Donegal GAA Discussion Thread

charlie14 · 16-03-2022 12:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118784174#Comment_118784174

The one thing I would say in McHugh`s favour is that himself and Murphy have a good understanding of each other, so hopefully he can get his form back asap.

Redsoxfan · 16-03-2022 11:54pm

Mad to see us playing opening Championship match against same opposition as we face in the League 1 month beforehand.

Even more so if we have to win the League game.

doc_17 · 17-03-2022 12:40pm

Gallen and Thompson out now until Championship. Gallen struggling with injury again. Pity.

Redsoxfan · 19-03-2022 11:48am

FFS, Gallen can't catch a break.

Have 2 tickets for game tomorrow free to whoever wants them.

Redsoxfan · 19-03-2022 4:59pm

Tickets gone.

Well done to the ladies.

henke · 19-03-2022 8:31pm

Can anyone recall is it head to head or scoring difference if teams end on the same points? Tyrone move onto 5 now. I just can't see us taking anything tomorrow and be heading to the last day not safe.

ArnoldJRimmer · 19-03-2022 10:00pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118807038#Comment_118807038

Its head to head, but if 3 or more teams finish level, its points difference. Scoring difference is slightly ahead of Tyrone and Kildare right now, and level with Monaghan, but two defeats and that changes. But if we lose both games from here, we don't deserve tp stay up

henke · 19-03-2022 10:21pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118807462#Comment_118807462

Agree with that. If your given 4 home matches and can't get beyond 5 points then you get what you deserve. Hopefully they can show enough in the next two matches to get it done.

Redsoxfan · 20-03-2022 9:40am

The result today may or may not matter. If nothing else, points difference may be important.

But this team needs to go out and play without fear and try and win the game, whoever is playing. There has been too much really bad and pointless football in every game this year and we need to get a bit of confidence on the pitch and in the stands ahead of next week and 24 April.

Alvin Holler · 20-03-2022 10:17am

Looks like a perfect day for football. We won't have the disadvantage of having to play with the wind today.

Need McHugh and McBrearty to give us some that up front. Hopefully Brennan and Murphy are ready for some more game time as well.

ArnoldJRimmer · 20-03-2022 5:26pm

It’s bad when my only hope for the second half is that we keep the points difference down. The usual ponderous play, finished with dreadful shooting options

charlie14 · 20-03-2022 6:21pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118810143#Comment_118810143

I don`t think point difference will come into it. One of either Monaghan or Dublin will go down, and even if Kildare win next week we will stay on the head to head rule. At least that is my read on it.?

ArnoldJRimmer · 20-03-2022 6:27pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118810479#Comment_118810479

Right now, Donegal have -9, Tyrone -12 and Kildare +1, and all on five points. Assuming there is a winner in Dublin v Monaghan, if all 3 teams on five points were to lose next week, points difference does come into it, its only head to head if there are two teams. So to ensure survival, we need to either beat Armagh, or lose by a small margin and hope one or both of the other two lose.

Better second half, but two big frustrations are why referees allow open season on Murphy without giving frees. Penalised for overcarrying in that second half with two men on top of him. Other frustration is why we continue to let Patton kick long range frees when Murphy is on the pitch.

doc_17 · 20-03-2022 6:33pm

We don’t ever seem to learn. Paul Brennan…..Patton hitting frees…..kicking the ball away….

We went 5 points up. Then what happens? PMB and MM back inside out 30 defending. And MM the last man for their goal….reminded me off Galway in Sligo 2017. If you’re Dublin or anyone else, that’s exactly where you want MM to be.

charlie14 · 20-03-2022 6:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118810509#Comment_118810509

You are right. I should have spent more time working out the possibilities.

Second half was ok. Crazy the amount of punishment Murphy gets and nothing given. Refs are not as slow when it come to him committing more minor transgressions.

I thought Patton did well today. Especially with getting his kick-outs away, although like yourself him taking those frees with Murphy on the pitch makes no sense to me either. McHugh had a much better day today, and McCole also had a good day out. Leaving Murphy inside as much as possible showed with that goal just what he is capable of. Plus he scares the life out of defenders when he is in there. McBrearty also had a good day, but we still cannot win a breaking ball around the middle to save our lives, and Dublin clipped over a few in the first half where it looked as if we were playing without a center back. Jamie Brennan was way off the pace and his ball handling was terrible. He was a liability up front.

Redsoxfan · 20-03-2022 7:04pm

Game was there to be won. But felt we let it get away from us by half time after a promising start.

Patton needs to stay in the 20. He is a fine keeper, but not a free taker or a footballer. The reason he took those frees is because Michael is not able - anyone who is paying attention will have noticed the decline.

Brendan McCole isn't brilliant, but is growing into the role. He should be our full back from here on, I really don't know what anyone is expecting from Neil McGee at this point.

Jamie Brennan, not good enough.

Conor O'Donnell, not as good the last few games.

Ryan McHugh, a little better.

It was a low intensity game and Dublin are not the team they were. So not much to take from it. Better than Monaghan.

henke · 21-03-2022 2:08am

Michael Murphy is probably our greatest ever player and one of the best in the country in the last 20 years but even today's goal and when he won the ball and was fouled (not given it) tell management it's time to leave him on the edge of the square and not really move from that position.

Last year was basically a write off for him and he hasn't many left so surely he's more likely to extend his time not doing donkey work out the field. Just stay in there and make defenders think and it might also give the other forwards more space. Of course ball needs to be kicked to him for it to work too. And we need midfielders back. He will never have the numbers of a Cillian O'Connor because of the role he played but surely it's time he's used as an out an out forward and see where it takes us. I think we all hoped after he lifted Sam at 23 years of age it might happen again before he hung up the boots. It's not likely but wouldn't you love to see it.

Redsoxfan · 25-03-2022 9:00pm

Let's say someone wanted to subject their children to the horrors of a game in Letterkenny, what time would I need to get there at to have a seat in the stand?

Sometime on Saturday night?

Or earlier?

FreeChocco · 27-03-2022 3:27pm

Just don't give us penalties anymore. Our chances of winning drop dramatically the second we win ourselves a penalty, because we're almost guaranteed to miss it and then lose the plot for the rest of the match. That's 3 times very recently we've blown a comfortable lead after missing a penalty that should have killed off the game.

fullstop · 27-03-2022 3:43pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118842710#Comment_118842710

It was a shocking effort. Murphy needs to get off penalties now, think he still has horrors over the Tyrone game last year

doc_17 · 27-03-2022 7:55pm

If Murphy needs wee McHugh to hold the ball for him before he takes the penalty so as to avoid abuse, then I think we need another penalty taker. I know Big Neil did it for Glenswilly in their glory years and it worked out ok, but….He’s missing them now.

Good to get the win. But if Armagh had started Gurgan and O’Neil we’d have lost. Ballybofey will be very interesting indeed.

downthemiddle · 27-03-2022 10:04pm

Losing in Ballybofey and winning in Letterkenny. Strange days indeed.

henke · 27-03-2022 10:10pm

Anyone know is it likely how many players may miss the championship game after what happened at the end?

tanko · 27-03-2022 10:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118844471#Comment_118844471

What started all that?

poppers · 28-03-2022 1:33pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118844471#Comment_118844471

Id doubt either team will face bans, As it happened after the final whistle im sure the county boards will be able to find a loop hole to escape.

downthemiddle · 28-03-2022 2:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118844656#Comment_118844656

There was a lot of anger on the Donegal bench over McCole's injury and that set the tone for the rest of the game. After the final whistle Forker was reminded of the final score and threw a punch. The bench then waded in. From the footage our sub keeper and Rian O'Neill feature clearly. One suspension each would seem fair. 😉

Redsoxfan · 28-03-2022 9:55pm

For all Patton's great kick outs and shot stopping his inability or unwillingness to catch the ball is a big deal.

We did what we needed to do yesterday. I only saw the highlights. I expect 24 April will be a battle.

Good to see Langan back. If we get Gallen and Thompson back also I think we will have too much firepower for them. But everything we have seen so far this year suggests we won't make it easy for ourselves.