Donegal GAA Discussion Thread

LilNiall

No commitment yet from Durcan and Gallagher saying he won't be just flying in for Championship games. Hope they get it sorted and Papa plays. Jez we could do with a boost!!

babybuilder

Nidgeweasel wrote: »

Pappa will not play in the Championship if he is based in Qatar.

By the sounds of it he's weighing up if he can come back.

He has nothing left to prove and owes us nothing. My god what a boost it would be though.

All-Ireland final 2014

Nidgeweasel

babybuilder wrote: »

All-Ireland final 2014

What about it?

harpsman

Stoner wrote: »

That's a fair point.
I think the argument is bigger than Donegal and Dublin. Mayos attitude to the league has been questioned too.
It is IMO a competition to target, the alternative is to have a silver bullet to fire once later on in the year.

I remember winning the league in the early 1990s under Paddy Cullen it was a great feeling. I remember Donegal and Dublin playing in a high stake league final back around the too possibly 93.
They were good days, I'd rather they were back and to be honest anyone who was at the games in early 1990s and yesterday from both our counties would likely agree.

Remember those league finals, coming back to draw the first day, Redmond and Barr gettin sent off- Barr for a Cantona style lunge iirc, then Tommy Carr off for a crazy kick in the first minute of the replay, Dublin going 8-0 up with Paul Clarke kicking everything and eventually Dublin holding on for a 10-06 win. Fantastic atmosphere at those games, and Donegal had won every game at that satge.

On the other hand we beat Mayo in the league final in 2007 but then had a bad chambionship and at the end the year was considered a disaster.

But I agree with you that its hard to understand a team kinda holding back in a league semi final in Croke Park when they dont have another game for 2 months. I always thought that playing competitive matches was the best practice you can get, but clearly the management, and the previous manager(and things seemed to work out ok for him in the championship) dont agree.

Bonniedog

harpsman wrote: »

Redmond and Barr gettin sent off- Barr for a Cantona style lunge iirc,

Keith ???

Ah, you must have him confused with someone else

harpsman

Stoner wrote: »

Let's be honest , Kilkenny have to show up against Dublin and Galway in the hurling. Ulster is strong, etc but the likes of Cavan and Monaghan, Fermanagh, Down, Derry have yet to demonstrate that they can produce outside of beating Donegal or Tyrone to any significant degree. Monaghan melt against Kerry and Dublin imo.

With the greatest respect to those teams and I sure they are capable of making up ground, but Mayo, Kerry, Dublin and the cork team of three years ago were really only worried about meeting Donegal or Tyrone. It's tough to get out of yes full of all Ireland winning teams , imo no.

Yeah but nobody said it was full of all ireland winning teams, just that you have to hit the ground running because the likes of Tyrone and even Fermanagh are capable of beating Donegal if we are half baked. The likes of Longford and Offaly are never going to beat the current Dublin or Kilkenny teams. Thats the point that was being made.

Nidgeweasel

harpsman wrote: »

Remember those league finals, coming back to draw the first day, Redmond and Barr gettin sent off- Barr for a Cantona style lunge iirc, then Tommy Carr off for a crazy kick in the first minute of the replay, Dublin going 8-0 up with Paul Clarke kicking everything and eventually Dublin holding on for a 10-06 win. Fantastic atmosphere at those games, and Donegal had won every game at that satge.

On the other hand we beat Mayo in the league final in 2007 but then had a bad chambionship and at the end the year was considered a disaster.

But I agree with you that its hard to understand a team kinda holding back in a league semi final in Croke Park when they dont have another game for 2 months. I always thought that playing competitive matches was the best practice you can get, but clearly the management, and the previous manager(and things seemed to work out ok for him in the championship) dont agree.

We only went to the replay I think.

My abiding memory of the national leagues in the 90's is driving back from Dublin listening to the old man and uncles bitch about Derry for 4/5 hours.

harpsman

Bonniedog wrote: »

Keith ???

Ah, you must have him confused with someone else

I know-a cool customer like him-I think Ciaran Whelan was on the tv that night saying "Keiths not that kind of player":P

Believe hes a good manager now, in both codes? I used to enjoy his newspaper column, thought he was one of the best analysts.

harpsman

Nidgeweasel wrote: »

We only went to the replay I think.

My abiding memory of the national leagues in the 90's is driving back from Dublin listening to the old man and uncles bitch about Derry for 4/5 hours.

Replay was a bit depressing-huge Donegal support at both games well outnumbering the dubs;1st game absolutely cracking atmosphere. Those were the days when everyone went for the league and a league final was a big occasion. As usual Derry won a load and then shat it out in the championship(the year they one the all ireland we beat them in the quarters in breffni after being 6 points down early on;it was the game that kieran mckeever broke tommy ryans jaw-brolly was writing about the incident recently and how "hilarious it was") after winning the league.

Bonniedog

harpsman wrote: »

I know-a cool customer like him-I think Ciaran Whelan was on the tv that night saying "Keiths not that kind of player":P

Believe hes a good manager now, in both codes? I used to enjoy his newspaper column, thought he was one of the best analysts.

Keith is gas man. Ended up playing with the Garda along with his brother Johnny who was even madder fker!

That the Barrs ended up with the Garda is one of more interesting and bizarre episodes in Dub GAA

My favourite Keith moment was when he kicked the Kildare dressing room door down at half time in a Leinster final. There was no one other side anxious to come out

babybuilder

Nidgeweasel wrote: »

What about it?

Short kick out and Kerry goal.

Nidgeweasel

babybuilder wrote: »

Short kick out and Kerry goal.

Aye. Good man.

harpsman

Bonniedog wrote: »

Keith is gas man. Ended up playing with the Garda along with his brother Johnny who was even madder fker!

That the Barrs ended up with the Garda is one of more interesting and bizarre episodes in Dub GAA

My favourite Keith moment was when he kicked the Kildare dressing room door down at half time in a Leinster final. There was no one other side anxious to come out

92? He was pumped up that day, scored a brilliant goal. Of course should have been sent off later onfor batterin the head off one of the Kildare lads.

Stoner

Kildare were almost 10 points down I think and decided a bit late in the day to have a row to break the momentum, didn't work out well for Tom Harris.

I think the comments on the highlights were that Kildare should have started the row earlier . Wouldn't get away with saying that now.

Bonniedog

Stoner wrote: »

didn't work out well for Tom Harris.

Understatement of the year Stoner!

Who was it they had corner forward? Paddy something. Great man to throw sly digs. Jimmy Gavin taught him a few lessons about looking a man in the eye when you hit him, if I recall correctly

Ceist_Beag

Here's a really good analysis of the match on the42.ie.

Redsoxfan

babybuilder wrote:

All-Ireland final 2014

If you are talking about that mistake, then I don't feel he has to come back to prove anything. Whether he feels differently himself is his business, but Papa wasn't the only one below par that day.

charlie14

Bonniedog wrote: »

Keith is gas man. Ended up playing with the Garda along with his brother Johnny who was even madder fker!

That the Barrs ended up with the Garda is one of more interesting and bizarre episodes in Dub GAA

My favourite Keith moment was when he kicked the Kildare dressing room door down at half time in a Leinster final. There was no one other side anxious to come out

Didn`t Johnny get himself and his club in a spot of bother for selling All Ireland tickets to touts?

Mad pair of b****rds the pair of them.

babybuilder

Redsoxfan wrote: »

If you are talking about that mistake, then I don't feel he has to come back to prove anything. Whether he feels differently himself is his business, but Papa wasn't the only one below par that day.

I'm not down on Papa for the sake of it. I really think we need him. His kick outs for example are second only to Cluxtons. I blame MC Guinness and the two McGee's more than Papa for the mistake in 2014. The same thing almost happened against Monaghan in the Ulster final. (Correct me if im wrong but didnt Monaghan getca goal from a defensive blunder) Eamonn and Neil were standing too close together and weren't offering Papa a clear option and easy target.
I've had this discussion before on " they don't owe us anything" . I don't concur. OK if you accept Donegal are lucky to be winning an All Ireland once every 20 or 30 years.

Bonniedog

charlie14 wrote: »

Didn`t Johnny get himself and his club in a spot of bother for selling All Ireland tickets to touts?

Mad pair of b****rds the pair of them.

That is horrendous allegation!

Anything the boys did had fk all to do with Isles. Just to say :rolleyes:

squareball1988

Redsoxfan wrote:

If you are talking about that mistake, then I don't feel he has to come back to prove anything. Whether he feels differently himself is his business, but Papa wasn't the only one below par that day.

As the great man himself said 'it was the team's mistake, Paul just happened to make it'

Green_Tae

Nidgeweasel wrote: »

Nobody is suggesting Donegal lost on purpose or threw the game.

What people are rightly saying is it's blatantly obvious the current (and previous as it happens) regime doesn't give two hoots about the league.

They had a semi final yesterday and didn't train last week.

Just concering that last point; if I was a Donegal supporter and I had travelled all the way to Croke Park to watch my team take on the All-Ireland champions then I would be absolutely furious.

It's an insult to fans and GAA people across the county. I doubt Dublin skipped training for the week. I certainly wouldn't be spending any more money on that team if that was the policy adopted by management. It's disrespectful - end of story.

babybuilder

Green Tae wrote: »

Just concering that last point; if I was a Donegal supporter and I had travelled all the way to Croke Park to watch my team take on the All-Ireland champions then I would be absolutely furious.

It's an insult to fans and GAA people across the county. I doubt Dublin skipped training for the week. I certainly wouldn't be spending any more money on that team if that was the policy adopted by management. It's disrespectful - end of story.

Glad to hear someone say this. I was one of those fans and I am still seething.

I would be interested to know of any objective analysis or comment made by any Donegal commentators or journalists recently. A little bit more anger and criticisms from fans could possibly get a good response from the team and could improve their chances in the summer.

Bonniedog

Green Tae wrote: »

Just concering that last point; if I was a Donegal supporter and I had travelled all the way to Croke Park to watch my team take on the All-Ireland champions then I would be absolutely furious.

It's an insult to fans and GAA people across the county. I doubt Dublin skipped training for the week. I certainly wouldn't be spending any more money on that team if that was the policy adopted by management. It's disrespectful - end of story.

Yep. I am cranky old boy now, but I remember when Vinnies would put out all their Dubs players for league games in the Summer. And prime targets for anyone trying to make a name for themselves. Cats still do same. Cody doesn't wrap them up in cotton wool or tell them that they are free to lose!

The notion that any team goes out to lose is indeed an insult.

squareball1988

babybuilder wrote:

I would be interested to know of any objective analysis or comment made by any Donegal commentators or journalists recently. A little bit more anger and criticisms from fans could possibly get a good response from the team and could improve their chances in the summer.

You'll never get 'real' commentary from the local journalists. They'd risk losing their access. They're as sycophantic as anyone.

2moreMinutes

To be fair, you wouldn't need to be Mystic Meg to know last week that we had no great interest in winning the Dublin match. To now be "seething" is a little bit silly imo.
Rightly or wrongly, the league hasn't been high on our priority list for the last number of years which is more a general GAA issue than one specific to Donegal.

2moreMinutes

I'm also not sure that sports reports detailing the anger or frustration of fans will help performances.
No matter what anyone might think of specific players or whether they should be near the squad, I seriously doubt that they're not putting in the effort. The main difference between now and pre-Jim is that there is a pride in the county jersey now that was previously missing.

I'm afraid at this stage for a number of them that the mind is more than willing but the body is just no longer capable of performing at the level required, especially in how we play. This is probably a reason to show frustration at management over the last 5/6 years for not blooding enough new players but certainly not at the current squad.

Ceist_Beag

2moreMinutes wrote: »

I'm also not sure that sports reports detailing the anger or frustration of fans will help performances.
No matter what anyone might think of specific players or whether they should be near the squad, I seriously doubt that they're not putting in the effort. The main difference between now and pre-Jim is that there is a pride in the county jersey now that was previously missing.

I'm afraid at this stage for a number of them that the mind is more than willing but the body is just no longer capable of performing at the level required, especially in how we play. This is probably a reason to show frustration at management over the last 5/6 years for not blooding enough new players but certainly not at the current squad.

+1 Anyone who thought that Donegal would take the league semi final seriously simply hasn't been paying attention this past few years. You might not agree with it, and clearly some don't, but the management team have the right to make the priorities as they see fit and I personally don't have a problem with it. As I said before, I think league semi finals are a joke anyway and Donegal should never have been in with a chance of winning the league this year - they didn't deserve it.

Green_Tae

Ceist_Beag wrote: »

As I said before, I think league semi finals are a joke anyway and Donegal should never have been in with a chance of winning the league this year - they didn't deserve it.

I agree wholeheartedly with that last point but having said that - the supporters are the lifeblood of the game; they made the long trek to Dublin to watch their team play in what for Donegal was the biggest game of the year thus far. To skip training for the week in the lead-up to the match is tantamount to throwing a game.

Also the question must be asked: will that week's rest make a significant difference to Donegal's season? I seriously doubt it. Wouldn't everyone have benefited more from a contest played at a good pace between two top sides? Being honest, neither semi-final was played at championship pace and there were no serious injuries that I can recall so what was there to lose?

This may sound draconian but I would actually back HQ if they started fining teams for effectively throwing games; the attitude taken by management in scenarios like this could actually hurt the grass-roots game in the long run.

babybuilder

Ceist_Beag wrote: »

+1 Anyone who thought that Donegal would take the league semi final seriously simply hasn't been paying attention this past few years. You might not agree with it, and clearly some don't, but the management team have the right to make the priorities as they see fit and I personally don't have a problem with it. As I said before, I think league semi finals are a joke anyway and Donegal should never have been in with a chance of winning the league this year - they didn't deserve it.

I've watched Donegal in all their league campaigns since 2011 and I cant recall a more woeful standard of defense and attack than what has been produced this year.
The supposition is that Donegal will be in peak physical condition at some stage during the championship and will have a winning game plan in place. This supposition also means that they will have improved their defense and increased their attacking and scoring threat. That will be some turn around.