animal
Fanatical Member
Posts: 1,931
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Post by animal on Jan 30, 2017 12:50:37 GMT
Did Paul Murphy revert back to the half back line in the McGrath Cup? Although I thought Paul had a good year last year and contributed well I feel it's in defence we need him most.
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Post by fealeside on Jan 30, 2017 13:31:00 GMT
My prediction would be as follows: Kealy Foley. Griffin. Enright. Crowley. Young. O’Sullivan. Moran. Morley. Lyne. Murphy. M. Geaney. Keane. P. Geaney. James O’. I would like to see someone else take the long range frees, maybe Mikey Geaney. The David Moran option isn't productive enough and it could even be adversely affecting his game. Totally agree. I actually think he is a poor free taker and cannot understand how he is being persisted with. Surely be to god when Sheehan isn't there there has to be a better option. He misses a lot more than he converts.
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Post by Mickmack on Jan 30, 2017 13:31:49 GMT
Will any of the u21s be available to eamonn in February and March...
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mandad
Senior Member
Posts: 448
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Post by mandad on Jan 30, 2017 13:33:39 GMT
I take your point, but we appear to be developing a few decent defenders from the U21's who need to be given game time and integrated into the team. On the other hand, it would seem at this stage that the forwards might take a while longer to make the step up.
I would also make the point that our defense has performed well in the big games, while our attackers have underperformed - especially against Dublin. There is also the fact that three or four of our forwards have a lot of mileage and are unlikely to have any improvement left in their bones. Murphy has a great engine and gets up and down the field better than anyone in the panel from the half forward position. Anyway, we'll see what the selected team will be in due course. That's just my opinion.
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Post by buck02 on Jan 30, 2017 14:27:41 GMT
Will any of the u21s be available to eamonn in February and March... The U21s are available for the first two games so you would expect the likes of Jason Foley, Tom Sullivan & Barry Sullivan to maybe get starting places in these games.
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kot
Fanatical Member
Posts: 1,122
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Post by kot on Jan 30, 2017 15:22:11 GMT
I take your point, but we appear to be developing a few decent defenders from the U21's who need to be given game time and integrated into the team. On the other hand, it would seem at this stage that the forwards might take a while longer to make the step up. I would also make the point that our defense has performed well in the big games, while our attackers have underperformed - especially against Dublin. There is also the fact that three or four of our forwards have a lot of mileage and are unlikely to have any improvement left in their bones. Murphy has a great engine and gets up and down the field better than anyone in the panel from the half forward position. Anyway, we'll see what the selected team will be in due course. That's just my opinion. 2-14 is a pretty solid return. 22 scores conceded?
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mandad
Senior Member
Posts: 448
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Post by mandad on Jan 30, 2017 16:17:37 GMT
kot - Speaking from memory only, a huge amount of the Dublin scores against us have come very late in these games when the defenders were not getting the support that they should. There was enough good ball going into our forwards to pick off scores. I’m not deluded enough to suggest that we should have won in 2016 but our forwards did get some chances that they just didn’t put away. Not to mention the sub-performance of the 1st and 3rd. quarters. Obviously, we see things differently but then we won't be selecting the team.
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Post by buck02 on Jan 30, 2017 16:41:37 GMT
kot - Speaking from memory only, a huge amount of the Dublin scores against us have come very late in these games when the defenders were not getting the support that they should. There was enough good ball going into our forwards to pick off scores. I’m not deluded enough to suggest that we should have won in 2016 but our forwards did get some chances that they just didn’t put away. Not to mention the sub-performance of the 1st and 3rd. quarters. Obviously, we see things differently but then we won't be selecting the team. The 6 or 7 missed attempts in the middle of the first half of the 2015 final when we were totally dominant still loom large in my memory and is largely forgotten about. Looking at the teams thrown out by different posters I would be worried about the lack of scores from play in this game. Is James O going to be fit after his ankle injury?
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mandad
Senior Member
Posts: 448
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Post by mandad on Jan 30, 2017 17:10:09 GMT
I understand James is 100%
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Post by givehimaball on Jan 30, 2017 22:48:17 GMT
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Post by onlykerry on Jan 31, 2017 9:54:03 GMT
Looking at Donegal two of the starting 15 from the Mayo game were on the defeated 2014 minor team and two of the subs were also part of that team that lost to Kerry that year in the AI final.
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kot
Fanatical Member
Posts: 1,122
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Post by kot on Jan 31, 2017 11:39:35 GMT
kot - Speaking from memory only, a huge amount of the Dublin scores against us have come very late in these games when the defenders were not getting the support that they should. There was enough good ball going into our forwards to pick off scores. I’m not deluded enough to suggest that we should have won in 2016 but our forwards did get some chances that they just didn’t put away. Not to mention the sub-performance of the 1st and 3rd. quarters. Obviously, we see things differently but then we won't be selecting the team. To be honest I agree they missed some very scorable chances and a couple to probably put the game beyond doubt, however coughing up 22 points and 2 good goal chances doesn't represent an overperforming defence. And a defence that has been continually carved up right through the middle over the previous 2 seasons and (although very early to judge) again so far in 2017.
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Post by Chinatown on Jan 31, 2017 13:31:13 GMT
Sorry if this has been covered off but how is Tommy Walsh goin , saw him at park run in tralee, looking in good shape
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Post by givehimaball on Jan 31, 2017 17:22:50 GMT
Some of the Donegal lads were in action today in UUJ's win over Garda College Paddy McBrearty and Ryan McHugh got 1-8 between them so look to be in good form, but the fact that it was on in Templemore and went to extra-time probably wasn't ideal preparation. I presume the E McHugh who came on early for Donegal is Eoin McHugh. I don't think there was anyone from Kerry on either team. Also Peter Kelleher of Cork went off injured after 10 minutes for the Guards but came back on later on - I doubt the Cork management will be too thrilled by that. www.the42.ie/ulster-university-garda-sigerson-3215131-Jan2017/
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Post by Seoirse Ui Duic on Jan 31, 2017 23:20:44 GMT
The Kerry Senior Football Team to play Donegal in the AFL Round 1 on Sunday next will be announced after training on Friday evening and will be posted on the Kerry GAA Website at 8:30pm.
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Post by Ballyfireside on Feb 2, 2017 3:53:31 GMT
O'Donnell Park, Letterkenny is a Prunty pitch and the most recently upgraded stadium in a county that has no less than 3 'inter-county' venues, Ballybofey, and Ballyshannon at the entry to the county, being the other two. I have seen the Letterkenny pitch more often that I have had hot dinners and I think it is near enough Croke Park in size -definitely as wide though open to correction on the length.
Access is via the town and there is a Park & Ride service on the day -just follow the signs for Glenties and you will be funnelled, Gardai also do GAA signs and no, you can't go wrong. The shopping centre parking areas you hit don't have locking gates and you are then only 5 mins from the shuttle bus point at Black's Centra, and which is only 5 mins walk from pitch anyway, so I'd leave it for the drunk and infirm.
This is always a great occasion and the hard-core are of good spirit. Though Donegal is a soccer power-house I tend to forget it because these contests prove it is also a Gaelic power-house, dual power!
We haven't had an away victory in a long time and if it wasn't for the green and gold (and bloody) derby last year, and along with our own recent close call with Limerick, you'd be thinking we'd be hopeful of breaking our duck in Donegal this year. Naturally enough '14 is completely and totally forgotten about and to prove it the price on Donaghy's head has fallen by a full cent. Rumour that he was attending had the tickets sold out within a full 5 mins so no worries there Kieran, the red carpet will be unrolled!
They are telling us they have no team and of course you can take their word for it, 'beating Kerry is always a pleasure' they say, as if we hadn't figured that one out.
Murphy has logically assumed a kind of player/asst manager role and it is hardly a secret that it is working a treat. As he is the all-time youngest ever in such a role in any county, it is a standout aspect of Dún na nGall that will be worth keeping an eye on.
Funnily enough but they are in precisely the same pivotal mode as ourselves as regards pipeline, and a pipeline they have from the minors we scraped over.
Ye now know everything I know, and that's saying something!
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Jigz84
Fanatical Member
Posts: 2,017
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Post by Jigz84 on Feb 3, 2017 9:14:24 GMT
www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/kerry-donegal-enmity-can-light-spark-on-new-league-campaign-441906.htmlKerry Donegal enmity can light spark on new league campaignThose suspicious minds in Kerry smelt something a little off when the venue for this Sunday’s Division 1 round one was fixed a few months back. Letterkenny is not Ballybofey where Donegal have previously hosted them in 2008 and ’13. About 30 minutes less of a trip north. Bear in mind also that Cork’s last two visits to The Forgotten County in 2015 and last year were staged in southerly Ballyshannon. It is, of course, Donegal’s prerogative to choose their home venue – they generally divide games between the aforementioned three venues – and in fairness they have travelled to Tralee these last two springs. It must also be noted that they did welcome Pat O’Shea’s side to O’Donnell Park 10 years ago. So it shouldn’t seem too out of the ordinary but then any decision taken by either of these teams reflecting the other was going to be scrutinised more than it should after last year’s fiery encounter in the then newly-refurbished Austin Stack Park. advertisement Fiery is an appropriate word but its referee Eddie Kinsella had another less subtle antonym – “a hoor of a match,” he told this newspaper upon his inter-county retirement in November. “It was a terrible game to referee because so much was going on.” By the end, Alan Fitzgerald had been red-carded for swinging out at Neil McGee, the Donegal defender later receiving a retrospective one-match ban for the actions that provoked his marker’s angst. Both county boards were fined €7,500, while Leo McLoone was also shown a red card and Kerry pair Shane Enright and Denis Daly picked up black cards. Afterwards, a member of the Donegal camp privately asked a number of journalists if they were going to write about how cynical Kerry were during the game. He declined the offer to speak about his grievances on the record. That was understandable given that the visitors had lost and the individual likely felt his words would have come across as sour grapes but it gave an indication into the tensions between the sides, which pre-date the 2014 All-Ireland final when Donegal players at a social event confronted a Kerry player for public remarks he had made about them. However, the ’14 decider most assuredly raised the temperature. Speaking to the Irish Examiner before the ’15 league game, which largely passed off without incident, Damien Diver, who was a selector under McGuinness the previous season accused Kerry of being cynical in the final particularly in their treatment of captain Michael Murphy. “Aidan O'Mahony did do right enough but there was a lot of off-the-ball stuff that wasn't seen,” said Diver. “Michael doesn't get a fair crack of the whip as far as referees are concerned just because he's a big man. A free is a free no matter how big or small the player is. I would say having been beaten by Tyrone a lot down through the years and Armagh didn't help things and they changed their style and probably got more cynical that way. Some of their tackling in the All-Ireland final was very cynical, like holding on a lot and stopping runners. They learned all of that through time." Likewise in Kerry, it might be joked about now but the spy-in-the-tree episode outside Fitzgerald Stadium in the lead-up to that final hasn’t been forgotten either. Similarly, the perceived dearth of credit afforded to them for winning. In McGuinness’ book “Until Victory Always”, he recalled of the match: “Kerry did nothing in that game that we didn’t flag. That’s what was so disappointing. They didn’t catch us on the hop, even for that (Kieran Donaghy goal). They set up as we expected and their kick-outs went where we knew they would. We just didn’t deliver our normal purposeful performance.” McGuinness continued: “If our boys had been living it and playing with abandon and Kerry were just that bit better, you could walk away with a clean conscience and think: Wow, that’s a great team we met. There are ways to lose, Kerry were the better team on the day, but our performance was not there.” Donegal and Kerry stir each other. Even as the visitors count up their club-tied players and the hosts their retired, there is too much history between them not to be engaged. Inter-county Gaelic football is back, most likely, in Letterkenny, with a bang.
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Post by kerrygold on Feb 3, 2017 9:31:15 GMT
It's some bull* bringing that game to Letterkenny, round trip of a 1000 kilometres from south Kerry, an additional 140 kilometres round trip between Ballyshannon and Letterkenny. 12 hour return drive.
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Post by Seoirse Ui Duic on Feb 3, 2017 9:51:26 GMT
It's some bull* bringing that game to Letterkenny, round trip of a 1000 kilometres from south Kerry, an additional 140 kilometres round trip between Ballyshannon and Letterkenny. 12 hour return drive. The Donegal crowd are very good for traveling and have had some awfully long trips themselves. Ballyshannon would have been nice, but the pitch in Letterkenny is better. Suppose Letterkenny was due a few games after Ballybofey and Ballyshannon games. Ballyshannon is easiest to get to, Ballybofey the worst. I kinda like going to Donegal as it has a lot of similarities with Kerry, but is an awful long trip. Will get up at 4am on Sunday.
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Post by kerrybhoy06 on Feb 3, 2017 10:08:56 GMT
It's some bull* bringing that game to Letterkenny, round trip of a 1000 kilometres from south Kerry, an additional 140 kilometres round trip between Ballyshannon and Letterkenny. 12 hour return drive. Completely agree to be honest- a pointless exercise from a county that have gone from passionate and agressive under McGuinness to petty and childish under Rory
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Post by kerrybhoy06 on Feb 3, 2017 10:10:04 GMT
It's some bull* bringing that game to Letterkenny, round trip of a 1000 kilometres from south Kerry, an additional 140 kilometres round trip between Ballyshannon and Letterkenny. 12 hour return drive. The Donegal crowd are very good for traveling and have had some awfully long trips themselves. Ballyshannon would have been nice, but the pitch in Letterkenny is better. Suppose Letterkenny was due a few games after Ballybofey and Ballyshannon games. Ballyshannon is easiest to get to, Ballybofey the worst. I kinda like going to Donegal as it has a lot of similarities with Kerry, but is an awful long trip. Will get up at 4am on Sunday. Have you inspected the pitches recently?
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Post by Seoirse Ui Duic on Feb 3, 2017 10:46:26 GMT
The Donegal crowd are very good for traveling and have had some awfully long trips themselves. Ballyshannon would have been nice, but the pitch in Letterkenny is better. Suppose Letterkenny was due a few games after Ballybofey and Ballyshannon games. Ballyshannon is easiest to get to, Ballybofey the worst. I kinda like going to Donegal as it has a lot of similarities with Kerry, but is an awful long trip. Will get up at 4am on Sunday. Have you inspected the pitches recently? Haven't. But usually pass around there often during the summer. The Letterkenny pitch is slightly larger in my opinion (obviously I haven't measured it) and seems to be better drained. I have nothing to back this up, but I would say that if it rains the Letterkenny pitch would be less slippy. Maybe one of the Donegal players can come on here and confirm that. Talking to Donegal people Páirc Sheáin Mac Cumhaill is their least favourite too. Much better maintained than Finn Park, but I'm told that both pitches are not great. Now, I haven't played on the three surfaces myself, but just relay back to you what people who did think about it.
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Post by wayupnorth on Feb 3, 2017 14:19:23 GMT
It's some bull* bringing that game to Letterkenny, round trip of a 1000 kilometres from south Kerry, an additional 140 kilometres round trip between Ballyshannon and Letterkenny. 12 hour return drive. But not as bad as expecting Mayo supporters to travel to Limerick 😉 Seriously, it's a long way from South Kerry to any part of Donegal and it would be interesting to know of any people who are not travelling because the match is in Letterkenny rather than Ballybofey. I have never been at a Donegal v Kerry match in Ballyshannon. When was the last time we played them there?
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Post by number14 on Feb 3, 2017 15:04:41 GMT
It's some bull* bringing that game to Letterkenny, round trip of a 1000 kilometres from south Kerry, an additional 140 kilometres round trip between Ballyshannon and Letterkenny. 12 hour return drive. But not as bad as expecting Mayo supporters to travel to Limerick 😉 Seriously, it's a long way from South Kerry to any part of Donegal and it would be interesting to know of any people who are not travelling because the match is in Letterkenny rather than Ballybofey. I have never been at a Donegal v Kerry match in Ballyshannon. When was the last time we played them there? And there was me thinking Limerick was somewhere between Kerry and Mayo - did not realize it was on the back end of Kerry heading for the North of France. Them boys wayupnorth have quare maps.........
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Post by givehimaball on Feb 3, 2017 15:27:43 GMT
Donegal will give 5 players their first start in the Allianz League and 3 of those will be a debut, those 5 are Caolan Ward & Paul Brennan, have already seen action in the Allianz Leagues while Jason McGee, Michael Langan, and Jamie Brennan will line out for the county for the first time in the Allianz League.
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Post by Ballyfireside on Feb 3, 2017 16:18:16 GMT
As the only Prunty pitch in Donegal, O'Donnell Park in Letterkenny is so similar to Croker and is far and away the best playing surface of the 3 options. The crowd capacity suits this encounter perfectly and while I don't envy the 1,000km round trip for South Kerry folk and which is similar to West Donegallers getting to Kerry, it is hard to argue with the decision overall and the open spaces will suit us. Ballybofey will be saved for more local visitors and where attendances are bigger, so O'Donnell Park must get it's turn.
Both counties can put on a great purist days entertainment and it is sad that some empty vessels would be trying to stoke it up into something that it won't be. There are a lot of players at the early stages of their careers so give 'em a chance to display their skills.
I just passed by the pitch an hour ago and it has a most beautiful dark green coat for early Feb, so all is set up for another great one. There will be a big local support so we will need all our vocal power to get our first away League victory over them in a long time.
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Post by Seoirse Ui Duic on Feb 3, 2017 18:43:08 GMT
Donegal V Kerry Allianz League – Letterkenny Sunday 5th Feb 2017
Stiles Opening at 12.30pm. Game Starts 2.00pm Event Finish at 5.00pm
Patrons Travelling to the O’Donnell Park:
All patrons travelling to O’Donnell Park for the event are advised to arrive early as a large crowd is expected. Patrons are asked to obey the instructions of stewards & Gardaí at all times. Please allow plenty of time for your journey. Please check your route before travelling as some routes may experience delays due to road works.
Ticket Info;
Entry to the grounds is by ticket only.
Tickets will be available to purchase on the day from the clearly marked ticket outlets within the grounds. Ticket Purchase does not automatically qualify the ticket holder to a seat at the event.
Adults €15
Student/Senior €10**
U16 Free
** You will be asked for ID verification when purchasing tickets
Full Price Adult Tickets can be pre purchased in your local Supervalu/Centra Outlets priced at €12.
Season Ticket and Club + Card Holders must enter the grounds through the designated stiles which will be clearly marked.
As there is no allocated seating Stand Seats are available on a first come first served basis. Seats cannot be held or reserved under any circumstances.
Parking
Please note that O'Donnell park has limited parking therefore parking is only provided to those with an official car pass only. Official Car Pass Holders should arrive at the ground not later than 1.00pm. Vehicle access to the ground will be unavailable after this time. No vehicles will be allowed to exit the grounds for at least 30 minutes after the end of the game.
A Park & Ride system will be in operation from Black’s Centra Store. Patrons are asked to use the designated Car Parks in Letterkenny which will be clearly signposted.
Patrons arriving by car from Glenties /Fintown area are advised to come to the roundabout at O’Donnell Park and park on left side of the road. Gardaí and stewards will be on duty to advise and assist.
Special Needs Parking:
There are 15 disabled parking spaces in O’Donnell Park Car Park which can only be accessed from the main entrance. Patrons using this facility should be at the grounds 2 hours prior to the event starting or admittance cannot be guaranteed.
Bus / Coach Parking:
There are no specific bus or coach parking areas around O’Donnell Park. Coaches must not be parked in a manner which could lead to disruption. Patrons travelling to the above event by coach should be dropped off at a pre-arranged point and should return there once the event is over.
Pre Event Traffic Restrictions:
As with all events at O’Donnell Park, a Garda Cordon will be in effect on the streets that lead to the grounds. Only accredited vehicles will be permitted to pass by this cordon. All vehicles will be checked for accreditation.
Garda No-Parking Cones will be placed on roads in the vicinity of O’Donnell Park to allow for the safe movement of patrons & vehicles.
Patron Search:
All patrons entering the Garda cordon will be the subject of a ticket check by Stewards and search by Gardaí. Any offensive articles, e.g. glass bottles, air horns, large flagpoles, flares, vuvuzelas will not be permitted. Patrons are advised not to bring any unnecessary baggage with them and are advised to travel early to the grounds to avoid any unnecessary delays.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support.
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smokey
Junior Member
Posts: 46
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Post by smokey on Feb 3, 2017 18:58:17 GMT
The team I'd like to see on Sunday
Kealy
Enright Young Foley
T O'Sullivan M Griffin P Crowley
D Moran Jack Barry
D Walsh Paul Murphy B O'Sullivan
C Geaney Paul Geaney J O'Donoghue
Newbies in each line but importantly surrounded by experience. Morley, Adrian Spillane, O'Beaglaigh, C Keane, Denis Daly and Barry O'Sullivan get a run out. It would be harsh dropping Morley given how hes supposed to have played so far but I'd go with the u21's for the first 2 games.
I'd like to see P Crowley released to the wings as I think he offers more going forward and give Griffin a chance to man the centre. We need defenders that will attack (there hasn't been enough of this in recent years), T O'Sullivan and Crowley on the wings would provide this.
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Post by kerrygold on Feb 3, 2017 19:47:56 GMT
It's some bull* bringing that game to Letterkenny, round trip of a 1000 kilometres from south Kerry, an additional 140 kilometres round trip between Ballyshannon and Letterkenny. 12 hour return drive. But not as bad as expecting Mayo supporters to travel to Limerick 😉 Seriously, it's a long way from South Kerry to any part of Donegal and it would be interesting to know of any people who are not travelling because the match is in Letterkenny rather than Ballybofey. I have never been at a Donegal v Kerry match in Ballyshannon. When was the last time we played them there? You know who'll be there, the couple of supporters busses and the handful who drive around the country to every match regardless, I'm sure you'll recognise them all at this stage.
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Post by kerrygold on Feb 3, 2017 19:50:19 GMT
Donegal will give 5 players their first start in the Allianz League and 3 of those will be a debut, those 5 are Caolan Ward & Paul Brennan, have already seen action in the Allianz Leagues while Jason McGee, Michael Langan, and Jamie Brennan will line out for the county for the first time in the Allianz League. Mark McHugh's decline from 2012 has been staggering considering the pivotal role he played that year.
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