Sometimes being a GAA supporter is a
joyous experience filled with incredible, unforgettable moments. Some matches give
you goosebumps when you’re there watching in the flesh.
Others are a penance. Saturday was
one such occasion.
A huge crowd had gathered by The
Finn to see if Donegal could get back on the horse after their implosion
against Tyrone but for many there what unfolded in front of their eyes would
have ranked as one of the worst games of football they’d ever seen.
It was reminiscent of the Laois game
in Carrick on Shannon in 2013 - everything a struggle, everything an effort.
Both teams were lethargic, both
committed basic errors while the shooting was simply atrocious.
However, if Donegal can navigate their way
through the back door to reach Croke Park, few will care about the weekend’s
fare.
Who remembers the Longford game in
2003? What about Carlow at home in 2009? The end points of those years are more
important – an All-Ireland semi-final and quarter-final respectively.
As often happens with a team after a
bad defeat, management decide to start again, to go back to basics and that’s exactly
what Rory Gallagher did with his troops.
Donegal went defensive, they got
numbers back and they made sure that the gaps that appeared ad nauseam in Clones
would not be seen again, regardless of the inferiority of the opponents this
time around.
The building blocks were constructed
at the back, with the aim of keeping the score down. That was achieved but the
zip on the counter attack and quality score-taking were marked absent.
Overall a bad display can be put
down to the scar tissue that remains from the Ulster semi-final. After building
up to the game since the draw was made last October, being on the receiving end
of a pasting takes time to get over.
It hasn’t cleared yet and may not
anytime soon but at least the healing has started.
Keeping the score down was one part
of the rebuilding process but how the team attacks must also improve and
develop.
Gallagher has generally persisted
with an attack they depends on support coming from behind the ball carrier.
When it works it can be devastating such is the pace that the team possesses and
the intricate lines of running the players are so adept at fashioning.
When it doesn’t work though there
has to be an alternative.
Donegal attacked Longford up the
middle and when the visitors blocked that channel, there was nowhere to go - there seemed to be a deliberate ploy to go
through the centre and avoid the wings, which were lying vacant for much of the
proceedings.
On several occasions, particularly
in the first half, the ball was fed over and back in front of the D before a
questionable shot option was selected which invariably led to a wide or a block
down. The defensive cordon wasn’t being broken so a constant cycle of recycling
was the outcome.
All the while Michael Langan was
inside and could have done damage had he got some ball. The other inside man,
Patrick McBrearty, was receiving the ball around the 45 – too far out for a
marksman of his quality.
The wrong player was usually on the
end of moves as well, leading to defenders like Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Paddy
McGrath and Caolan Ward turning back for support as they weren’t comfortable or
confident enough to shoot.
In yesterday’s Munster Final, Kerry
almost always managed to work the ball to either Paul Geaney or James O’Donoghue.
They’re their main men, the lads who will score the bulk for them so they work
at getting them on the end of moves.
In a tight, turgid game like we saw,
usually one man has to stand up and it was Martin McElhinney who
delivered. Martin has always been a direct footballer and he can break tackles.
With a young team, this is often the key variance missing from their play –
they are not sufficiently physically developed to take the hits on the run and
keep going. So they either turn back for support before the hit or they take it
and get turned over.
McElhinney also made a hugely
positive impact against Tyrone so he’s surely now in the running for a starting
jersey for next weekend.
The pairings this morning provided Donegal
a good draw, on paper at least. Their performance levels must increase though by
a few notches in order to get over Meath in Pairc Tailteann.
We're told that qualifiers are about
getting back on the wagon, to get up and running after a loss and to create the
magic word – momentum.
Taking the first step is the hardest
part and Donegal certainly did all they could to prove that idiom true.
Having avoided Mayo in Round 3, a
path has now opened up to HQ on Quarter Final day at the end of the month.
The open expanses of Croke Park
seemed light years away as wide after wide sailed past the Mac Cumhaill Park
posts on Saturday evening.
The opportunity is there though.
Donegal are still alive and while not yet kicking, there’s still time for that.
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