That was a flat performance, no platform in the middle and terrible on broken ball. Galway had some hunger and were missing, McDaid, Comer and Conroy. The better team won, time to move on to next week.

Ulsterchamps72 (Donegal) - Posts: 103 - 23/02/2025 20:06:13    2592726

Hi lads just wondering if anyone knows how the minors and u20s are shaping up with the challenge matches and what their prospects will be for championship this year?

NPadraigAbu (Donegal) - Posts: 93 - 23/02/2025 21:08:30    2592754

eddieSize5Balls (Donegal) - Posts: 90 - 23/02/2025 22:04:49    2592784

The Wee Man is back in county management with our U16s.

peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 1123 - 23/02/2025 22:13:51    2592790

Ulsterchamps72 (Donegal) - Posts: 103 - 23/02/2025 23:29:31    2592806

Impressive performance from Galway today especially when you factor in the red card and 2 periods with black cards leaving them with 13 men. Galway were better during these periods against the elements than Donegal were with 15. Very poor first half despite the weather from Donegal. Thankfully things picked up in the second half with the introduction of Ban and especially Ciaran Thompson making a big difference. We're definitely light around the middle but hopefully things will improve with players to come back. A decent showing from Daire who was Donegal's best player over the full 70 minutes kicking some great scores in the second half when others in the forward line were poor apart from Conor O'Donnell. Bit of a reality check for everyone but I doubt Jim will be too disappointed all things considered. I don't think a league final is part of anyone's plans. On another note Galway will be serious contenders if Walsh can stay injury free. Really impressed with John Maher around the middle, so strong and athletic. Galway always had willing runners to support and really coped well with the conditions today.

panamasam (Australia) - Posts: 2828 - 24/02/2025 00:21:52    2592808

rorysboys (Donegal) - Posts: 2586 - 24/02/2025 08:53:28    2592823

No arguments over the result in Salthill, Galway were outstanding and I was really impressed by Shane Walsh and Maher in particular, but they had plenty of other players who were excellent too. Discipline let them down a little, but all in all, it shouldn't take away from their outstanding performance.

As for Donegal, three factors stood out as to why we lost,

- WEATHER - The first half wind and conditions was definitely a factor in Galway getting 7 x 2 pointers, the strong wind was carrying shots that bit further in the direction of the Donegal wind.

- KEY PLAYERS - We were missing a lot of key players in the first half, Paddy McBrearty, Niall O'Donnell, Ciaran Thompson, Ryan McHugh, Michael Langan, Jason McGee, Eoghan Ban Gallagher and our returning Michael Murphy. We still had a lot of quality on the field, I think under better conditions we probably could have stayed closer to Galway by halftime. We clawed back 9 or 10 points in the 2nd half, but the gap was too huge.

- INTENSITY - Galway seemed to be operating at a much higher intensity level than Donegal, I thought we looked lethargic, possibly we had a heavy training sessions this week, we definitely looked a bit leggy.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1273 - 24/02/2025 09:27:03    2592829

Fantastic game in O'Donnell Park yesterday where the Donegal hurlers showed some great resolve to put in a fine second half display in a historic win over Kerry.

The_Second_Coming (Donegal) - Posts: 28 - 24/02/2025 10:09:42    2592836

we looked very faitgued in that first half especially, the conditions were very tough to deal with and I think you could see how hard it was to get up the pitch only for the attack to break down, it sapped all energy out of our lads it looked like. we compounded the difficulty with bad decisions and to be honest making it hard on ourselves at times. in that 2nd half I couldn't understand running the ball through the hands so much. I know it is our game and our strength but the wind is at your back, kick the ball!

Galway played the conditions very smart in both halves and they are a seriously physical and athletic team, we couldn't deal with them, lost out on nearly every battle all around the pitch to be honest. We won very little breaking ball. Maher and Kelly bullied us and Walsh was in an unmarkable mood.

but I am not worried overall or for the year ahead or anything, it was just a disappointing performance and one of those days. hard for squad players to make an impact or put their hands up because of the conditions. a bit of a perfect storm of nothingness for us in the end with very little positive to take away from it.

Park it and move on to next week anois

CCFabu (Donegal) - Posts: 135 - 24/02/2025 10:45:28    2592851

Ulsterchamps_32 (Donegal) - Posts: 784 - 24/02/2025 11:36:42    2592865

Had good craic in the stand yesterday with some Donegal folk around us, conditions didn't help proceedings but it's a long year yet.

Best of luck for the rest of the year, we may meet again !

ahsure. (Galway) - Posts: 1643 - 24/02/2025 20:44:23    2593012

Anyone know why so many Donegal players were wearing the wrong numbers to what was in the programme on Sunday? It seemed a right balls up from a Donegal administration point of view.

PeterQ92 (Donegal) - Posts: 126 - 24/02/2025 21:06:55    2593015

gunman (Donegal) - Posts: 1134 - 24/02/2025 23:08:29    2593055

I was very sorry for the fringe players that were given a start on Sunday.It was impossible to play well in that first half and then to be replaced at half time and the players that came on being praised for improving things with a gale behind them.I would like to have seen them in the first half.

gunman (Donegal) - Posts: 1134 - 24/02/2025 23:21:44    2593058

road2sam (Donegal) - Posts: 27 - 25/02/2025 08:34:42    2593077

PeterQ92 (Donegal) - Posts: 126 - 25/02/2025 09:33:33    2593082

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1273 - 25/02/2025 09:41:24    2593086