5.
5: 60-minute games are exciting The return to 60-minute games for the provincial pre-season competitions was surely one of the refreshing things we learned from the past week or so. There were doubts cast about the future of the competitions but the changes which reduced the time span and allowing unlimited substitutions made it the perfect pre-season preparation. Donegal missed out on the opening game but the games against Antrim, Derry and the final against Monaghan was used to great effect to give the young guns their chance as well as giving the other panel members game time. The shorter game span allowed for great energy in all the games, which made them very entertaining for the supporters, who responded by attending in big numbers. The other thing we learned is that there is no better feeling than that winning feeling. Seeing that pitch invasion by young supporters in Healy Park is so special.
6.
6: Two-pointers win games The safe mentality of not going for two-pointers could come back to haunt Donegal and Ulster teams generally in 2026. Looking at the provincial competitions, there was a notable difference in this regard. Mayo hit six two-pointers against Roscommon in the FBD league; there were 10 two-pointers in the O’Byrne Cup final with Mark McHugh’s Westmeath hitting six of those and we know all about what Kerry can do in this regard. In Ulster, we can see that teams are being coached to move the ball around and players who take on shots from outside the arc are rarely the first option. It will be interesting to see how this pans out throughout the league, but if we learned anything from last year it was that two-pointers are key. Remember our game against Galway in the League in Pearse Stadium and the All-Ireland final against Kerry. The game has been dramatically altered by the two-point rule change and Donegal will have to adapt and match the other top teams.
7.
7: Hello McKenna Cup, goodbye McKenna Cup? With no decision on whether or not this year’s Dr McKenna Cup will be the last, nobody is too sure whether Malone has written a climactic chapter. There was no competition last year, so in essence, Donegal defeated the holders Derry - from 2024 - in the semi-final at Celtic Park on Wednesday. With Ulster teams having to get into the crunch of things that bit earlier than most and over 30,000 having attended the curtain-raising competition in its 100th year, most are in favour of a continuation. Coalan McGonagle, one short of his 100th inter-county appearance, gave his approval as he lifted the trophy as Donegal captain. Ulster says yes. Hugh McFadden, who was man of the match on the final against Monaghan, also alluded to the usefulness of the Dr McKenna Cup, although stressed it’s much preferable to start the games in January rather than late December. With the Dr McKenna Cup it would be difficult to see where the chance would come to breed so many young players.