This could be a short thread, but sticking it up anyway, although I'm not sure how much appetite there is for it, at least from our perspective!
Am I correct in that 2010 is the only championship win Down have against us since 1996? I believe otherwise we won mostly fairly handily in 2002, 2003 (qualifier), 2012, 2013 and 2018. Not sure if I've missed any.
Donegal are down Murphy (retired), McBrearty (injured), Gallen (injured), and the St. Eunan's O'Donnell brothers (opted out) from players who would have first choice or close in the starting front six last year. Ryan McHugh is also out injured for the season. Hard to see where our scores are going to come from. Thompson and Langan can knock over a few long ones, but otherwise it's just Jamie Brennan, who hasn't been setting the world alight, and Conor O'Donnell, who's still fairly new at this level. I'm not even sure if Peadar Mogan will be back for this.
Throw in the absolute chaos behind the scenes, the subsequent treatment of Paddy Carr, the thrusting of Aidan O'Rourke into the hot seat with a few weeks to prepare, the overall disillusionment with the county set up and the negative play which was evident in attendances last year, and I don't see too many Donegal ones making the trip.
Big chance for Down here, assuming they're in somewhat decent shape.
Am I correct in that 2010 is the only championship win Down have against us since 1996? I believe otherwise we won mostly fairly handily in 2002, 2003 (qualifier), 2012, 2013 and 2018. Not sure if I've missed any.
Donegal are down Murphy (retired), McBrearty (injured), Gallen (injured), and the St. Eunan's O'Donnell brothers (opted out) from players who would have first choice or close in the starting front six last year. Ryan McHugh is also out injured for the season. Hard to see where our scores are going to come from. Thompson and Langan can knock over a few long ones, but otherwise it's just Jamie Brennan, who hasn't been setting the world alight, and Conor O'Donnell, who's still fairly new at this level. I'm not even sure if Peadar Mogan will be back for this.
Throw in the absolute chaos behind the scenes, the subsequent treatment of Paddy Carr, the thrusting of Aidan O'Rourke into the hot seat with a few weeks to prepare, the overall disillusionment with the county set up and the negative play which was evident in attendances last year, and I don't see too many Donegal ones making the trip.
Big chance for Down here, assuming they're in somewhat decent shape.