McKenna Cup 2024

[Cunny Funt]

Donegal pull out of semi

If they are so short on numbers why didn't they do this again? https://www.bbc.com/sport/gaelic-games/38497207

[skeog]

Bring in the Masters be glad of a pre-season game.

[Angelo]

Donegal have thrown their toys out of the pram.

[Carbery]

Why do the Ulster Council not bring one of the other five teams back in to play Monaghan?

[Main Street]

Donegal pull out of semi

Well done to Banty, extraordinary success to get Monaghan to a final.
Now just bring the McKenna cup back home again.

[MayoBuck]

Donegal pull out of semi

If they are so short on numbers why didn't they do this again? https://www.bbc.com/sport/gaelic-games/38497207

There is no U21 team now and the U20s are preparing for championship in a month's time. They probably don't want to be horsed around the place in a senior game and risk injury.

[LCohen]

Donegal pull out of semi

If they are so short on numbers why didn't they do this again? https://www.bbc.com/sport/gaelic-games/38497207

Or this?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/gaelic-games/29315486

[Angelo]

Donegal would have been aware of this from the outset. It's not a whole difference to the other 3 semi finalists who will be down a host of panelists. They should be able to field a team.

[J70]

Donegal would have been aware of this from the outset. It's not a whole difference to the other 3 semi finalists who will be down a host of panelists. They should be able to field a team.

Who would play?

They're down 13 to the Sigerson and a few more out injured. U-20s are playing Roscommon.

The request to postpone till Tuesday was turned down (talk about an insane schedule). Down apparently also requested such a postponement.

Its a mickey mouse competition. Not much option left.

[Angelo]

Donegal would have been aware of this from the outset. It's not a whole difference to the other 3 semi finalists who will be down a host of panelists. They should be able to field a team.

Who would play?

They're down 13 to the Sigerson and a few more out injured. U-20s are playing Roscommon.

The request to postpone till Tuesday was turned down (talk about an insane schedule). Down apparently also requested such a postponement.

Its a mickey mouse competition. Not much option left.

And Donegal should have been aware of that. I'm sure there are other lads in the county not currently involved with the seniors, colleges or u20s who would not have minded a chance to impress.

Tyrone, Down and Monaghan are all in similar situations. I don't have the exact numbers but I'd imagine Tyrone will also have 10+ involved in Sigerson action.

I've no issue with requesting a postponement but Down haven't pulled out as a result of not getting their own way. There is no reason why a county with Donegal's pick shouldn't be able to field a team.

[bannside]

Aye so you think they should pull in 10 lads from somewhere who are not on the panel and give them a game? Are you wise? Totally devalue any merit that the competition has left.

Mc Kenna Cup and University competitions shouldnt be run at same time of the year. One of them has to go.

[Angelo]

Aye so you think they should pull in 10 lads from somewhere who are not on the panel and give them a game? Are you wise? Totally devalue any merit that the competition has left.

Mc Kenna Cup and University competitions shouldnt be run ar same time if the year. One of them has to go.

Why would they need 10 lads?

Bonner must be running an extremely amateur setup if he hadn't assembled a squad that could compete in the McKenna Cup, no wonder a good few regulars have walked again in the past few years.

Tyrone also have an u20 game at the weekend, they also have about 10 players involved in Sigerson Cup duty. Monaghan and Down will have similar numbers, the difference seems to be that Declan Bonner made a huge **** up of his McKenna Cup squad. It's a bad sign that you can't muster 20 lads to tog out for the weekend. There will also be a big overlap between the u20 and Sigerson players not available.

[bannside]

Basically Michael Murphy has told Donegal board and management that because he is involved with Letterkenny IT this weekend that Sigerson will come first. Murphy trying to call the shots in Donegal and county board from top down havent the balls to deal with him. This is a power play from him short and simple, that's the info I'm getting from people very well connected down there.

It dosent really matter though whether its played or not. I'd say that's Bonners take on it too.....he wont be too worried if the Mc Kenna cup dosent sit beside the Anglo Celt too much. And he wont worry that much that hes going to completely start re jigging his panel for one game. If there is an issue here it's up to fixture committees to sort it out, dont blame it on the manager.

[Angelo]

Basically Michael Murphy has told Donegal board and management that because he is involved with Letterkenny IT this weekend that Sigerson will come first. Murphy trying to call the shots in Donegal and county board from top down havent the balls to deal with him. This is a power play from him short and simple, that's the info I'm getting from people very well connected down there.

It dosent really matter though whether its played or not. I'd say that's Bonners take on it too.....he wont be too worried if the Mc Kenna cup dosent sit beside the Anglo Celt too much. And he wont worry that much that hes going to completely start re jigging his panel for one game. If there is an issue here it's up to fixture committees to sort it out, dont blame it on the manager.

Of course it's the manager's fault. He should have assembled a squad that could fulfill their fixtures rather than the amateurish setup he has made Donegal look like here when moaning about it. Donegal are impacted just like every other county have been.

How many Galway players are missing due to Sigerson for this weekend, they also have to contend with Corofin players being unavailable along with injuries.
How many Mayo players are unavailable this weekend due to Sigerson, injuries and other reasons?
How many Down players are unavailable this weekend due to Sigerson, Kilcoo and injuries?
How many Tyrone players are unavailable this weekend due to Sigerson, injuries and other reasons?

All these counties are down but for a county with the pick and size of Donegal not to be able to field a team this weekend is an embarrassment. Bonner is an intercounty manager, he should have been able to foresee this and plan for it. Donegal have done extremely well at underage in the past 7/8 years, the club scene is improving rapidly as well in recent years, football is at a high standard across the county. I'm sure there are plenty of decent club footballers who would have loved an opportunity to impress this weekend.

These circumstances are not unique to Donegal yet they are the only county who have thrown their toys out of the pram and not fulfilled a fixture.

[rodney trotter]

Maybe they might actually look into the congested fixture list, by making a stance. Kieran Molloy played a Sigerson Final the same day after playing for Corofin 2 years ago. He's involved in Sigerson again this year, and All Ireland final in a few weeks.

Sigerson should be played around November after the League competition.