McKenna Cup 2024

[AFS]

Queen's keeper screws up. Donegal goal. Probably game over.

Queen's keeper screws up. Donegal goal. Definitely game over.

[AFS]

Donegal win.

2:12 - 0:11 Full Time

Queen's only able to score 3 points in the last 55 minutes.

[RMDrive]

I'm very embarassed about the cheering at the end with each pass. WTF is that about?? Hate that rubbish and to hear it from my own county ...  

Would have been great to see QUB win it but Donegal deserved it I reckon. Big Neil strong in the middle and the forward unit did fairly well. Sweeney didn't inspire any confidence at number 3 though. It'll be McGee there for the serious business but it's still a big weak point for us.

Fair play to Neil for mentioning Paul Gallagher. We all wish him the best.

[J70]

I'm very embarassed about the cheering at the end with each pass. WTF is that about?? Hate that rubbish and to hear it from my own county ...  

Would have been great to see QUB win it but Donegal deserved it I reckon. Big Neil strong in the middle and the forward unit did fairly well. Sweeney didn't inspire any confidence at number 3 though. It'll be McGee there for the serious business but it's still a big weak point for us.

Fair play to Neil for mentioning Paul Gallagher. We all wish him the best.

I'd say you probably had some teenagers there started that shite. Embarrassing all right in a McKenna cup game against a college side.

Some good score-taking from Queens, particuarly in the first half. I presume most of those lads are on county panels?

Keeper's two dropped balls and the two missed frees at the end of normal time were the difference. Plenty of work for Donegal to do - I thought Griffin did well all through, while Walsh can take the scores if they get him in the game.

[RMDrive]

I'm very embarassed about the cheering at the end with each pass. WTF is that about?? Hate that rubbish and to hear it from my own county ...  

Would have been great to see QUB win it but Donegal deserved it I reckon. Big Neil strong in the middle and the forward unit did fairly well. Sweeney didn't inspire any confidence at number 3 though. It'll be McGee there for the serious business but it's still a big weak point for us.

Fair play to Neil for mentioning Paul Gallagher. We all wish him the best.

I'd say you probably had some teenagers there started that shite. Embarrassing all right in a McKenna cup game against a college side.

Some good score-taking from Queens, particuarly in the first half. I presume most of those lads are on county panels?

Keeper's two dropped balls and the two missed frees at the end of normal time were the difference. Plenty of work for Donegal to do - I thought Griffin did well all through, while Walsh can take the scores if they get him in the game.

Yeah, Queens took some fine scores in the first half and had all the chances in the world to win it. I'll say they will be disappointed but I'm sure the thoughts will turn to the Sigerson fairly quickly. Griffin was lively all right and I thought that Ciaran Bonner played well.

[Gold]

Kielt is from Derry. Very, very good underage player. The AFL scouts have been sniffing about though.

why did he shy away from hitting those 2 frees at the end of normal time?

[Redhandfan]

I was very impressed with Kielt in normal time....a class act.  However, his influence waned in extra-time, due perhaps to tiredness and/or a lack of service from further out the field.

I thought Snowy O'Neill's sending off towards the end of normal time was extremely harsh.  He was having a fine game and QUB's attacking threat diminished considerably once he left the field.  Mickey Harte was present at the game and will surely want to keep the Dromore man in his squad this year after a string of excellent displays for Queen's in the McKenna Cup.

Donegal did just enough to win but looked very vulnerable at times in the full back line.  They will also want to get McFadden back soon to add a bit more punch to that forward division. 

[J70]

Donegal will have Lacey and Neil McGee in the full back line. Who the third person will be is a key question - Ray Sweeney did a fine job there for a few seasons until McIvor dispensed with him and brought back Paddy Campbell (never understood that), but he's getting on a bit now. It will probably end up Neil McGee, Lacey and someone like Paddy McDaid or one of the other new lads (Eamon McGee is not a man-marker), which means we will have to play a sweeper to guard against someone like Paddy Bradley, something that McIvor should have done last year and which contributed to the loss of confidence in him within the county.

I thought the forwards did all right in terms of creating chances, but McFadden and Murphy (assuming he regains fitness in time) will walk back into the side for the Antrim game. At the moment, young Griffin looks the likeliest to join them in the full forwards.

On Snowy O'Neill - didn't he play for Tyrone this time last year? Did he make the championship squad? If not, why not? Looks a very handy player.

[ONeill]

They will also want to get McFadden back soon to add a bit more punch to that forward division. 

Excellent!

[redcard]

I thought Snowy O'Neill's sending off towards the end of normal time was extremely harsh. 

have to agree with you. The lad apparently never gets yellow cards.

[J70]

They will also want to get McFadden back soon to add a bit more punch to that forward division. 

Excellent!

I missed that!

[Donagh]

On Snowy O'Neill - didn't he play for Tyrone this time last year? Did he make the championship squad? If not, why not? Looks a very handy player.

He was there at the final, his returning namesake probably preventing him getting a run out.

[Tyrone Dreamer]

On Snowy O'Neill - didn't he play for Tyrone this time last year? Did he make the championship squad? If not, why not? Looks a very handy player.

He was there at the final, his returning namesake probably preventing him getting a run out.

Yeah sounds about right. He didnt play in any other championship game but Stevie prevented him getting on in the final by coming back.

[Donagh]

Yeah sounds about right. He didnt play in any other championship game but Stevie prevented him getting on in the final by coming back.

Did he not? I was away all summer so I wouldn't know, but an extra forward being drafted in for the last game wouldn't have done the chances of the existing forwards (the other O'Neill) any good. Apologies if I question the received wisdom around the bushes that the return of the king did not put anyone else's nose out of joint.

[tyronefan]

dont think snowy would have been on in the final even if stevie wasn't there.  played a few games in the early part of the year and didnt impress. might need more time in the county set up but in fairness snowy wasnt that impressive for Dromore in the county final either