Donegal v Galway

[marty34]

That last attack was so frustrating by Donegal. 2 points down with 60 secs on the clock and passing, passing, passing, passing.

In all the games this weekend that long ball into the square caused severe difficulties for defences and yielded goals or goal chances. I couldnt understand why they just didn't lump it in?

The long ball in can causes problems because it's random - and a lot of ball in is harmless.
If its done more regularly teams can adjust very easily and I think defenders always have an advantage - in numbers, goalkeeper and direction of play!
Possibly more effective it is kept for suitable opportunities and mixed up with the running?

I think it needs to be done a lot quicker than 2 mins to go, 2 pts down and horse it in. No good.

Needs to be done a lot earlier in the play before teams get set up.

Plus as a drop kick for a better trajectory on the ball for a forward.

Comer was waiting for a few to come in to him yesterday early in the phases but they never kicked it unfortunately. 

[grounded]

That last attack was so frustrating by Donegal. 2 points down with 60 secs on the clock and passing, passing, passing, passing.

In all the games this weekend that long ball into the square caused severe difficulties for defences and yielded goals or goal chances. I couldnt understand why they just didn't lump it in?

The long ball in can causes problems because it's random - and a lot of ball in is harmless.
If its done more regularly teams can adjust very easily and I think defenders always have an advantage - in numbers, goalkeeper and direction of play!
Possibly more effective it is kept for suitable opportunities and mixed up with the running?

True, but I'm talking about those last 2 minutes. In both the Laois/Down and Kerry/Armagh game in similar circumstances at the end of the game, that long ball very nearly yielded a goal. What had Donegal got to lose at that stage?

[galwayman]

Delighted with the win. It was such a tight game - could easily have gone the other way.
Donegal's shooting let them down in the last 20 minutes.
Have to say to a man/woman every Donegal person around us and in the pubs afterwards we spoke to were were extremely gracious in defeat. Not easy in such a close game to be like that after the final whistle.
Just reinforced my experiences with all Donegal people I have ever known through work, college etc. (and there have been quite a few). Great warm people.
McGuinness is a brilliant manager.
Ye will definitely be back.

[J70]

The Jimmy McGuinness style of management has a certain lifespan and they missed a huge opportunity today. There is a general assumption that they will improve and will challenge again but equally it will be hard for them to sustain that level of intensity and commitment.

What commitment would they be giving that Joyce isn't getting from Galway, or McGeeney isn't getting from Armagh?

They had a week long training camp in Tenerife last December. Had a ridiculous number of training sessions prior to the League starting. That type of commitment has a shelf life. There will be an expectation that Donegal will go further in the next few years and win an AI title but 6 or 7 other teams will have the same idea since there is no longer one dominant side. 

I haven't seen or heard anyone from Donegal say they "expect" to win an AI title.

We expected Jim's return would make us competitive again and give us a tactical edge over what the likes of Bonner offered, but I think we're all acutely aware that we do not have the gift of generational players like Murphy, Lacey and Neil McGee this time out.

We were on our knees as a county less than 18 months ago with the academy, the external review of the county board and the hopeless situation poor Paddy Carr found himself in after the disfunction surrounding the end of Declan Bonner's term.

This year has been nothing but an unexpected bonus we've all enjoyed thoroughly. Jim might win nothing further, but if so it won't be because the county is not putting it's best foot forward in terms of maximizing our senior talent.

[Maroon Manc]

Delighted with the win. It was such a tight game - could easily have gone the other way.
Donegal's shooting let them down in the last 20 minutes.
Have to say to a man/woman every Donegal person around us and in the pubs afterwards we spoke to were were extremely gracious in defeat. Not easy in such a close game to be like that after the final whistle.
Just reinforced my experiences with all Donegal people I have ever known through work, college etc. (and there have been quite a few). Great warm people.
McGuinness is a brilliant manager.
Ye will definitely be back.

A lot of talk Donegal would be the stronger team in the last 15 minutes going into the game, the likes of Gallen who'd been superb had been asked to do cover a lot more ground then Comer would have to.

Donegals shooting for the first 50 minutes was outstanding, scored a lot more scores from distance then Galway. McDaid scored one for a difficult enough angle but other then Conroy and Silke hit scores from the edge of the D but the rest were all around the 21. Donegal must have scored 5/6 points from well outside the D; Thats always going to be difficult to keep going!


Can't recall a bigger Galway crowd for a football match outside of the 2022 final, great scenes at the final whistle with N17.

67000 for a Galway Donegal semi final was outstanding!

[MC]

That last attack was so frustrating by Donegal. 2 points down with 60 secs on the clock and passing, passing, passing, passing.

In all the games this weekend that long ball into the square caused severe difficulties for defences and yielded goals or goal chances. I couldnt understand why they just didn't lump it in?

The long ball in can causes problems because it's random - and a lot of ball in is harmless.
If its done more regularly teams can adjust very easily and I think defenders always have an advantage - in numbers, goalkeeper and direction of play!
Possibly more effective it is kept for suitable opportunities and mixed up with the running?

I think it needs to be done a lot quicker than 2 mins to go, 2 pts down and horse it in. No good.

Needs to be done a lot earlier in the play before teams get set up.

Plus as a drop kick for a better trajectory on the ball for a forward.

Comer was waiting for a few to come in to him yesterday early in the phases but they never kicked it unfortunately. 

It was hard to see with the camera angles - commentary suggested an early ball in was on a few times - but in fairness to Donegal they scrambled vert effectively and put a lot of pressure on to stop that early kick inside and turn a player back - frustrating for Comer and others - but difficult to see the wider picture for those opportunities.

[MC]

That last attack was so frustrating by Donegal. 2 points down with 60 secs on the clock and passing, passing, passing, passing.

In all the games this weekend that long ball into the square caused severe difficulties for defences and yielded goals or goal chances. I couldnt understand why they just didn't lump it in?

The long ball in can causes problems because it's random - and a lot of ball in is harmless.
If its done more regularly teams can adjust very easily and I think defenders always have an advantage - in numbers, goalkeeper and direction of play!
Possibly more effective it is kept for suitable opportunities and mixed up with the running?

True, but I'm talking about those last 2 minutes. In both the Laois/Down and Kerry/Armagh game in similar circumstances at the end of the game, that long ball very nearly yielded a goal. What had Donegal got to lose at that stage?

Yes - a frustrating one for Donegal - slow - and when they did put it in all the players were on left hand side of square and the ball went harmlessly wide on the right hand side. Difficult time in the game though - any player is going to be really fatigued at that stage and under severe pressure with decision making and execution. And hard to create anything like that environment in training!