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Donegal GAA thread

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Replying To Tirchonaill1:  "Awful day for football. thought we butchered some good goal chances but the Rossies deserved their win, that defeat will do us no harm.
Some interesting fixtures for the last day of the league. do we want to be in the league final? I could take it or leave it, rather get ready for Championship."
I'd rather take a defeat this time of year than in the championship. Still should get a result next week to make the league final. I fancy Roscommon to pip Mayo next week and Armagh are fighting for their lives so don't be surprised if they turn over Kerry at home. That would leave us facing the Rossies again. Would be a nice novel league final.

Hopefully by then we'll have some if not all of O'Baoill, O'Donnell, Gallen and Moore back. All of whom absence was missed the last couple of weeks. Four starting forwards out would hurt any team and we still managed an average of 1-18.

peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 1502 - 16/03/2026 09:37:48    2661432

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Replying To peiledoir20:  "I'd rather take a defeat this time of year than in the championship. Still should get a result next week to make the league final. I fancy Roscommon to pip Mayo next week and Armagh are fighting for their lives so don't be surprised if they turn over Kerry at home. That would leave us facing the Rossies again. Would be a nice novel league final.

Hopefully by then we'll have some if not all of O'Baoill, O'Donnell, Gallen and Moore back. All of whom absence was missed the last couple of weeks. Four starting forwards out would hurt any team and we still managed an average of 1-18."
Yes hopefully we'll have those lads back, it's hard to see us not beating Monaghan in the form we are in and they way their season is going I know.
I can see Kerry playing a weakened team in Armagh but that's just my guess, I think Mayo will beat Roscommon, the Rossies will have their eyes on the Championship now in my opinion.
That would leave us in the league final v Mayo I think, I wouldn't mind that game, I don't want us playing Kerry too often, rather hit them a bit colder mid Summer in a Championship quarter final or semi final,
We'll see how it plays out, I can se a big performance from Armagh at home.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3759 - 16/03/2026 10:17:38    2661440

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Having a look at the u20 panel for this year, looks like a very strong panel who will be right up there for Ulster this year again and possibly more. Finbarr being captain is interesting because i'm sure Jim will have first dibs on him

NPadraigAbu (Donegal) - Posts: 113 - 16/03/2026 11:21:22    2661453

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Replying To NPadraigAbu:  "Having a look at the u20 panel for this year, looks like a very strong panel who will be right up there for Ulster this year again and possibly more. Finbarr being captain is interesting because i'm sure Jim will have first dibs on him"
Monaghan are favourites for Ulster u20s.

farneygael3 (Monaghan) - Posts: 569 - 16/03/2026 11:49:44    2661457

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Replying To farneygael3:  "Monaghan are favourites for Ulster u20s."
According to who? Appears to be Derry with the bookies

NPadraigAbu (Donegal) - Posts: 113 - 16/03/2026 13:05:43    2661473

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Disappointed when so close early in 2nd half plus a few very frustrating moments like Jamie for goal cconor drop short.
But we had luck in armagh and galway games so we can't complain considering last few games we missing 4 starting forwards plus patton.
Nice to give those monaghan lads a thumping now. They will be in division 2 or 3 for plenty years now and soon to be ranked just above antrim and fermanagh in ulster.

NORTHMEN (Donegal) - Posts: 30 - 16/03/2026 14:02:05    2661482

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Replying To dgcrusader:  "You're always the first man on here moaning when things don't go well, you were the same too when Monaghan were well ahead at half time in Croker last year. Shocking conditions for goalkeepers yesterday and that played a big part in the kickouts as well as our lack of movement."
most annoying part of it in the first half was lads all filtering to the usual spots that Mulreany would hit on a good day. the wind was insane and they were shaping up for his kickouts to reach the 45 over by the sideline. just poor stuff on the pitch from the lads I thought.

between that and Galway last year you'd swear we have no wind in Donegal the way we were playing against it both games

much improved second half but credit to the Rossies they got the scores at the right time and fully deserving winners

CCFabu (Donegal) - Posts: 311 - 16/03/2026 19:11:53    2661525

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Replying To farneygael3:  "Monaghan are favourites for Ulster u20s."
Great to hear considering Donegal were the only team to beat tyrone last year and took them to extra time and have almost 20 of last year's panel eligible this year

totalrecall (Leitrim) - Posts: 1190 - 17/03/2026 10:40:50    2661567

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I wouldn't be reading too much into Sunday match in Hyde park reminded me very much of our trip to salthill last year. We managed better with the wind this time around but soon cheap turnovers and poor decision making cost us dearly. I thought mulreany did well against the elements but had a poor display with his kickout by his own standard with he wind. I would have liked to have seen mccahill get some game time with the wind. Alone had an impact when he came in. I was surprised no switch was made with mcgonagle who was second best for the duration against smith.

No doubt Kerry look the team for all seasons and their display on Saturday was easily the most impressive by any team so far this year.

totalrecall (Leitrim) - Posts: 1190 - 17/03/2026 11:14:12    2661568

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Replying To totalrecall:  "Great to hear considering Donegal were the only team to beat tyrone last year and took them to extra time and have almost 20 of last year's panel eligible this year"
The odds I have seen are:-
Derry 5/4
Tyrone 9/4
Donegal 5/2
Monaghan 4/1.
It is to be expected that Derry would be favourites having won 2 minor all Irelands.Tyrone are U20 champions and always good at this level.Monaghan were in the All Ireland minor final 3 years ago and should have a good team.
It should be a good championship.

gunman (Donegal) - Posts: 1241 - 17/03/2026 11:54:11    2661578

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Replying To totalrecall:  "I wouldn't be reading too much into Sunday match in Hyde park reminded me very much of our trip to salthill last year. We managed better with the wind this time around but soon cheap turnovers and poor decision making cost us dearly. I thought mulreany did well against the elements but had a poor display with his kickout by his own standard with he wind. I would have liked to have seen mccahill get some game time with the wind. Alone had an impact when he came in. I was surprised no switch was made with mcgonagle who was second best for the duration against smith.

No doubt Kerry look the team for all seasons and their display on Saturday was easily the most impressive by any team so far this year."
It's funny I'd say as soon as a manager knows that you're playing into the wind you'd love to make a change or two.. there was little joy for a forward playing into that wind and as you say it would have been nice for mccahill get a chance with the wind. it was possibly a planned sub from before the match. Mccahill will be busy over the next while with the 20s. Roarty might be used a little more sparingly with the 20s, a bit like last year.

The kickouts were a challenge in the second half. To my mind though Mulreanny should be given all the free kicks outside the 40 metre arc. That one langan missed should be given to mulreanny. It shouldn't even be a discussion.

Players got very tired near the end of that game and say unlike Galway there wasn't enough impact off the bench. Shane O'Donnell is big loss. I think he's such an under appreciated player. So much of the play goes through him. Then moores carrying ability and obaoills two pointers and Farrahs threat up front. For Donegal to be really competing at the business end they need pretty much all their players available.

Ulsterchamps_32 (Donegal) - Posts: 981 - 17/03/2026 13:43:24    2661586

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Replying To Ulsterchamps_32:  "It's funny I'd say as soon as a manager knows that you're playing into the wind you'd love to make a change or two.. there was little joy for a forward playing into that wind and as you say it would have been nice for mccahill get a chance with the wind. it was possibly a planned sub from before the match. Mccahill will be busy over the next while with the 20s. Roarty might be used a little more sparingly with the 20s, a bit like last year.

The kickouts were a challenge in the second half. To my mind though Mulreanny should be given all the free kicks outside the 40 metre arc. That one langan missed should be given to mulreanny. It shouldn't even be a discussion.

Players got very tired near the end of that game and say unlike Galway there wasn't enough impact off the bench. Shane O'Donnell is big loss. I think he's such an under appreciated player. So much of the play goes through him. Then moores carrying ability and obaoills two pointers and Farrahs threat up front. For Donegal to be really competing at the business end they need pretty much all their players available."
What is the story with Fara.When McGuinness was talking about the injured players he never mentioned him.

gunman (Donegal) - Posts: 1241 - 17/03/2026 14:16:20    2661596

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