The Alternative View: Enjoyable journey continues with subtle changes in Donegal style

The need was much greater for Galway when they came to Fr Tierney Park, Ballyshannon on Sunday but Donegal’s stubborn refusal to lose gave supporters something different and special to shout about.

As a result, despite the difficult conditions another huge Donegal turnout went home pretty pleased with themselves, almost feeling like they had won.

For long periods it looked as if Galway would prove too much for Donegal, who didn’t help themselves losing Michael Langan for 10 minutes to a black card and then having to play the final 27 minutes with 14 after Stephen McMenamin’s rash intervention saw him pick up a second yellow. 

It was new territory for Donegal in the 2026 season, having to claw back a deficit, albeit only six points. However, the loss of a man in the era of the new rules is much more severe, having to maintain three forwards in the opposing half all the time.

Granted Donegal did send in the cavalry at half-time with the experienced Peadar Mogan and Michael Murphy alongside the exuberance of Finnbarr Roarty and this trio were front and central to Donegal getting the result of a share of the spoils in the end.

Five games in the league plus three in the Dr McKenna Cup has Jim McGuinness’s charges flying high, unbeaten in 2026 and looking almost certain of being in a Division 1 League final for only the second time in their history.

Could we see a decider in Croke Park with Mayo sensation Kobe McDonald being marked by Finnbarr Roarty? Speaking to former Donegal great Martin Carney on Monday, that was something he said he would like to see.

Apart from Donegal not wanting to throw in the towel when the odds were against them on Sunday last against Galway, what else did we find out about the team?

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It was refreshing to see them really go for it with all the big men, Hugh McFadden, Michael Langan, Jason McGee and Michael Murphy dominating the airwaves and attacking like a wave was a joy to witness. The energy that they showed in turning Galway over, even with 14 men, was impressive.

The era of the two pointer is also now supreme. While Dáire Ó Baoill and Ciaran Thompson were our main exponents of the art last year there seems to be a subtle change this year with more and more Donegal players willing to add their weight, culminating in Peadar Mogan’s levelling kick on Sunday.

Goalkeeper Gavin Mulreany is excelling at the art  of free taking and it seems the longer the kick the better the result. Sunday’s effort into the wind was in the same vein as his exocet in the Athletic Grounds the previous Sunday. With 0-19 to his credit this year alone, Mulreany is one of the standout Donegal players during his first consistent run of eight games on the trot.

We are blessed to have him at a time when the regular No 1 Shaun Patton is still recovering from injury and by all accounts is some way off returning just yet.

Sunday’s game was far from perfect but excuses can be made for some of the turnovers by the very difficult playing conditions. It seemed as if the rain held off until the players arrived out on the field. The pitch held up well but it is the time of year when there are so many vagaries, it is difficult to come to many conclusions.

One of the striking stats from the game is that both sides had just one score in the final 10 minutes. For Donegal there were compelling excuses as they were chasing the game with a man short but Galway will hardly be happy with their return, given that they had plenty of possession.

Another aside to the present Donegal run of form is the fairly sizable number of Donegal ‘supporters’ who are negative at just about everything, from Donegal’s chances of winning anything to the ability of some players to make it at the top level.

There were even some who felt that Michael Murphy was over the hill and I’m sure after Sunday there will be others bringing up the old chestnut of why he is not positioned at the edge of the square at full-forward. What Sunday proved is that Donegal needs Michael Murphy on the field and they need the ball in his hands. It doesn’t matter where he is positioned, just use him for whatever time he can give and let him do his thing. He is the one player that has real x factor and apart from his ball-winning ability on Sunday, his distribution was the difference between Donegal losing gracefully and getting the draw in the end.

Let’s hope that we get to see another season or two of Murphy to guide the young guns along the path in the correct manner. So far Jim McGuinness has tried out a good number of the development squad with varying degrees of success.

It will not be an overnight adjustment. Conor McCahill has probably shone brightest and he has the confidence and physique to be in the mix come championship time. Many of the others will need work in the physical stakes but they have time on their side. Last Sunday Paul O’Hare got his chance and he grabbed it with both hands. He is a year or two ahead of the younger guns and he did himself no harm when beating Galway captain and powerhouse John Maher to a breaking ball right in front of the Donegal dugout. He not alone beat Maher to the ball but didn’t spill it under pressure and got his pass away. The Gavigan-Doherty-Hegarty Naomh Columba crew would have been impressed with the grit shown.

Those are the little things in a game that you will be remembered by. O’Hare, with his Down blood, is probably still down the pecking order for a half-back spot but on Sunday he put his hand up to say ‘I’m here if you need me.’

And while Donegal have been doing well as regards injuries this year, cover in the defensive positions remains their biggest issue. Mark Curran was back in the match day 26 on Sunday but has been curtailed by a couple of setbacks; Caolan McColgan is also missing through injury at the moment. 

There will be a helluva battle for a spot in the half-forward line when everybody is fit. On Sunday last there were five missing candidates in Ciaran Moore, Shane O’Donnell, Dáire Ó Baoill, Ciaran Thompson and Kieran Gallagher. If you throw Jason McGee into the middle of the field with Hugh McFadden, then you have Michael Langan for that line as well. Come championship time picking a first 15 will become pretty interesting.

It would be easy to say that the most important thing now for Donegal is to avoid injuries, but we all know that a certain amount of luck is attached to that wish. Coming towards the end of March and into April is the time that you hope that Lady Luck does not desert and if Donegal can keep their players healthy the omens look good for another long season.

MATCH STATS

DONEGAL 1-17

GALWAY 0-20

Donegal scorers: Conor O’Donnell 1-2; Peadar Mogan 0-3,1tp; Jamie Brennan, Michael Langan, Jason McGee 0-2 each; Gavin Mulreany 0-2,1tpf; Michael Murphy 0-2,1f; Finnbarr Roarty and Ryan McHugh 0-1 each.

Galway scorers: Oisín Mac Donnacha 0-7,1tp,2f; Ciaran Mulhearn 0-3; Robert Finnerty 0-3,1f; Matthew Tierney, Liam Ó Conghaile and Shane McGrath 0-2 each; Cian Hernon 0-1.

Donegal: Gavin Mulreany; Eoghan Bán Gallagher, Brendan McCole, Stephen McMenamin; Ryan McHugh, Caolan McGonagle, Paul O’Hare; Hugh McFadden, Michael Langan; Shea Malone, Conor O’Donnell, Jamie Brennan; Conor McCahill, Jason McGee, Eoin McGeehin.

Subs: Michael Murphy, Peadar Mogan and Finnbarr Roarty for McGeehin, McCahill and Brennan (ht), Kevin Muldoon for Malone (56).

Galway: Connor Gleeson; Johnny McGrath, Cian Hernon, Jack Glynn; Liam Silke, Dylan McHugh, Seán Kelly; John Maher, Matthew Tierney; Shane McGrath, Ciaran Mulhern, Liam Ó Conghaile; Robert Finnerty, Céin Darcy, Oisín Mac Donnacha.

Subs: Fionn McDonagh for Ó Conghaile (56), Paul Conroy and Daniel Ó Flaherty for Darcy and S McGrath (60).

Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry)