Donegal defenders will go up the field at every chance they get and pose a dilemma for Galway’s forwards – stick or twist?
Donegal manager Jim McGuinness: Donegal have undergone an incredible turnaround in such a short space of time, and the obvious difference is that the man in charge is now Jim McGuinness. Photograph: Nick Elliott/Inpho
We didn’t come across them again last season. They lost to Down in an Ulster quarter-final and ultimately exited the championship after losing at home to Tyrone in an All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final. In life and sport you learn most from your losses. In the summer of 2014 we were playing great football, it was an exciting brand of football that was easy on the eye. But in the All-Ireland semi-final against Donegal that August we were undone defensively. We pushed up a little too high on kickouts and got caught by Paul Durcan going long over the press. Donegal were able to get flick-ons and burst straight through on our goal.
I have often heard Jim in interviews referencing “standards” and how it’s about players showing up in every training session. I’d imagine they train at a really high intensity, which in turn allows them to play at a high intensity. You play the way you train! Donegal’s game is based on running and having footballers happy and comfortable to play anywhere on the pitch. It makes them a hard team to play against, but they are coming up against a formidable challenge in Galway on Sunday.
Donegal's Ryan McHugh and Tyrone's Seanie O'Donnell in an All-Ireland senior championship round 1 game at Ballybofey, Donegal, in May. Photograph: Lorcan Doherty/Inpho
Donegal-Gaa Galway-Gaa Kerry-Gaa Armagh-Gaa
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Dean Rock: Lack of Dublin-Mayo spark in keeping with slow-burning championshipWe are still waiting for the championship to catch fire, despite the finish line on the horizon
Read more »
Dean Rock: Derry face a test of character to save their seasonMickey Harte’s side must put recent downturn in form behind them to beat Mayo
Read more »
Dean Rock: Time for Kerry to move up a gear in their quest to reclaim SamDean Rock: I expect a big performance from Kerry and reckon they will beat Derry pretty convincingly
Read more »
Galway Bay FM star Kayte O’Malley says she's very similar to her father KevinThe radio star says if they are working on anything together, she is the ideas department and her dad is more the proofreading side of it, which is great because you need both in life
Read more »
Nigel Carolan, the Galway man plotting a hole through Munster’s defenceThe Counter Ruck Podcast
Read more »
Walsh brace fires Galway to victory over DroghedaThe home team were largely on top at Eamonn Deacy Park.
Read more »