Donegal GAA Discussion Thread

Redsoxfan wrote: »

If we have it as easy as we did in Newry, shame on Derry.

I hope they give us a game, for our sakes.

They have spent the last 2 years in Divisions 3. Who have they beaten? Don't mention the Ulster Champions. They are playing in Division 4 next year.

For all the damage done by other Ulster teams in our Division 1 games this year, we were unbeaten in the league.

If Derry are flying, we are hovering at a higher altitude.

Well now. Derry gave us a game, should have beaten us. All very concerning after last year's Ulster Final and the ongoing issues with our defence.

We will be up for this match at the weekend. Michael coming back will ensure an increase in efforts. That might be enough, but there is a defeat on the cards for this team at some point in the next few weeks or months. I hope we have enough to win Ulster but we are going to run out of 2nd chances at some stage.

Like the league, the one positive is that we hung on and came back well. But if that Derry goal that hit the crossbar goes in, we are out. Fine margins, too fine.

Fair play to Paddy. He was not having a good day and I would have had him off 20 minutes before that.

Can someone explain to me why Aaron Doherty isn’t in the county panel? Why is EOD starting and Doherty not even in the panel?

The Ulster Council have asked about having the final in Croke Park. Now whoever gets there from our side will have played 3 weeks in a row. If it’s Donegal we’ll have played Sunday, Sunday and then Saturday as the Leinster formality will be on the Sunday. Tough schedule.

A mad game in Ballybofey. So many terrible performances, I’d run out of characters. I would agree with Martin McHugh’s statement re the standard. We actually have a specified role of ‘performance and psychology’ included in our backroom team. I hope he comes up with something new on Sunday.

Any idea who was giving what appeared to be tactical directions to Bonner in the 64th minute? He is not someone I’ve ever seen in the backroom team.

We are onto a big hiding soon with this porous defense. Lack of physicality really stands out coupled with our inability to tackle. Also worrying is the slow build up. Goals win matches but the, ball must be moved a lot quicker to get any. I hope we have enough to get past through Tyrone. Ulster maybe but id say no further.

It is a huge game for Bonner. We haven’t played in a SF since 14. We need to get back there.

We really looked a bit of a shambles against Derry and despite some of the media singing Derry`s midfield pairing praises it was more down to our own making as Mc Gonagle and Langan kept us in it .Murphy certainly steadied the ship showing why he is so important to us, but do we really have to emphasise that to other teams! I have mentioned here before about a right footed free taker in the absense of Murphy yet Sunday again, first free in a very scoreable position on the left wing it`s again McBrearty kicking and missing. I know the lad is not lacking in confidence, as he proved with the winner, but even for him it must knock it a bit. Plus give his marker something to niggle with.

I`m not sure I would fully agree with Mairtin McHugh on some not being good enough. There are a few whose form has dipped alright,(Mac Niallais to start against Tyrone?) but when it comes to his nephew Eoin he has a point. Not only is he no defender, he seems incapable or afraid to kick a ball forward. But then again nobody seemed willing to kick a ball into our forward line on Sunday. Whether that was due to management not having confidence on our forwards being able to win their own ball and a Derry counter attack I do not know, but to me it looked that way. Either way, goals win games and we are not going to score many playing like that.

If we can get over Sunday, I would be quite confident of winning the Ulster Final even with all our problems, but sadly I`m afraid that is as good as it will get for this year.

Awful 2nd half for the U20s. Saw a bit of the 1st and they were well on top.

Desperately sad news from after the game yesterday

It's like being pre 2011 now. No clue how we will go. With Jim, you knew what we were getting. With the manager after Jim too, for different reasons.

I have a bad feeling.

Not confident for today. There’s a few too many passengers we seem reluctant to bench for poor performances, whether it being a scarcity of cover in those areas or a sentimentality from coaching them for too long through the younger grades. There’s no way Murphy is going to be fit for today. Whatever level himself and MacNiallais are at will most likely decide the day. Either way, Ulster has given us two box office battles so far. U20’s will feel they left that one behind them. RIP to Ogie Duffy and condolences to all affected.

If Stephen McMenamin is fit this is a crazy decision.

5 backs, including Ryan McHugh.

This will be very open I'd say.

Opposition have a lot of firepower on the bench.

Our attack needs to be more incisive move the ball quicker. Need to keep two men inside all the time. Soul destroying watching how easy Tyrone get through. And how slow our attack is. I don't know what they do in training.

McQuillan what the hell? Strange decisions . Balls of a game