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15 Feb 2026
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15 Feb 2026
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Donegal don't nessessarily want to win the NFL but would they like an extra game, a competitive one at Croke Park against a championship rival? The answer to that would be yes.
Gallen return is huge
While there were whispers that Michael Murphy was in line to make a surprise appearance in Ballyshannon last weekend, Oisin Gallen being added into the mix wasn’t on anyone’s bingo card.
The MacCumhaills man - like Murphy - underwent an ankle procedure in the off-season but the timeframes for their respective returns were reported to be a little wider apart.
Gallen, with some niggles that he never once stressed publicly about, saw his overall impact affected last term.
By most forwards’ standards, he still had a fine season. But the fifth gear that won him an All-Star in 2024 was difficult to find.
He did find it at times, for instance, there were periods in the Ulster final against Armagh when he simply tore it up.
But he just couldn’t sustain that. The same could be said about the All-Ireland final when he also popped up with some quality scores.
A niggly quad complaint probably felt like a real issue as he looked to continue to coax it along into the club season.
But a nasty ankle injury picked up in a Donegal Club SFC group stage loss to Gaoth Dobhair summed up his luck in 2025.
But if Gallen can stay fit, much like Jason McGee around the middle, he has the ability to give Donegal something completely different up front, once more, this season.
He’s one of the best forwards in the land and his natural ability to kick off both feet, injury free and under the new rules, has huge potential for Donegal.
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