders win all irelands. We can dream but being realistic we'll be winning no all Ireland in the next decade.

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2616 - 25/07/2022 10:36:03    2434135

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Replying To peiledoir20:  "I watched the RTE coverage of the game yesterday, didn't watch Sky. I'd agree with you that he won't take it but as a matter of interest was he quizzed about it on their coverage?"
As I predicted there won't be a long queue for the job. Whoever gets it will work with the budget bonner was on so it's not going to be enticing to an outsider, I would say. This forum has got quiet , the keeper still has no answers.

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2616 - 25/07/2022 10:53:17    2434142

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Anyone hear names being mentioned?

TheRock2121 (Donegal) - Posts: 1208 - 25/07/2022 11:28:26    2434155

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Replying To rorysboys:  "Why wouldn't he be interested. I'm sure you could persuade him. After looking at yesterday's final we're a good bit off the pace. Marquee forwards and good defenders win all irelands. We can dream but being realistic we'll be winning no all Ireland in the next decade."
Are we really that far behind? If you took Shane Walsh and David Clifford out of that game yesterday, it would have been a very average game. Dublin and Mayo are not the teams they were 4/5 years ago and are rebuilding, so the chasing pack have caught up with them. I am not saying we can win the All Ireland but we can certainly challenge these teams.

We have good forwards, just our style of play does not suit them. The slow lateral build play means it is difficult for our forwards to get into the game. Yesterday we saw good use of the foot pass into the forwards on a number of occasions. Clifford got a couple of marks, something we never try despite having big men like Murphy, McGee, Langan, Thompson and McGonagle.

We are definitely not blessed with tight marking corner backs but our defence has been doing reasonably well. I get what you are saying though, if we want a more attacking game then the defenders need to be able to mark their direct opponent and we can't have everyone back. Personally I'd like to see us playing more direct, hopefully the new manager will bring something different in terms of a playing style.

Green_Gold (Donegal) - Posts: 1906 - 25/07/2022 11:36:38    2434164

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Replying To Green_Gold:  "Are we really that far behind? If you took Shane Walsh and David Clifford out of that game yesterday, it would have been a very average game. Dublin and Mayo are not the teams they were 4/5 years ago and are rebuilding, so the chasing pack have caught up with them. I am not saying we can win the All Ireland but we can certainly challenge these teams.

We have good forwards, just our style of play does not suit them. The slow lateral build play means it is difficult for our forwards to get into the game. Yesterday we saw good use of the foot pass into the forwards on a number of occasions. Clifford got a couple of marks, something we never try despite having big men like Murphy, McGee, Langan, Thompson and McGonagle.

We are definitely not blessed with tight marking corner backs but our defence has been doing reasonably well. I get what you are saying though, if we want a more attacking game then the defenders need to be able to mark their direct opponent and we can't have everyone back. Personally I'd like to see us playing more direct, hopefully the new manager will bring something different in terms of a playing style."
Great post and I agree with a lot of it. I think we have a lot of naturally gifted footballers in the county but we have become overly concerned with systems and stats and forgetting that the aim of the game is to get the ball forward and get scores on the board. I'm not saying we go gung-ho and play with total naivety but there he has to be more room for expression.

You look at Galway's centre half back yesterday cutting the Kerry defence open with a foot pass into Heaney. Or Graham O'Sullivan's kick pass into Paudie Clifford. Neither of those lads would be known as "marquee" playmaker types but they trusted their skill on the biggest day of all. I know people will maybe say that we just don't have those types of players? I would disagree. If you're on a county panel it should be a pre-requisite that you can kick pass a ball 30 or 40 yards. I think it's more of a coaching/tactical issue.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9766 - 25/07/2022 12:04:57    2434180

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Replying To rorysboys:  "As I predicted there won't be a long queue for the job. Whoever gets it will work with the budget bonner was on so it's not going to be enticing to an outsider, I would say. This forum has got quiet , the keeper still has no answers."
Pretty obvious why the forum has gone quiet

eunans4ever (Donegal) - Posts: 1694 - 25/07/2022 12:13:05    2434185

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Replying To eunans4ever:  "Pretty obvious why the forum has gone quiet"
Your right there. I forgot that with bonner gone now the posters have no criticising to do. Should be a few candidates for the job around letterkenny lad . You never mentioned your preferred candidate. A lot of people with plenty to say have suddenly gone quiet.. probably a lot of them can't debate football without abusing good Donegal gaa men.

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2616 - 25/07/2022 12:28:54    2434191

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Replying To rorysboys:  "As I predicted there won't be a long queue for the job. Whoever gets it will work with the budget bonner was on so it's not going to be enticing to an outsider, I would say. This forum has got quiet , the keeper still has no answers."
It's gone quiet because you have everyone plagued.

peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 1202 - 25/07/2022 12:36:14    2434195

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Whoever Donegal appoint their first task should be to bin that overly defensive, awful backwards, sideways, hand passing, possession dirge. Rule 1. Scores on the board win games not 25 hand passes before you even venture onto your opponents half.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9818 - 25/07/2022 12:41:18    2434203

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I don't think its realistic to be talking about Jim McGuinness coming back. He has taken a different path and is involved with soccer now. I would say the County Board are operating on a fairly tight budget as well just coming out of the Covid years and with the cost of completing the centre of excellence. They wouldn't be able to give him the resources he would want and they would be right, they have to be prudent and not throw a load of money at the senior team at the expense of other areas. Also, people are talking in the media about Karl Lacey being involved, I hope not, he needs to stay with the academy and continue the work that is going on there. Investing properly in underage is the best chance of success we have into the future. Other counties have shown that it's the way to go.

greenfan (Donegal) - Posts: 636 - 25/07/2022 12:41:20    2434204

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Replying To Lockjaw:  "Great post and I agree with a lot of it. I think we have a lot of naturally gifted footballers in the county but we have become overly concerned with systems and stats and forgetting that the aim of the game is to get the ball forward and get scores on the board. I'm not saying we go gung-ho and play with total naivety but there he has to be more room for expression.

You look at Galway's centre half back yesterday cutting the Kerry defence open with a foot pass into Heaney. Or Graham O'Sullivan's kick pass into Paudie Clifford. Neither of those lads would be known as "marquee" playmaker types but they trusted their skill on the biggest day of all. I know people will maybe say that we just don't have those types of players? I would disagree. If you're on a county panel it should be a pre-requisite that you can kick pass a ball 30 or 40 yards. I think it's more of a coaching/tactical issue."
We can talk all we like the elephant in the room is man marking defenders. I agree alot with you, but going to croke park to play the big teams you need a tight marking defence. Might do ok in Ulster but I feel that is the limit. This Kerry team is going to get better, Galway will get better as will Tyrone and Dublin. After that Armagh, mayo. Derry and ourselves but can't see anybody Winning it outside the first four I named. Add in the fact we're losing about 2 or 3 regulars from last year. I feel we could be in the doldrums a while.. we need a Donegal man in who's prepared to gave youth a chance not some outsider who doesn't care what happens down the line.

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2616 - 25/07/2022 12:41:28    2434205

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Replying To peiledoir20:  "It's gone quiet because you have everyone plagued."
Says the n mhuire man who knows posters by name and doesn't like bonner.

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2616 - 25/07/2022 12:44:36    2434206

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Tryone won an all Ireland last year, and is there a massive gap between Donegal and Tryone, the answer is No.
The difference was they were well drilled and prepared physically and mentally to win at all costs.
Take clifford out of kerry yesterday and they had no other superstars. Sure how long has david moran been around, barry and others.
There is not that big of a gap between the top teams and Donegal.
And if we get the right appointment Managing Donegal, that gap can close.
Unfortunately we have not got a great history of appointing the right people.
Mcguinness was laughed out the door twice, before they had no other choice but to give it to him.

The keeper (Donegal) - Posts: 711 - 25/07/2022 12:46:26    2434207

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Replying To The keeper:  "We have a decent enough area to pick from in fairness. However you still need loads of volunteers to manage underage teams, and that is probably why we have been competing very well at underage and senior for 20 years.
Plus a lot of our senior players get involved with underage even if they are still playing senior football.
I guess thats where donegal have been slightly left behind over the years with little underage success. However i know that is improving and we are starting to see rewards.
I believe far more money should be pumped into underage in the county, and over time you will reap the rewards.
Its a pity we could not find a multi millionaire who has donegal connections to start sponsorship for underage development squads, pump enough resources into underage and you will see the rewards at senior in the future.
Be nice if more recent ex players would get involved also, but i can understand they have there lives to live also and have already given so much."
Thanks for the feedback. I think plenty clubs could learn from naomh conaill on player development. Irrespective of how they play they've won numerous county titles and leagues since their 2005 breakthrough and it doesn't seem like falling away. Although it's a big area I'm not sure it's a big population.

If donegal are to be consistently competitive then it needs to come from underage. It might be nice to have a limerick style benefactor but that's not realistic. The academy seems like a very good idea to me and hopefully all clubs can work at maintaining and improving their own underage development.

Ulsterchamps_32 (Donegal) - Posts: 817 - 25/07/2022 13:12:14    2434221

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Replying To The keeper:  "Tryone won an all Ireland last year, and is there a massive gap between Donegal and Tryone, the answer is No.
The difference was they were well drilled and prepared physically and mentally to win at all costs.
Take clifford out of kerry yesterday and they had no other superstars. Sure how long has david moran been around, barry and others.
There is not that big of a gap between the top teams and Donegal.
And if we get the right appointment Managing Donegal, that gap can close.
Unfortunately we have not got a great history of appointing the right people.
Mcguinness was laughed out the door twice, before they had no other choice but to give it to him."
Your post sums up the problem with Donegal. Over hyped because too many believe we are something we're not. Your on about picking a right manager that's ok but when big games are played in clones or croke park it's the players who have to deliver.. a manager can help us win a game but it's the players that really matter Murphy . Mc fadden, big neill etc in 2012.. have we them type of players now I don't think so.

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2616 - 25/07/2022 13:22:16    2434231

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