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Whether the management stay or go I wish to thank them for their effort this year along with the players. I sure they got many's a bad night training in Convoy over the winter. They are amateurs at the end of the day and giving up their free time to give us something to talk about about during the year. They owe us nothing.
If the management does decide to go I hope the recruitment process is handled a lot better than it was by the county board last year and years gone by.
I hope the players enjoy the break over the next few weeks and looking forward to seeing them in club championship action from August onwards.
peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 797 - 13/06/2022 09:38:10
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Replying To rorysboys: "Didn't post yesterday was travelling unlike most of the people on here. First thoughts is for people to get the ridiculous idea out of your heads that we have great footballers and a great team. Absolute silly talk from people who don't go to games. When Murphy was in his prime he made us good but sadly our greatest ever player doesn't have as big an impact now. There were calls for him to be played at full forward we know now after yesterday why management wernt keen to play him there. No disrespect to Murphy there were a wall of players around him when he went for the ball as predicted by those of us who know football. Murphy had a bigger influence out the pitch. . Secondly a lot of yous calling yourselves supporters get a life, support yesterday was a joke players and management deserves better, they put in the work all year. Those of yous who wernt there are an embarrassment to this great county. I spoke to a few players and supporters last night they all were saying about how we deserve nothing . Totally agree bad when players talk about it.. the best part then idiots on social media giving there two penny's worth. As for management thanks for everything lads that's if yous decide to go. I'm glad players and management refused to speak to the local press . Especially the few scribes who are on ego trips and know very little about present day football." I know people who went to every match this year but couldn't afford another trip to Clones or had other commitments. Match should have been held in Omagh. You are a very nasty individual and no different to those who trash the players and management.
Rolo2010 (Donegal) - Posts: 738 - 13/06/2022 09:40:05
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Your comment on Murphy as well... the fact is with the game in the melting pot in that 1st half he spent an awful lot of time in at full forward and it was working. Some of the balls into him weren't great but having him in there was working for the team. He also won a great mark in the 2nd half.
The wall of players you're talking about was when we were 7, 8, 9 points down and just lumping in pointless balls to him. It was a complete loss of composure from the team on the pitch and it was never going to work that way. We won't be 7 points down every game and Murphy won't have 6 players around him with a high looping defenders ball on top of him every time either.
As I have said on here a million times over I wanted Declan to be given plenty of leeway the past couple of years. But that 2nd half was really bad from our perspective and that was after getting the half time break at the right time. You can't deny things have gotten stale this year. Sometimes that's not the fault of management or anyone, it can just happen. But coming on here constantly swinging and attacking people for having opinions on Donegal football just comes off as arrogant frankly. I'd have agreed with you more than disagreed over the past couple of years as well but I just don't agree with your constant going on about not having the players. You can't sit there and tell me we don't have players as good as Armagh.
JoeSoap (Donegal) - Posts: 1432 - 13/06/2022 09:58:19
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Replying To Ulsterchamps_32: "I was listening to some of the commentary after and think Eamon McGee spoke well on Highland radio. Well worth a listen.
More generally it's hard to make a case for the status quo regarding structure but there's no guarantee it will get better. Armagh and Derry are good examples of getting lost in the wilderness for years.
The Donegal support was also incredibly disappointing yesterday. I know it's not easy at the minute and it's hardly an equidistant location but the players deserved better than what showed up.
On the game itself Armagh fully deserved their win and play very decent football. They had themselves well geared up and even without mistakes from the kickouts I think Armagh were going to win. They had a look about them.
The wind was a big factor and Donegal needed to be well up at ht. The first goal was really important for Armagh as it kept them in the game when Donegal rattled over a lot of points to be 4 up. Thompson missed a point from distance and was a bit of a turning point to me.
Patton really did need to go long after the the short one that got coughed up by mcff but Armagh were really squeezing well on long ones as well at that point. Armagh then being 4 ahead a ht, playing with the breeze and on their own terms really made the result inevitable in the second half.
Overall it's obviously been a disappointing year. If you take the blame the manager for everything view out of it some of the players have not been at the level they need to be at. Whether it was injury, loss of form or whatever they've not just been at it.
Despite all the negatives Shane O'Donnell is a young man who as done very well and kicked I think 4 points from play today. Peader Mogan although not at the level of say the Derry game has been very good this year. I think there are some players from the 20s who'll start to see game time next year as well. There's definitely a few who look like they'll be able to add something." Eamon spoke very well I agree. No guarantees that it would improve with new management but I think it's hard to make the case as you say. Unless he shakes up the backroom team completely I think the same voices in training on and in the dressing room will not inspire much in the players.
I also agree there have been some very disappointing players this year. Given plenty of opportunities, more than was maybe justified at times, and some of them let the side down all through championship. I do not want to name any players in that negative light as the commitment to play for the county is huge and they don't deserve that.
On the flip side I am excited for Shane O'Donnell and Jason McGee who I think both had very good years. Jason was quieter yesterday but overall he has been very good this year and was especially good in the Ulster final I thought. SOD just chips away with some points in every game, there's huge value in a young man like that and I think he links the play very well attacking as well. Mogan has quickly become a leader in the seniors.
I have posted a few times without thanking all involved which is bad on my part. I am sorely disappointed with how the year has ended up but the commitment from the players and management is much appreciated and there's no doubt the good of Donegal football is driving all of them even if we don't agree with what is happening on the pitch. Emotions can run high and some of the more personal stuff should be left at the door from all sides.
JoeSoap (Donegal) - Posts: 1432 - 13/06/2022 10:05:25
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Replying To peiledoir20: "Whether the management stay or go I wish to thank them for their effort this year along with the players. I sure they got many's a bad night training in Convoy over the winter. They are amateurs at the end of the day and giving up their free time to give us something to talk about about during the year. They owe us nothing.
If the management does decide to go I hope the recruitment process is handled a lot better than it was by the county board last year and years gone by.
I hope the players enjoy the break over the next few weeks and looking forward to seeing them in club championship action from August onwards." Well said
JoeSoap (Donegal) - Posts: 1432 - 13/06/2022 10:09:23
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Another disappointing day yesterday in what was one of the strangest matches I've seen in a good while. After a shocking start we regrouped and reacted superbly. We had Rafferty in bother with his kickouts and pinged 9 points in about 20 minutes. I really thought we had sown familiar seeds of doubt in Armagh heads & that so long as we didn't do anything silly we'd go on & comfortably win the game.
Unfortunately we did do something very silly and Armagh ruthlessly took full advantage. We needed to blitz them from the beginning of the second half to try and eat into the deficit. But Armagh got the first few scores and that was that. It was almost a damage limitation exercise in the end and it was just so dispiriting to see. Lamping balls in on top of Murphy hoping for miracles...Dhia ár sábháíl..
It will more than likely mean some stalwarts stepping away (mamagement and players). We need to be thankful for their efforts and wish them well. It's an all-consuming lifestyle. While we're in front of the fire watching Champions League them lads are often toiling in horrible conditions to be the best they can be for Donegal football. We were never going to win an All Ireland this year, it's just a pity we couldn't get that Ulster medal. Life is tough at times, the only answer is to lick the wounds and soldier on.
Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9116 - 13/06/2022 10:19:57
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I had a bad feeling we were walking into a bad beating. In a previous post, I had described us a punch drunk boxer waiting for the final knockout blow. This had the same feeling as the end of the Rory Gallagher era, team playing poorly and losing the fans, end up getting hammered by Galway in Sligo. We even had good support for that game in Sligo, yesterday must be the poorest Donegal support at a championship game since the infamous game in Crossmaglen in 2010. When the manager loses the fans like that, there is no turning back.
We actually played a great opening 25 minutes yesterday and I was thinking why did we not play like this against Derry. Our season ended in Clones in the last two minutes of normal time when we refused to shoot, just held onto the ball afraid to make a mistake. I don't think there is much point analysing yesterdays game as we were just waiting to be knocked out. Our best player this year has been Shane O'Donnell with Brendan McCole also excellent.
Obviously the attention will come on Declan Bonner now. Its really difficult to see him staying on, would he even want to? I am finding it difficult to understand what went wrong after two good seasons in 2018 & 19. We lost close two games to Tyrone and Mayo down the home straight in those years but we were playing nice football and I was happy. I thought we had a young squad and would get better, however we just reverted back to defensive football again. Did the Ulster final defeat of 2020 to Cavan knock the stuffing out of us? We lost Karl Lacey from the backroom team - was that a factor?
I still think we have a good crop of young players - Shane, Niall and Conor O'Donnell, McCole, McMenamin, Ban, Jason McGee, McGonagle, Langan, Thompsion, Mogan, Jamie Brennan, Jeaic McKelvey, Aron Doherty. Our three main players of Murphy, McHugh and McBrearty look really jaded, they would still have plenty to offer but can't be guaranteed starters anymore. Would they be willing to have a lesser role in the team - I doubt it?
Green_Gold (Donegal) - Posts: 1873 - 13/06/2022 10:30:27
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Replying To Rolo2010: "I know people who went to every match this year but couldn't afford another trip to Clones or had other commitments. Match should have been held in Omagh. You are a very nasty individual and no different to those who trash the players and management." No I'm not speaking the truth lad. Stop bluffing you say game should have been played in Omagh. What difference would that make . Excuses excuses . Don't like the manager. Too costly. Don't like clones, yet these people have plenty time to come on and slate everybody. We think we're a bit like Kerry just wait for finals.
rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2392 - 13/06/2022 10:32:32
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Replying To rorysboys: "No I'm not speaking the truth lad. Stop bluffing you say game should have been played in Omagh. What difference would that make . Excuses excuses . Don't like the manager. Too costly. Don't like clones, yet these people have plenty time to come on and slate everybody. We think we're a bit like Kerry just wait for finals." For me I have missed very little games but I missed yesterday and it's simple down to the fact for me I seen enough from Donegal this year and was not willing to go though the pain and cost that was inflicted from the ulster final.
On the game our heads dropped after the penalty was never lifted again.
Patton has to be called out at this stage because for club and county he has consistently made mistakes thats have been costly and yesterday was idiotic to try the same kickout that had caused an issue minutes earlier. We need to look into a better number 2 than Farmer and have someone putting it up to patton.
naomh_conaill_4 (Donegal) - Posts: 481 - 13/06/2022 10:43:42
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Replying To JoeSoap: "Your comment on Murphy as well... the fact is with the game in the melting pot in that 1st half he spent an awful lot of time in at full forward and it was working. Some of the balls into him weren't great but having him in there was working for the team. He also won a great mark in the 2nd half.
The wall of players you're talking about was when we were 7, 8, 9 points down and just lumping in pointless balls to him. It was a complete loss of composure from the team on the pitch and it was never going to work that way. We won't be 7 points down every game and Murphy won't have 6 players around him with a high looping defenders ball on top of him every time either.
As I have said on here a million times over I wanted Declan to be given plenty of leeway the past couple of years. But that 2nd half was really bad from our perspective and that was after getting the half time break at the right time. You can't deny things have gotten stale this year. Sometimes that's not the fault of management or anyone, it can just happen. But coming on here constantly swinging and attacking people for having opinions on Donegal football just comes off as arrogant frankly. I'd have agreed with you more than disagreed over the past couple of years as well but I just don't agree with your constant going on about not having the players. You can't sit there and tell me we don't have players as good as Armagh." We don't have as good a player or squad as Armagh. Armagh we're missing 4 starters and still had good players to replace them. Murphy at full forward didn't work yesterday and wouldn't have worked v Derry. Plus Armagh had about 15.000 roaring them on. So what county deserves success. Certainly ain't us. Wonder why did the players and management boycott the press. If you don't agree with me so what im the only one talking sense and probably one of the few who was at the game. So I've no time for bluffers.
rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2392 - 13/06/2022 10:53:39
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Replying To rorysboys: "No I'm not speaking the truth lad. Stop bluffing you say game should have been played in Omagh. What difference would that make . Excuses excuses . Don't like the manager. Too costly. Don't like clones, yet these people have plenty time to come on and slate everybody. We think we're a bit like Kerry just wait for finals." you really need to stop bashing everybody for not going
i didnt go and in retrospect i maybe should have as it was disheartening to see so little support but i imagine alot of that came down to the fact that it was armagh for the third time this year in a draw that we couldnt actually see ...i know alot of people i spoke too cited that as the reason
not bashing all armagh supporters but the few do alot of damage
i went to the first 2 games and my head was wrecked listening to drunk eejits screaming at the ref ....i also had great chats with some other armagh fans walking to and away from the match but really i didnt wanna go all the way to clones to listen to the negative stuff
Peadarw (Donegal) - Posts: 36 - 13/06/2022 10:55:15
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Replying To Peadarw: "you really need to stop bashing everybody for not going
i didnt go and in retrospect i maybe should have as it was disheartening to see so little support but i imagine alot of that came down to the fact that it was armagh for the third time this year in a draw that we couldnt actually see ...i know alot of people i spoke too cited that as the reason
not bashing all armagh supporters but the few do alot of damage
i went to the first 2 games and my head was wrecked listening to drunk eejits screaming at the ref ....i also had great chats with some other armagh fans walking to and away from the match but really i didnt wanna go all the way to clones to listen to the negative stuff" Playing Armagh for a third time is the new excuse for not going. Keep them coming it gets better. Tailteann cup is all we deserve
rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2392 - 13/06/2022 11:20:28
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Replying To rorysboys: "We don't have as good a player or squad as Armagh. Armagh we're missing 4 starters and still had good players to replace them. Murphy at full forward didn't work yesterday and wouldn't have worked v Derry. Plus Armagh had about 15.000 roaring them on. So what county deserves success. Certainly ain't us. Wonder why did the players and management boycott the press. If you don't agree with me so what im the only one talking sense and probably one of the few who was at the game. So I've no time for bluffers." This is what I'm talking about Rory, you go round just calling anyone you disagree with bluffers. How do you square the circle that we hammered Armagh out the gate just a few weeks ago and now you say they're better than us across the squad. That doesn't make any sense. I don't begrudge Armagh or their supporters, I'm not saying we have a divine right to anything but I expect a better showing than we got in that 2nd half yesterday. You move the goalposts all the time on these occasions, who is coming on saying we deserve success. You have to earn success, and we haven't earned it. So now because there was poor support this year, we don't deserve anything. Seems like a weak mentality to me.
Do we have better players than anyone in the country the way you go on. You love to call yourself a great supporter who knows football because you're at the games and then the other side of your mouth you're saying we don't have players good enough. I miss one championship game this year and are you calling me a bluffer now because I'm disagreeing with you?
I've seen Armagh live twice this year and both times I thought we were a cut above them. In Letterkenny we were out of sight until we let them back into the game. In Ballybofey we had the game won at half time and were wasteful in front of goal. Sometimes you can't account for hunger and intensity and Armagh brought that yesterday with a point to prove, but we showed our quality again in that 1st half after the early goal and before those short kickouts. And now you come on and say we don't have as good a player or squad as Armagh? Are you serious like
I've no time for bluffers is your slogan like I said I've agreed with you more than disagreed over the past few years but I'm fed up you coming on here throwing 40 shades of **** at people for having an opinion on the management team and panel. I'm not talking about eejits like lowball who only surface when we lose, I'm talking about anyone who has a critical thing to say you come on here like you're the one and only authority on Donegal football and tell everyone they're spoofers and bluffers and whatever else. "I'm the only one talking sense" do you ever just take a second and hear yourself
I don't care about them boycotting the press, it would be a sore defeat to take and they don't owe anyone their time to be asked annoying questions when they're probably in a foul mood. So more power to them they've made a huge commitment to the county and it was a terrible way for the year to end.
JoeSoap (Donegal) - Posts: 1432 - 13/06/2022 11:24:09
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Replying To rorysboys: "No I'm not speaking the truth lad. Stop bluffing you say game should have been played in Omagh. What difference would that make . Excuses excuses . Don't like the manager. Too costly. Don't like clones, yet these people have plenty time to come on and slate everybody. We think we're a bit like Kerry just wait for finals." Your just a nasty person taking out your grievences in life on people you don't know.
Rolo2010 (Donegal) - Posts: 738 - 13/06/2022 11:59:17
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Replying To rorysboys: "Playing Armagh for a third time is the new excuse for not going. Keep them coming it gets better. Tailteann cup is all we deserve" rory it might surprise you but grown men and women dont need to justify what choices they make to you ...i was merely pointing out why i didnt go ...its not an excuse i dont have to justify any decisions i make to you
your far to negative and sore on players who actually give their all for the county but i suppose your entitled to slate people because you pay a few quid and spend a few hours going to games and god forbid anybody else misses a game or 2
Peadarw (Donegal) - Posts: 36 - 13/06/2022 12:28:58
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What's the thoughts on patron? While I get the feeling that he seems arrogant and unlikeable he wasn't really at fault. The 1st short kickout was fumbled by the Donegal player, the 2nd one was sort of fumbled a bit as well.
Technically they were good kick outs as both found their target man.
kevin03 (Tyrone) - Posts: 276 - 13/06/2022 12:37:55
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Replying To JoeSoap: "This is what I'm talking about Rory, you go round just calling anyone you disagree with bluffers. How do you square the circle that we hammered Armagh out the gate just a few weeks ago and now you say they're better than us across the squad. That doesn't make any sense. I don't begrudge Armagh or their supporters, I'm not saying we have a divine right to anything but I expect a better showing than we got in that 2nd half yesterday. You move the goalposts all the time on these occasions, who is coming on saying we deserve success. You have to earn success, and we haven't earned it. So now because there was poor support this year, we don't deserve anything. Seems like a weak mentality to me.
Do we have better players than anyone in the country the way you go on. You love to call yourself a great supporter who knows football because you're at the games and then the other side of your mouth you're saying we don't have players good enough. I miss one championship game this year and are you calling me a bluffer now because I'm disagreeing with you?
I've seen Armagh live twice this year and both times I thought we were a cut above them. In Letterkenny we were out of sight until we let them back into the game. In Ballybofey we had the game won at half time and were wasteful in front of goal. Sometimes you can't account for hunger and intensity and Armagh brought that yesterday with a point to prove, but we showed our quality again in that 1st half after the early goal and before those short kickouts. And now you come on and say we don't have as good a player or squad as Armagh? Are you serious like
I've no time for bluffers is your slogan like I said I've agreed with you more than disagreed over the past few years but I'm fed up you coming on here throwing 40 shades of **** at people for having an opinion on the management team and panel. I'm not talking about eejits like lowball who only surface when we lose, I'm talking about anyone who has a critical thing to say you come on here like you're the one and only authority on Donegal football and tell everyone they're spoofers and bluffers and whatever else. "I'm the only one talking sense" do you ever just take a second and hear yourself
I don't care about them boycotting the press, it would be a sore defeat to take and they don't owe anyone their time to be asked annoying questions when they're probably in a foul mood. So more power to them they've made a huge commitment to the county and it was a terrible way for the year to end." Sorry lad if I offended you , I didn't mean to call you or the decent posters bluffer's. Just not thinking right lad. You know the people I'm getting at. In all honesty I don't think we're as good as Armagh, plain simple. Brendan devenny put it well today he says we don't have the physicality in defence,, I'm not being smart but outside of the squad that's there.. who's to come in. Jamie grant, caolan Mc golgan. Both similar to what we have.
rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2392 - 13/06/2022 12:46:14
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Replying To Rolo2010: "Your just a nasty person taking out your grievences in life on people you don't know." You don't know me so don't accuse me of being nasty. I'm telling it as it this.
rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2392 - 13/06/2022 12:50:45
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I don't buy the point that we don't have as good as player as Armagh. In championship up to this game we've beat them well. The players who looked great for them yesterday didn't look great in these games. When we've played them at underage from say 2014 minor final on we've been a good bit better than them.
The point that Eamon McGee was making about beaten provincial finalists (particularly Ulster) was very true yesterday. It was especially true when you go factor in giving up a goal from the throw in and the messing with the kickouts and the bc. These areas along with Armagh being very much on it were the losing of the game. It wasn't the second half. The wind advantage which was a straight down the middle was worth 5 points or so. I won't be watching too much back on this or listening to much but I did catch Rory grugan and he called the wind out and how they approached things. There was no way they were losing being 4 points up at ht.
Ulsterchamps_32 (Donegal) - Posts: 688 - 13/06/2022 13:16:36
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Firstly, starting with some of the easier topics:
I've little to no issue with the Armagh supporters. Yes they had a couple of hundred drunken idiots, but we've often had them ourselves, and been glad of the noise and colour they bring. I didn't really notice the booing at the game, only when I watched it back late last night. On the Horns/Vuvuzela's, yes they were annoying before the game, but not once it started.
We had a terrible start, I don't think our defenders were tuned in to who they were meant to be covering, were trying to figure out the match ups. And no doubt it was a pre planned move, the same as the start of the 2nd half in Ballybofey.
But then we kicked into gear. In the 1st 20 minutes we played some fantastic football, and with Michael occupying the full forward berth, it created the room and wind assisted to kick very good scores. I think we won 5 of their first 6 kickouts, and we were flying. I don't know what happened then, Armagh went long with a couple and won them, and they really took energy from these little victories.
All of a sudden Rafferty felt comfortable enough to come up the field to support the play. I see the Irish News state that Caolán McGonigle was lucky to get away with a yellow card. In my eyes it was no yellow card, and indeed he was unfortunate to concede a 21m free, when the effort was miles from the target. Small margins.
On the turning point, the penalty/black card incident, I felt it was a penalty, but not a black card, didn't think it was an intentional pull down. And although Armagh had began to turn the tide before the penalty, our reaction after it was shambolic. At first we didn't seem to know the rule that you cannot replace a black carded player until after the next break in play. In the meantime, our sub keeper was running back to the dressing room to get his jersey. These things just contributed to the meltdown.
Once Armagh came out with any bit of composure for the 2nd half, they were always going to finish the job, and when they got the 1st couple of scores on the board, that was it. We resorted to Hail Mary stuff instead of playing with our heads. I think that this lack of cohesion came from the line.
I could go on at length about different things on the day, but the reality is, yesterday was not the first occasion that our inadequacies surfaced. We have been like this all year. 35 minutes on maybe one or two occasions is the total of our football for the year. There were certainly away more lows than highs. I felt that we came into championship with almost a full squad, and that fitness levels should've been building nicely for a good tilt at it. In truth we were one paced, and looked gassed on quite a few occasions.
The spine of the team are at their prime. Will a couple of them step away? It will depend now on the County Board. I do feel that Declan has given his all, but sadly it has not been good enough. Have we an outstanding candidate in our midst to take over? I have to put on record that I have absolutely no confidence in the current County Chairman, and as his term is up this year, I would prefer if the ultimate decision was taken out of his hands. Probably a conversation best for another day.
On a lighter note, (I'm only having a rant now) I thought the referee left his whistle in the dressing room at half time, and he may as well have had a Vuvuzela in the 2nd half. Michael got a yellow card for tacking a man who had called a mark. A player can't call a mark from a free kick, which Ryan McHugh had kicked. There was an incident on the Hill side sideline mid way through the 2nd half where the Armagh player got isolated, when faced by 2 Donegal men he just threw himself up in the air, I think we picked up a yellow card there as well. And on at least 3 occasions Armagh men (Sheridan and Jarlath Burns) tackled around the neck, or pull backs around the waist, and they did not get one single yellow card in the whole game. Then Turbitt got a point in the 60th minute which even the Armagh crowd in front of me said was wide. These obviously had no bearing on the result, but contributed to my frustration.
SouthOfTheGap (Donegal) - Posts: 583 - 13/06/2022 13:16:52
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