Donegal GAA Discussion Thread

doc_17

Yes. Best player at underage in his year group. Better than Gallen. I’d still take him over Gallen to be honest. Different players but I just can’t see what the problem is.

ghostfacekilla

Bonner has ruled MacNiallais out of this weekend’s battle.

Redsoxfan

Thoughts on Sunday's team. Pretty much picks itself if all the below are fit. Course I wish we had better options at half back but I would be surprised if its not the 3 below, unless OMCFF isn't fit in which case it could be anyone.

1. Patten
2. McMenamin
3. N McGee
4. Gallagher
5. R McHugh
6. P Brennan
7. McFadden-Ferry
8. McFadden
9. Langan
10. Thompson
11. O'Donnell
12. J Brennan
13. McBrearty
14. Murphy
15. Mogan

Murt15

Redsoxfan wrote: »

Thoughts on Sunday's team. Pretty much picks itself if all the below are fit. Course I wish we had better options at half back but I would be surprised if its not the 3 below, unless OMCFF isn't fit in which case it could be anyone.

1. Patten
2. McMenamin
3. N McGee
4. Gallagher
5. R McHugh
6. P Brennan
7. McFadden-Ferry
8. McFadden
9. Langan
10. Thompson
11. O'Donnell
12. J Brennan
13. McBrearty
14. Murphy
15. Mogan

Can't see Mc Monagle not starting, Mc Cole probably also.

Nidgeweasel

Redsoxfan wrote: »

Thoughts on Sunday's team. Pretty much picks itself if all the below are fit. Course I wish we had better options at half back but I would be surprised if its not the 3 below, unless OMCFF isn't fit in which case it could be anyone.

1. Patten
2. McMenamin
3. N McGee
4. Gallagher
5. R McHugh
6. P Brennan
7. McFadden-Ferry
8. McFadden
9. Langan
10. Thompson
11. O'Donnell
12. J Brennan
13. McBrearty
14. Murphy
15. Mogan

Can’t see Jamie Brennan and Michael both starting in the same line up given their lack of minutes.

Suspect Langan will be in at wing forward with caolon in the middle. Down have plenty of pace wouldn’t be surprised to see Eoin muchugh in a defensive role either.

ghostfacekilla

Redsoxfan wrote: »

Thoughts on Sunday's team. Pretty much picks itself if all the below are fit. Course I wish we had better options at half back but I would be surprised if its not the 3 below, unless OMCFF isn't fit in which case it could be anyone.

1. Patten
2. McMenamin
3. N McGee
4. Gallagher
5. R McHugh
6. P Brennan
7. McFadden-Ferry
8. McFadden
9. Langan
10. Thompson
11. O'Donnell
12. J Brennan
13. McBrearty
14. Murphy
15. Mogan

I predict (and hope if he is not 100%) Murphy will start on the bench, with Brennan and Gallen partnering McBrearty. Oisin should be putting on a display after being held scoreless against Dublin.
I’d like to see McCole start for his pace, with Neil coming on to steady the ship in the latter stages.
I’d also have McGonagle in there after a great league and let Paul Brennan sit the start out. No doubting the quality of Ryan McHugh but if he performs like he did in the league in Sunday’s match, his automatic starter slot would want to be reconsidered.

Redsoxfan

Honestly can't see Michael starting on the bench.

Good point on McGonigle, I guess Mogan could drop back to 7, McGonigle to midfield, Langan to the forwards. That would be quite a 'defensive light' line up but we have seen it before.

charlie14

Redsoxfan wrote: »

Honestly can't see Michael starting on the bench.

Good point on McGonigle, I guess Mogan could drop back to 7, McGonigle to midfield, Langan to the forwards. That would be quite a 'defensive light' line up but we have seen it before.

Unfortunately the way I can probably see Bonner going as well. Not that I have anything against McGonigle, Langan or Mogan, far from it, each have shown just how good they are in their preferred position. But this is championship and if this league showed us anything it`s how open we are with a "defensive light" line up.
It may be ok against Down but it is asking for trouble down the line if we get past Down.
Tinkering in the league I have no problem with, and while I would not envy Bonner, it`s time, barring injuries, to make the calls and put out our team for the championship.

Ceist_Beag

Personally I would start with McMenamin, McGee and McCole as the FB line. OFF at 7 and Ryan at 5 and even though I'm not a big fan, PB is our only real option at 6. That would mean leaving out EBG but I don't think he has found his form yet so it's a question of whether Declan thinks he can play his way back to form or not, probably depending on what he is seeing in training.
I too think McGonagle has done enough to start so Langan will probably line out at HF with Jamie the most likely player to miss out there.

Redsoxfan

If PB is ever deemed good enough to start ahead of EBG I might well just follow the hurlers.

Redsoxfan

Ceist_Beag wrote: »

I too think McGonagle has done enough to start so Langan will probably line out at HF with Jamie the most likely player to miss out there.

That's as likely too as moving Mogan back.

From what I have seen, it doesn't matter a lot who we name at 2-6, there is something else fundamentally wrong with our defence. I doubt we will have this fixed this summer.

ghostfacekilla

Redsoxfan wrote: »

there is something else fundamentally wrong with our defence. I doubt we will have this fixed this summer.

Most likely a consequence of packed defences at club level for the best part of a decade resulting in a shortage of guys who can go man to man with the best forwards in Ireland, force turnovers and keep them scoreless.

charlie14

ghostfacekilla wrote: »

Most likely a consequence of packed defences at club level for the best part of a decade resulting in a shortage of guys who can go man to man with the best forwards in Ireland, force turnovers and keep them scoreless.

Playing physically light forwards as wing backs isn`t the answer imho, and we need to find a centre back. I don`t want to sound as if I`m having a go at Declan. I don`t get home often to see club games so maybe the players are just not there, but our half back line was shown to be too physically weak against Mayo in Castlebar 2019 and we still have that problem.

Ceist_Beag

Redsoxfan wrote: »

If PB is ever deemed good enough to start ahead of EBG I might well just follow the hurlers.

I completely agree RSF but who else can we seriously consider for CB? Certainly not EBG. Surely there must be a better CB in the county than PB but Declan hasn't really given anyone else a crack at it.

downthemiddle

Ceist_Beag wrote: »

I completely agree RSF but who else can we seriously consider for CB? Certainly not EBG. Surely there must be a better CB in the county than PB but Declan hasn't really given anyone else a crack at it.

McClenaghan is the man if he can stay injury free. Good to see him back in the squad.

Redsoxfan

Ceist_Beag wrote: »

I completely agree RSF but who else can we seriously consider for CB? Certainly not EBG. Surely there must be a better CB in the county than PB but Declan hasn't really given anyone else a crack at it.

I say why not EBG, if we must. Frank played 6 very well for years and wasn't the biggest.

The way we play, it's pretty much about getting our best 15 on the pitch.

If we want to go back to a Rambo type 6, fine, but PB ain't the answer to any question.

Ceist_Beag

I think that's the "Well I wouldn't be starting from here" argument though isn't it!
To throw in another cliche, we are where we are and to date Declan has predominantly played PB at 6 in the past few years. You don't like it, I don't like it, but thems the facts.
Clearly Declan sees something in him that a lot of us don't. I don't see him suddenly having a change of heart on the eve of the championship and playing someone there who he hasn't yet tried in that position.

Redsoxfan

You're right enough there.

dog_pig

Listening to Bonner interviewed last week, it seems that Eoin McHugh is now seen as a man-marking option above everything else. He has pace and can score but I wouldn't be fully convinced of his defensive abilities.

Redsoxfan

He has pace.

babybuilder

Redsoxfan wrote: »

He has pace.

His jersey thrown on the ground would offer more resistance.

ghostfacekilla

dog_pig wrote: »

. He has pace and can score but I wouldn't be fully convinced of his defensive abilities.

Let me just give you a little stat. Eoin McHugh has played in all our league matches this year and all of our championship matches last year.

6 games
295 minutes of play
Averaging around 49mins per match
One point. (v Monaghan in the league)

Maybe he can score, just not at intercounty level.

dog_pig

ghostfacekilla wrote: »

Let me just give you a little stat. Eoin McHugh has played in all our league matches this year and all of our championship matches last year.

6 games
295 minutes of play
Averaging around 49mins per match
One point. (v Monaghan in the league)

Maybe he can score, just not at intercounty level.

Not that I necessarily disagree with what you're getting at, he hasn't been playing the typical half-forward role much the last couple of seasons in fairness. If he's on the team I'd rather see him in an attacking role than a defensive one.

ghostfacekilla

dog_pig wrote: »

Not that I necessarily disagree with what you're getting at, he hasn't been playing the typical half-forward role much the last couple of seasons in fairness. If he's on the team I'd rather see him in an attacking role than a defensive one.

I’d rather see him play exclusively for his club. He’s posted a lot more wides than he’s scored in that time. It’s not that he doesn’t get forward from his defensive role. His execution is poor.

Alvin Holler

He ended up marking Con O'Callaghan for most of the second half last week and did okay. But it does show how short of options we are back there.

Redsoxfan

Alvin Holler wrote: »

He ended up marking Con O'Callaghan for most of the second half last week and did okay.

Let's not try that ever again though.

Redsoxfan

Well now...from the Clar

1. Patten
2. McCole
3. N McGee
4. McMenamin
5. R McHugh
6. McFadden Ferry
7. EBG
8. McFadden
9. McGonagle
10. Thompson
11. N O'Donnell
12. Langan
13. McBrearty
14. Murphy
15. Mogan

Our best 15?

moghrasa

Redsoxfan wrote: »

Well now...from the Clar

1. Patten
2. McCole
3. N McGee
4. McMenamin
5. R McHugh
6. McFadden Ferry
7. EBG
8. McFadden
9. McGonagle
10. Thompson
11. N O'Donnell
12. Langan
13. McBrearty
14. Murphy
15. Mogan

Our best 15?

In a way I'm nearly disappointed to see that 15 named in the program, because it has a big claim to being our best 15, but Bonner always tinkers at the team before throw in so we likely won't see this team tomorrow! If we sent that 15 out I'd be a happy man but realistically McGee will probably come out in the warmup and Bonner will probably take a notion of switching McFadden Ferry for Paul Brennan. Im interested to see how McFF takes to it because while Brennan is grand, if we're going to be making serious All Ireland pushes we can't be settling for grand at CHB. (Personally I think Hugh McFadden could do a job there and we could chance Jason McGee or Langan in midfield, but sure we'll see how we get on)

In any case, changes or no changes we'll have more than enough in the tank to manage Down you'd think. It feels like Christmas Eve. Hup Donegal

ghostfacekilla

Daire O Baoill and Tony McClenaghan missing from those who played a part in the league apart from the obvious MacNiallais and Gallen.

charlie14

Redsoxfan wrote: »

Well now...from the Clar

1. Patten
2. McCole
3. N McGee
4. McMenamin
5. R McHugh
6. McFadden Ferry
7. EBG
8. McFadden
9. McGonagle
10. Thompson
11. N O'Donnell
12. Langan
13. McBrearty
14. Murphy
15. Mogan

Our best 15?

I would be happy with that starting 15, but it would be a first from Declan if that is the actual team that starts.
McFF is a good tight man marker but I`m not sure if he is the CB we need. No harm in trying him there though, but I would not be overly surprised if there was some switching of him, EBG and McFadden and either Langan or Thompson moving to midfield.

No disrespect to Down, a county whose football I have long admired, but they are not going well right now, so I would like to see us really lay down a marker today. Knocking a bit of the cock of the walk out of Derry after their league campaign would be no bad thing..