Donegal GAA Discussion Thread

Well done to the team!

For a bunch of young lads, that was a great effort.

I thought we'd be hammered off the pitch, tbh - so, I'm delighted that they had enough belief in themselves to go out there, and put it up to Dublin!

For a team in transition, they certainly outperformed the expectations of most of the Country - myself included!

charlie14

Deleted User wrote: »

Well done to the team!

For a bunch of young lads, that was a great effort.

I thought we'd be hammered off the pitch, tbh - so, I'm delighted that they had enough belief in themselves to go out there, and put it up to Dublin!

For a team in transition, they certainly outperformed the expectations of most of the Country - myself included!

Fair dues to them, and tbh I didn`t expect too much from today. Plus we missed 3 or 4 scores in a row that should have gone over.

That wasn`t far off Dublin`s first pick either considering the subs that came in.

Strange refereeing .

We couldn`t buy a free all day, especially when you consider some of the soft ones given to Dublin and then he gave us probably the softest off the day to get the draw. ( Doherty is a horse of a man, and looks as if he can play a bit as well)

Looking at the effort put in today, would it be too much to ask to put all our home games in Ballybofey!

dog_pig

Refreshing to see a sliver of positivity in this thread, considering the usual fare.

Redsoxfan

dog_pig wrote:

Refreshing to see a sliver of positivity in this thread, considering the usual fare.

I'll be along later...

Jayop

Well done today guys. D1 us all over the shop this year Hi.

doc_17

MacCumhaill Park....where all our games should be.

charlie14

doc_17 wrote: »

MacCumhaill Park....where all our games should be.

We have a bit of a tradition of winning there and the players seem to up their game when games are in Ballybofey, so why were are p***ing around playing league games anywhere else, especially Letterkenny where we would struggle against a club junior B side on past evidence, beats me.

Bonniedog

If you can keep getting Brannigan for games. Sky is the limit...

Bonniedog

Bonniedog wrote: »

If you can keep getting Brannigan for games. Sky is the limit...

Sour grapes are unbecoming, tbh.

blanch152

charlie14 wrote: »

That wasn`t far off Dublin`s first pick either considering the subs that came in.

That's a stretch.

Cooper, Byrne, McCarthy and O'Sullivan missing from the backs.

McCauley and Bastick absent at midfield.

Brogan, Andrews, Flynn, Costello, Connolly, McMenamin not among the forwards.

charlie14

Bonniedog wrote: »

If you can keep getting Brannigan for games. Sky is the limit...

We couldn`t get a free off him all day if we paid when you consider a few very soft ones for Dublin.

His conscience must have gotten to him in the end for our last score.

charlie14

blanch152 wrote: »

That's a stretch.

Cooper, Byrne, McCarthy and O'Sullivan missing from the backs.

McCauley and Bastick absent at midfield.

Brogan, Andrews, Flynn, Costello, Connolly, McMenamin not among the forwards.

We were missing a few ourselves, but regardless that a few off the above actually did make an appearance, are you saying this much vaunted quality in depth of this Dublin squad is just hype ?

blanch152

charlie14 wrote: »

We were missing a few ourselves, but regardless that a few off the above actually did make an appearance, are you saying this much vaunted quality in depth of this Dublin squad is just hype ?

12 multiple All-Ireland winners missing yet Dublin would have won away in Donegal on a pitch that was being brushed with sand minutes before kick-off only for a soft last-minute free to the opposition. And Donegal were only in the game thanks to a poor kick-out after the first goal (not necessarily Cluxton's fault) and a poor decision not to send off the Donegal no.2 for a punch.

Given that, fairly happy with the squad depth, if you ask me.

overshoot

blanch152 wrote: »

12 multiple All-Ireland winners missing yet Dublin would have won away in Donegal on a pitch that was being brushed with sand minutes before kick-off only for a soft last-minute free to the opposition. And Donegal were only in the game thanks to a poor kick-out after the first goal (not necessarily Cluxton's fault) and a poor decision not to send off the Donegal no.2 for a punch.

Given that, fairly happy with the squad depth, if you ask me.

13 Dubs who played in last years all ireland final got game time today... 9 donegal men who played in the QF against ye were on the field.... I dont think you can use the missing players card here

dog_pig

blanch152 wrote: »

12 multiple All-Ireland winners missing yet Dublin would have won away in Donegal on a pitch that was being brushed with sand minutes before kick-off only for a soft last-minute free to the opposition. And Donegal were only in the game thanks to a poor kick-out after the first goal (not necessarily Cluxton's fault) and a poor decision not to send off the Donegal no.2 for a punch.

Given that, fairly happy with the squad depth, if you ask me.

Haha good man yourself.

windy shepard henderson

blanch152 wrote: »

12 multiple All-Ireland winners missing yet Dublin would have won away in Donegal on a pitch that was being brushed with sand minutes before kick-off only for a soft last-minute free to the opposition. And Donegal were only in the game thanks to a poor kick-out after the first goal (not necessarily Cluxton's fault) and a poor decision not to send off the Donegal no.2 for a punch.

Given that, fairly happy with the squad depth, if you ask me.

worth the trip so ..:)

blanch152

overshoot wrote: »

13 Dubs who played in last years all ireland final got game time today... 9 donegal men who played in the QF against ye were on the field.... I dont think you can use the missing players card here

I was at the match, apart from two minutes and the soft free at the end, Dublin were by far the better team. It was one of those 1 out of 100 matches, and Dublin still drew.

charlie14

blanch152 wrote: »

12 multiple All-Ireland winners missing yet Dublin would have won away in Donegal on a pitch that was being brushed with sand minutes before kick-off only for a soft last-minute free to the opposition. And Donegal were only in the game thanks to a poor kick-out after the first goal (not necessarily Cluxton's fault) and a poor decision not to send off the Donegal no.2 for a punch.

Given that, fairly happy with the squad depth, if you ask me.

Sorry the pitch wasn`t to yer liking. We cannot all play our home games in a national stadium. In fact come to think of it, that would be 31 of the 32 county teams.
Were you by any chance keeping a count on the soft frees, or just the one for Donegal while ignoring all others

If you are happy with the Dublin squad depth then why the whinge, especially considering 13 of last year AI team got game-time today

Redsoxfan

Up until the two goals at the end of the first half, we were pretty awful. The attacking strategy is incredibly frustrating.

After going ahead by 4 early in the 2nd half it was a little disappointing not to win. But we finished well, even if we might have let the clock beat us while holding possession in their half.

Even allowing for the conditions, some of our passing was very poor. Maybe we were being well marked but every pass Michael Murphy gave in the first half was a 50/50 ball.

I guess the positives are that players like Ward, Thompson, Jason McGee (fine point and he contributed more today than he did to date) and EB Gallagher got more experience and will grow in confidence. Not really a day for Jamie Brennan to shine.

I thought Frank McGlynn was very good. Easy to see the class and experience vs some of the others.

Interesting to see Hugh McFadden tried at full forward. Caught one ball well but he was crowded out before he could do anything with it. Maybe he should have tried to flick it rather than catch it?

Very poor under breaking ball at midfield again.

You can argue that we were missing Paddy, but outside of that, there isn't much that will change. McElhinney and Lacey maybe. On a dry day in Croke Park how would we fare? I wouldn't fancy our chances to be honest.

Still, we now have a better than 50/50 chance of staying in Division One. I don't see why we can't win in Cavan next Saturday.

dog_pig

blanch152 wrote: »

I was at the match, apart from two minutes and the soft free at the end, Dublin were by far the better team. It was one of those 1 out of 100 matches, and Dublin still drew.

Is everything OK?

doc_17

Dublin not getting everything handed to them on a plate, I feel so sorry for them.

Ceist_Beag

Going to skip on the negatives this weekend and just focus on the positives. As RSF said, this game will have been a great experience for the likes of Ward, EBG, Paul Brennan, Thompson and McGee. I thought the two lads in midfield did really well today. I think Odhran will really regret stepping away this year as I don't think I've seen a young lad grab his opportunity as well as Thompson has these past 3 games. He's growing all the time and fair play to him for taking on some free taking responsibility yesterday as well.
The pitch and conditions dictated the game yesterday but the lads do look very fit and really put in a great effort, just a shame they didn't have a go late on to kick the winning score.
Like RSF, I do get hugely frustrated at our overplaying at times (the old adage of let the ball do the work is clearly not one Rory believes in) but given the number of young lads in there yesterday I think the result is a big positive and will stand to us.
On the referee's performance - he was a joke. Sure he gave us a ridiculously soft free at the end but before that some of the Dublin players could have put a saddle on our lads backs and got away with it.
Jim Gavin is one cute lad all the same with his post match comments. Grit must be a euphemism for cynicism!

Ollieboy

We got a result and that's all you can really say about the management yesterday and unfortunately it might keep people quiet for a while.

The players fought really hard and work really well and some really good positive signs but the tactics were a disgrace. To ask players to play like that in those conditions is just wrong....We got lucky and Dublin were awful but the lads did everything that was asked of them from the management and fans but it will not win you a Ulster title come July or a AI semi spot.

Also, you just can't give away that much possession to a good team, you need to control the ball and the game and frustrate the Dublin players. Dublin will leave disappointed but know they have the upper hand against us and that's not good for the year ahead.

The ref was very poor.

Even Rory's body language on the side line tells you loads...

I really hope I am wrong...

Bonniedog

Deleted User wrote: »

Sour grapes are unbecoming, tbh.

Did Dublin lose?


Brannigan has cost Dublin games, Simple as that.

Dyr

Ollieboy wrote: »

Even Rory's body language on the side line tells you loads...

I really hope I am wrong...

Did he limit himself to the sideline or is he still sprinting across the pitch for every kick out like a gobsheen?

Bonniedog

Bonniedog wrote: »

Did Dublin lose?


Brannigan has cost Dublin games, Simple as that.

Well, he made a few very questionable decisions re: frees not awarded before he did finally give, what was, admittedly, a soft free in the end!

Refereeing seems to be erratic across the board in GAA. That's life!

Bonniedog

Only bustin balls.

You got soft one at end, we did before that. He is strange ref. Makes some weird decisions.

Overall, thought it was good game. Donegal will have more firepower when McBrearty comes back, Dublin with Connolly and Bernard. Great entertainment for time of year, let us say!

Nidgeweasel

Good point. Dare I say a win in Cavan could be enough to see us up?

Bonniedog

Imagine for a change that this league will come down to last game. Roscommon look pretty poor so that should be two points for all concerned!

Lot will depend on next two rounds. Fancy us to beat Mayo next Saturday but Kerry be tricky Donegal should beat Cavan but they are handy enough.

Anyway, will make for interesting few weeks.

LeoB

Deleted User wrote: »

Well, he made a few very questionable decisions re: frees not awarded before he did finally give, what was, admittedly, a soft free in the end!

Refereeing seems to be erratic across the board in GAA. That's life!

Agree 100% but that is not good enough at this level. Every lad on that pitch yesterday made serious sacrifices over the last few year to be where they are and they deserve better. The man should be parking cars not directing a football match.

It was a decent enough game in the conditions. Obviously through my rose tinted glasses Dublin were hard done by at the end with the free. Dublin appeared to me to be replicating in a way the Donegal/Tyrone play in their last 2 games and Id say Gavin and the crew were happy with the draw in the end. Donegal on the other hand had they been a bit more positive could have went for it big time in last 90 seconds.

Donegal will be safe imo.