 www.boobertcare.ie or call our care team today on 07491 29562 and bring care home. You can find all the tips and tricks on the website www.boobertcare.ie or visit our local branch. Let's get it done! The DL Debate with Sister Sarah's Ladder Can-E, serving food you'll love till 9pm daily in Sarah's Kitchen. And there's free admission entertainment every weekend. Welcome, welcome to the DL Debate. Your weekly radio show podcast wrapping up all the G in the North West. What a day it was yesterday at Cruel Park for Donegal and Derry. Double delight taking home division one and division two. Shortly we're going to hear from our Ma legend Aaron Kiernan. Not a very happy man I would imagine after our Ma's performance. But listen, taking on away Donegal totally deserved the victory for me. We're going to hear also from Donegal News Sports correspondent Ryan Ferry. He's coming on for some in-depth analysis into Donegal performance in particular. And this season they come ahead in the championship. I'm delighted to say Joe Dex is here as ever producing the show and keeping us right. And the man of knowledge, Anne Chairman's Park, Hilferty Park. What's happening around here? What's going down brother? It's good to see you back fresh from Dublin you know. Do you think it looked fresh? I don't feel it. You do, you behaved yourselves and you came back with a bit of silverware which was good. I suppose Brandon it was a good test for Donegal yesterday. I suppose they answered the questions. They settled well. Obviously losing with Birdie and McHugh last week I was thinking right. With McCool out as well. Our fallback then did look maybe suspect from aerial attack. I mean obviously Murray can handle himself. In terms of being there then again he's new enough to fall back. You're wondering about positional. McHugh, Coggan, Korn, McGilligan was ended up in there. But it didn't really seem to happen for Murray. They didn't put the ball in. They didn't kick the ball. It was strange because you see straight away the first thing that I really liked about Donegal's approach yesterday they didn't show any nerves. By the looks of it Jason won the throw and I think it was root one football straight in the arching. Caught the ball, stuck a hand up over the bar straight away up and running. That just gives you confidence straight away I suppose. And how many times would you have discussed that with them? Primary possession won the throw up and once you get that and you score straight away confidence obviously lifts a wee bit. And this Jason McGee back as well. A massive plus. You're looking at the modern game. You need your big man in the middle. Kevin Hammond lying in there. You know, with Keelan McGonagall in the round there as well. Thompson's obviously like another midfielder as well. So you've got that power in the round there. And then all the rest of the players so mobile, you know, you mention them all. Really the two of Don's flying, you know. You know, Aaron Dougherty zooming about the place you mentioned the arching inside. You know, breaking from deep in. You know, we just seen Don McCoggan famous for that. You know, you just look. There's a nice play in there of a pace and attack, you know, if you can add in. Then obviously if you don't ban and Ryan McCabe bombing up the flanks or through the middle of that as well. You know, I don't know where our ma, I thought we were in cruise control. I thought for the, you know, for the majority of the match, like, you know, they got controlled it. It definitely was at a stage where there was, you know, when our ma came in that last, what, 10, 15 minutes or so, Brennan, suppose it was evident that they were they were pressing. They've only got a kick out. And maybe that's one thing that Jim will look at this week after after they get time to settle down. And as I say, was getting a kick out in the last 10 minutes or so seemed to be a wee bit more difficult than before previously. But no doubt about it. You look at Naila Don, your own clubman's performance yesterday. I thought, you know, came of age as well. Naila struggled with injury. Shane came back in as well. And, you know, that's that's huge positives there coming on in Crow Park as well, Brennan. And like, you know better than anybody else. The pressures it can have sometimes. But looking at it, a lot of the younger players, Kieran Moore, flourished yesterday as well, got on a lot of possession, didn't show any nerves. I think we were speaking off air earlier on about, you know, the intelligent football that was occurring as well, more so than, you know, sometimes the flamboyancy of football that, you know, that players have from time to time. It's about being intelligent on the ball. And no doubt that's something Jim will be happy with as well. Yeah, certainly. A man that mightn't be too happy is on the line here. It's a Arma, a legend, cross with Glenman, Aaron Kiernan. Aaron, we've just been talking about Porek there. Have you been listening in about the plus points for Donegal? You know, I'm just again, Aaron and me and yourself and Willie talk about some pieces scratching their head again after, you know, another big day for Arma where they didn't perform. Yeah, it was. It was the old cliches. Everyone wanted a promotion and that was the main thing. But we did, we spoke last week. I felt our need was more just in terms of picking up silverware in a big game where there was plenty riding on. So that is another disappointment. You're looking at your ways, heading up the steps of the Hogan. And it's not the end of the world. It's not championship, but just seeing that group of Arma players standing in a huddle, just sort of gallant losers again. It was disappointing. It was, and particularly as we spoke with last week, given the numbers that you were missing and the sort of quality and experience that you were missing, it probably didn't help the situation. So yeah, it was. I thought we had come with a late surge. So one of the big positives was for a game that was flat and we were very flat. And the big issue we had last year was or just past few years since that epic game against Gallows we stood off an awful lot in kickouts and didn't press where I felt that really was the turn in the game where obviously Sean Patton has a boom and kick out and there's no doubt about it that Jimmy would have everything orchestrated in terms of what happens if a team sets up in different ways. But I felt we very much put pressure on yourselves for Sean to go along, got him blown up at one stage and I felt that led to us building that bit of momentum. But unfortunately, we weren't able to kick on and get the win out of it. And from your own perspective, the fact that the game turned completely on yourselves and the personnel that you were missing, you still found a way to go and win a game. So I'd say, regardless of lifting the cup, that would be the biggest thing that will have pleased Jimmy and the boys heading home last night. Yeah, and Aaron, do you know, I think that, you know, if you look at it, like, and I know when Washington put that ball over the bar, you just went to point up, there was a lot of guts in that, you know, the five in a row, you're starting to see, right, this is our man, this is, we'll certainly see, but just previously, there was three wides in a row and the Murnin went off the post and it just looked like it wasn't going to be your day. So, listen, there was elements in there, you think, right? But it was such small elements and before we get to those late moments, Aaron, in the first half, I was just sending the park there, you know, I seen Macon and Creedley go in and around the full four line because a lot of our players in there couldn't match up. I mean, Turbott's a huge man, Murnin's a huge man. I was saying to myself, they're in there, why would he kick in the ball? What do you think was happening there? Yeah, we spoke about the change in our map, particularly from that first dunny go league game where I'm sure everyone up there would have seen it. There was indeed ladder grounds and our map going route one with an awful lot of ball and it coming back out until the last two balls for half time where we got one, one of it and I thought that sort of changed how we played for the remainder of the league. We had two men inside, but more importantly, it was pointless having the two men inside because we did have them yesterday, but we didn't have an outlet. So what you see an awful lot of now is link players, people who run and they'll get a hand pass, give it and get it back again and give another hand pass. But what I mean in the outlet is someone that you can give that 30 meter foot pass, a 40 meter foot pass from half back to half forward and then he's able to put it inside and that can be a floater diagonal ball or it can be a pop ball in front of either of those boys. But and Rory Gruggen is that man and Stefan Campbell is that man for whatever reason, I don't know whether it's this illness that apparently was in the camp that Stefan didn't play. And then Rory Gruggen found himself just drifting too far out and you know yourself Crow Park's a huge field. If you get the ball on the 65 to midfield, that's a long kick to the full forward lane. The outlet that I'm talking about needs to be floating around a 45 meter lane where he's winning it and he's on the half turn and able to get quality ball inside. So we just, whether it was the size of the field and we lost our shape or our burns, I think that'd be wishful thinking on my behalf because this is the same fail that has kept happening over just past 18 months where there's just too big of a gap. So with people in different terms, people talk about the gap that there is between a man United midfield and the defense, that's the same. We have the same issues except whenever we're attacking there's an awful gap between our two inside forwards and the rest and if you hit a foot pass even off the outside of your boot, any defender can read it. They can mark him in front first and then they can read the flight. If it and all they need to do is flick it away and you can guarantee the next man in will be another defender. It's not going to be an extra forward standing up there by himself. So that is, it has been an issue just past 18 months and we thought it was addressed as past four or five weeks and then obviously at the weekend it came back to the haunt again and they said given the personnel that you were missing and particularly in defense like you're talking about Ray McHugh and Brandon McColl just pure experience and then throwing the quality on top of it it was a guilt edge opportunity for us to try and put pressure on the younger players but in particular Kieran Murs as Bork alluded to there I thought he was very good. I'd mentioned him. I'd asked you a while ago who was this boy and you're more than happy to tell me he's a Union's man but yeah just like the cod of him just real athletic. Looks like someone who Jimmy will really build something with over the next few years but Jesus for his first game in Crow Park he looked very, very assured and very composed with anything that he had to do. Aaron I suppose when you talk about the the RMF forward line you know there's one guy I really like I just like the cod of him as well is Connor Turbot but yesterday look if you look at Crow Park it's a pitch that's made for Connor Turbot and you've seen what he did in the letter part of the second half you know just turning on the gas obviously Kieran came out after yesterday's games and there was an issue with you know a flu within the camp and potentially that might be true but suppose you know when you look at the possession and Rory Gruggen's influence on the game like you know how disappointing is that from an RMF point of view look they had the chances they actually had the chance to win the game but they just didn't push on. Jared as Brandon said if you've set in your luck look at the last 15 minutes there's way more positives than there is negative so I could park that but it's what happened prior to that where I felt that that was the losing of the game the last 10 or 15 minutes that that to me wasn't losing I just felt there were stages definitely in the first half or felt it was too slow a couple of two pedestrian just not maximising the strengths that there is within the team felt that you're leaving a more inexperienced experienced Dunnegal team granted a really well organised team but you're leaving you're not asking huge questions of more inexperienced players in their first big game in Croke Park so here me and Brandon talk about this often that psychology benefit where you're trying to put someone who maybe just doesn't have that experience or the knowledge pressure coming on on a big day in the main stadium in Ireland I felt we just let the Dunnegal boys grow into it building confidence and it's very hard to you can't pin that again like once somebody starts to feel at home and feel confident and composed that's it, they're that for today and they'll only get better at the more times they go back there so that was something I felt that we didn't really go after early on and I felt they come back to bite us because Dunnegal just really built in momentum and that was all across the field and how they coped with everything and then they said even whenever it turned in them the last 15 minutes did just enough McColligan in particular coming up he kicked the one off the outside of his boot but he was actually very in front and getting an awful lot of the ball where it was going from side to side it was him that was constantly looking to beat one man and as soon as he had beaten that one man then it was opening up for your strike runners coming off the wing they get their shots off so it is Torbett I get what you're saying I just felt he was having to work too hard to beat a man to get that shot off he never seemed to get simple scores now I'm not saying there are simple scores but Thompson in the loop those two particularly in the first half they're not simple but they are for him they're his bread and butter but they're so hella grafted you know you could read straight away and I grant that you're at a higher vantage point but you knew exactly what we were doing we're whenever Torbett saying the first half was getting the ball he was having to try and burn someone down along the cue cut in and get a shot off you're inside forwards they need to be able to manufacture just jab behind something quick just throw a wee drop to shoulder to the left back on the right foot tap it over the bar but anything him or Murnen seemed to be getting had an awful lot of work to do to get a shot off which again that wasn't happening in the past few weeks but the stakes go up you come up against better players bigger stadium with more pressure on that's only normal but it was Murnen too Murnen is a huge player for us because he wins the primary possession and he takes others into it I never seen us feeding him at all with much ball and that's really really unusual because he's our focal point he is the main man that's winning that first ball and then taking everyone else into it and the game just looked like it nearly passed him by yes for whatever reason I suppose from Murnen you would look and think let's go back that first half and just kick the ball and see what would have happened if I was in our ma listen that's the way I'd be thinking Murnen you just meant to get in those last moments the energy done it all I thought in that second half when we had four points up we were in complete control we went for a couple of shots nearly it was the kind of shots you go for when you're four up they weren't even near the goals there was a couple of defenders come up and hit them and I thought then just got to be careful and see that's that period where you had the few wags and the ball off the post then there was the comeback and when I shouldn't put that ball over the bar I shouldn't need to go a point up you're like right we're under the cost she said Keelan McGonagall then who was brilliant again you know the way he had that I mean it was an unbelievable point under pressure but the points just after are in the iron door they point to winner if you look at that don't you go ahead of goal chance on don't you go ahead you've got to see the fitness the way the lads people the energy levels of Donny Gall were unreal everybody was so comfortable in the ball but when we went forward we really broke at pace I'm not too sure who was the final man in but there was a goal on but iron decided to tap it over the bar which was fair enough and all I could think about then iron from your defensive perspective you've just went the point up you've got the equalizer you're one of your better players it made a work that well for you your defence was just completely wide open Donny Gall just swarmed through and hit the winner I think iron got that one where he just eclipsed it off to 14 but I think it was the next attack you're talking about where you get a great turnover on us where everything was up the field and you end up butchering it's a goal chance from 70 metres out and you end up drifting to the right hand side and I think iron eclipsed wide when we went to his left hand side you're straight through and goal and the house was down it was a one on one and like you said from 70 metres out I was like oh god this is a goal that's came over so I thought at that stage maybe we'd just gone for broke where everyone went up the field but here the fact that you're saying that you have a team that has a severe bout of mental strength and a severe bout of fitness on the gym beginners doesn't surprise me even though I'm sure the way he's come back now and how tense the season is and how you can't get the same block of work in maybe in season compared to what he did the last time he was here not that surprises me from the hour and minute Jimmy took that job he'll have known what the schedule was going to be when he had the peak when he needed to lift it and he'll have planned the coordination for his point of view he'd be disappointed with a lot of injuries that he has picked up or he hasn't maybe got key personnel in the field to get promoted then second job and if he get promoted can we pick up the silverware so he's done all that and he hasn't had a full panel to pick from or a full team that he could lane out yet so he's bound to be delighted with that I've seen a whole lot of them all sitting to watch the drama that unfolded straight after it so you're sitting looking at all that and if you come out and you've won something and you're all happy but then you're sitting and you're looking at the intensity of the drama that comes with this and I couldn't help putting my players head on where you're sitting you start getting nervous again as a player where you're going to Jesus right we face these boys now again in a few weeks and you're looking at every move you know where you play you know who you might be coming up against you're watching everything that they do you're watching their kick-outs how they attack them, how you defend them so yeah just even watching your boys sitting down looking at that in the Celtic Park mode and what's down the line but you're not the beauty of where we're at at the moment Beauty is right, me and Pawee's going to talk about that, be right and fairy I just appreciate you have to you're jugglin' there and it's always great to have you on the show the last thing I'm just looking at the championship now this is an Ulster Finals a realistic I suppose a place for you to be this summer you've coached your derby game at the start and that usually brings a bit of colour with it should you get on the Ulster Final Aaron is there a better thing from last year disc game will that be building a bit of pressure on your lads I honestly think it will that's why I felt it was so important for us to win yesterday just to get rid of this gallant loser stuff that's going on at the moment where you're so close but they're not winning and like I think a lot of those boys have the key personnel have given ten years of their lives there and I think they've literally picked up the division tree title for it so yeah I just felt they needed to win yesterday to win a type game the winning game we're self aware has been handed out we're just coming up in short and all these great games to go a quarter final the Monaghan quarter final the derby Ulster Final last year you come with the surge yesterday and so they're standing with nothing but scars in the middle of the field and I suppose it would have gone back to you boys you could probably reflect in that an awful lot of your boys maybe felt those same scars and feelings against Arma and Throne from the mid-noughties until the tables turned whenever Jim came in in 2011 early 2011 and that's just what it feels like for us at the moment we're always getting scared and like I'll be shocked if we don't beat Antrim and then in more than likely or from Anasai and more than likely be down in another semi final to make another final and I'd be shocked but I just don't think that weekend is really going to help things whenever it comes to the pressure and a close game Ulster Finals you know they're going to go down to the wire air memories this past few years have all been negative and it's how you erase that out of someone or how you get someone to just go that way step further be that way a bit more composed whenever the pressure comes on it's a very very difficult thing to do I could mask the mind in the legs of Jim to be able to do it or dad would have been good at that I suppose whenever he came in he took in a winning mentality from our mad teams that kept falling short like they had lost in 1989, 2000 and 2001 to the teams that went to go on and be eventual all-Airland champions but that's where we're at at this stage that's just to win Ulsters never mind all-Airlands we just seem to be falling that wee bit short You need to get in the McNulty on speed dial I think that's the I'd say he's down in Leesh with Justy I'd be happy with that I'm going to have to give Brendan a wee hug there as well because you know you kept reference when you used to like you know you're up to me I'm going to avoid that top man as ever sir you get on back to the family thanks for joining us this evening dude and I'll catch up with you I suppose we'll have Yarn myself yourself with Molly on Wednesday there speak soon and Karen in there what a player he was to we are going to pick up the GAH just after this break the DL debate with sister Sarah's letter Kenny serving food you'll love till 9pm daily in Sarah's kitchen and there's free admission entertainment every weekend if you have a TV you must have 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insurance group limited trading as FBD insurance is regulated by the central bank of Ireland Virgin Media is bringing Ireland's best broadband to more and more homes big homes, little homes, out houses haunted houses, big gaffes in the country non bouncy castles number 16, Oxbow Lake houses the house with all the cats get 2 gig full fibre broadband 29.9% reliability from Virgin Media it's playtime welcome back folks that were joined by the man of knowledge himself Ryan Furrier of the Donegal News Ryan how are you? I'm good, Brandon, how you think of yourself? Teared away, we're shitting the breeze here Ryan, it was an epic day we'll look a bit more at the Donegal victory Ryan, the epic game that followed Aaron Curnham was on there just talking maybe Donegal watching it and then maybe wapping on in the game in terms of how he's going and pacing that and maybe it was one of them ones where I'll not say it's obviously going straight to the league final and probably the level that Derry played at what did you make it? I mean it was an absolutely phenomenal game it'll go down in the Annals of History it's definitely the best league final ever seen yeah it was brilliant fair I was down getting a wee bit of reaction with a couple of Donegal players after the after the match the coaches were all very very keen to get in to see it I think it was maybe one three to five points by the time I got back up to the upper tier in Crow Park it just seemed to be a bit of a shootout really from what I could see Bren, it seemed to be both teams kind of very open at the back and you know there's some fabulous scores missed chances as well I suppose is that what we're going to see in the Solicitor Championship I don't know but I suppose looking at it I was very impressed with Owen McEvoy I didn't really think he had that kind of ability that he was showing yesterday with the goals he scored and Black Glen Murray seems to be really developing into a good corner forward so it looks like Derry have kicked things on so it's going to make things interesting in a couple of weeks time certainly Park just looking at the goals and three again yesterday over the course of that match we didn't register and again it's through at the gym about the Sheena Donald opportunity now that point four points up you can see totally what he was doing but you're thinking I'm wondering against Derry if we can end the imposition now you have to take those chances I'm just thinking can you afford to tap on a point look like Derry was just going for goals every chance he could be they know that that's the killer Owen McEvoy is right in his reference there like you know from the centre half back like just bombing forward like the pace then they have the ability to put the ball under the pack of the net was the for us that he shot and that he did shot that he took but no you're dead right Brandon suppose championship changes the mindset a wee bit and that's what we're looking at now and unfortunately the league is gone but you're looking ahead working don't you go like expose Derry or how they can do that and that's another conversation to be having if you're going to try and nullify Derry you're going to have to try and nullify their defence as well as their forward line because obviously that's something that McEvoy has started to work intensely on is looking at their defenders and as you said 13 goals and like it's just not their forward line there's been scoring there's been defenders coming forward and that's another headache for Jim and the lads Ryan Ferre used to do that too from Malford back in the day there you go Ryan that's can you confirm that I can absolutely confirm that that was not the case Richard Ryan just thinking back to last year you look at the evolution of football in different teams and how quickly it was 4.6 at half time last year in that division between those two teams and it ended up 4.6 to 11 in many ways all the bad hallmarks of modern football look at Derry this season it's crazy how much it's changed in that one season in terms of how they know that when you get to Crow Park you have to go and beat teams because even though they're brilliant in that first half defensively last year they ultimately coughed up 4 goals and lost the match so they're coming in with a real purpose and it really looks at this point around that those a lot of the dubs in may be carried they seem a bit of a step ahead of everyone else there but you think just at the minute that they are operating at a very high level yeah they seem to have a lot of things going for them they have a good edge profile they've got experience there's nobody pulling away from the panel to go travelling or anything like that everybody's kind of there they've had those good early minor teams and those players are starting to come through now and there's going to be more of them coming in the next couple of years you know they're coming through with the right habits you know from their their minor football from their McCrory football you know so there's a lot of players coming through and it looks like they're trying to play a little bit more of a varied style this year they're looking you know they were kicking ball into Lachlan Murray and he was well able to win it you know and I suppose maybe maybe they didn't really have that before and everything had to go through Shane McGuigan and I suppose maybe at stage of the league they said that but definitely over the last couple of weeks it looks like there's definitely other threats as well and now Lachlan's having a very good season for them as well so yeah it looks like it looks like they've pushed it on and you know it's maybe a wee bit more expansive now whether that's actually the case then coming to the Ulster Championship I don't know but you know it could be that there's new management, new set of eyes on it and a different approach to Crow Park yeah for sure you know we have to mention kickouts how well Derry did and there's a man there Lynch he's getting better all the time he's getting more assured you remember back that Colby game where he was under pressure when Kerry swarmed him last year he looks really really composed everything's on his time and obviously when Dublin pressed the kickout which they're so good at over the press and then what that did was then he was able to end the field by going short as well so he had really mixed up the Dublin press and then Derry's press in Dublin was working well so listen there's massive things going on around the background but certainly that platform of kickout for and against was a huge setting it's a minefield it's funny I was watching the game yesterday and we used to were at it but you know at one stage the cameras are in back and you could see the movement of the Derry was critical like to get the ball out or Lynch you referenced him there he's got into serious shape again this year and it just shows how sharp you have to be whenever you're getting the ball out because you have to make sure that the kickout is going to land maybe you've got Connor Glass there who's marked tightly there's a guy there Ethan Doherty phenomenal for me he's like a Connor Mailer player that plays for Tyrone obviously just the level of work he was involved in the penalty and the goal he did so much work at knifing up and creating chances you know even though the penalty shouldn't have been a penalty the one Derry got the first one would go again put away he was definitely outside but he was fine no one can hardly see that in real time but it just put away a bit of I think Connor Income under a bit of criticism just for that the Fenton sending off it seemed a bit harsh but it was frustrating to me just suppose when you see it different angles you see different things but a bit of frustration there but a bit of worry for Mickie Hardest Guards McInless when he break his nose against Ross Common I think he dislocated a finger again yesterday so he's having a bad run of luck but look as Ryan he's a key man too so he's from half back he is a man for them in terms of playmaking and driving out McFall just as for me he's got into unbelievable shape again he's really he's getting stuck and he's that type of player Brandon as well you know he doesn't mind roughing it either I know there's a couple of slaps throwing yesterday as well but you know that's that's the level we don't like to see it but it can happen but when you look at that you look at Ethan Doherty now lochling yesterday as well look Derry for me had a one night game yesterday it was a massive psychological boost for them and look Dublin's Dublin look when you look at the goals they give away towards the end Derry you know how those goals went and sometimes you scratch your head you know I mean Dublin had lost obviously that league final last year division two then that carry game so when you got up to Crow Park by games and you lose them you know this now I think as you said there they give it probably as you far plenty of things to look at because they were outplayed you know Derry were in control of the game should have won it in normal time and out of time so it wasn't as if Derry were clinging on to them so bit of a reset for Dublin that this and Ryan just thinking back to Donnie Gall here Garen Thompson you know 100 games yesterday captain and Murphy's hopes for Murphy he's long gone captain in McBurdy's absence what did you make a hum in that you know when Garen Thompson gets in those central roles and we can get him the ball he just needs that wee side step and it's he was actually kicking in the adavagal breeze because there my boys found it difficult in the second half to judge it but his four points in that first half were unbelievable and was a real bit of a platform for us for the whole victory yeah it was probably the one of the game really getting those scores in the first half because you know with the breeze it was definitely worth a couple of points and you know had you been chasing there might have been a bit more space for their math forwards you know on the other side then the second half and things like that but like Thompson's points were brilliant now Donald kicked a couple of good points you know and I definitely think you know that Thompson is better in a central position whether that's center forward or or midfield you know maybe some people say he's not maybe not tall enough for midfield I'm not so sure about that either like you know he brings savage work rate and he's good on the ball and he's an intelligent player as well and you know I suppose mainly in the boner area you know he was playing right half forward and you know like he was still contributing very well and you know they had a kick out press that he was very important part of that like but I just feel and at number 11 you probably get a wee bit more of him and like when he swings that left foot you know he's very accurate player and you know he's a top class operator and you know are my I suppose they stood off him at times and you know like Derry will have seen that too and they'll know that he's a man that you don't stand off this indeed and I thought he can maybe drift it out a wee bit second half ended up maybe too far over on the left hand side he definitely is a central player and after the match actually Kelly caught up with the main man himself Ciaran Thompson Ciaran Thompson you've marked your occasion of 100 games for Donegal by lifting the cup on the steps of the Hogan stand how did that feel? I listened it was a privileged moment for me in my family definitely so it's unbelievable like you know my hundreds of years there to get the chance to lift the cup I know I'm only standing in for Paddy there who unfortunately was injured but listen if I'm asked to do it I'll do it you showed your intent by kicking four points in the first half I listened it I don't know right now I think it got under me got under me straight I found my reins there so I was happy enough and thankfully they went over yeah well that's the one about the game itself was getting a bit nervous there in the final quarter so it was you were leading before and you probably should have been further ahead midway through the second half but then our mat came back and it was sort of on the edge for a while there it was I listened it was it was a massive the first half was always just too in for all like we were going down the point head which was we were happy enough with a bit of a slight breeze then we went four points up you're thinking we're going to kick off them here but it just didn't work out for us you know we struggled to get our kick outs away and we missed maybe one or two chances to go five up and just gave them momentum then you know and they got a few scores and they're always going to fight back but we showed great character there towards the end Aaron Doherty Farrah points there massive points to win us Martin McHugh said it on Co commentary so he did it was a brilliant one and the reason for it was because the views were asked a lot of questions towards the end and you showed real real character and that was probably the main thing coming out of it yeah definitely that was one of the major things coming out of it is that we got tested we were under the cost we went to point down but we fought back and we we got the victory then we thought it might be going to extra time but I think it was maybe Aaron Doherty that popped up with a brilliant score and thankfully we took the cup then not some momentum now towards the championship off the back of this because one in I suppose gives you momentum but it breeds you go to probably the biggest game of the year yeah definitely listen it's going to be a massive step up now for championship but the league was was a really good exercise we blooded a lot of new players and now it's a massive three weeks to get ready for there which is going to be an unbelievable task but listen it's this one will go into it and will be hopeful hopeful of yeah you've been running all camps now a while given you've got a hundred caps on there but there's a real good field factor on this camp at the minute so yeah there is definitely you know there's a great mix there the young box seven or eight maybe under 20s there and they're just they're bringing huge energy and it's great to see and a lot of boys stepping up this year new blood new new tactics on the management side of things it's just great to be a part of and for the club Neve Connell it's obviously big for them too because there was quite a few years were on the pitch at the very end there aye listen it's always nice to have a good few involved and we've a good few in the backroom team involved in Neve Connell too so that's an I owe Neve Connell a massive part of it like they got to me where I am today so I'm ever grateful to them just finally for me Cairn back at Croke Park the first time in two years it's nice to be back here playing football nice to be back one on again yeah definitely listen anytime you get to play in Croke Park it's a great day out like and national title on the line there and we came over the victory so can't complain okay well done today thank you yes well done indeed mighty stuff from Cairn Thompson nice way to do it you think about the hundred games you know it could be ruined if you lose a game of Croke Park but to be captain hundred games lift the vision to a bit of a dream day for him and man I'm out on top of that kick four points as well you know and I was phenomenal yesterday Cairn and like he he gave you absolutely every brand that's what I love about Cairn Thompson like you know there's there's just nothing but hard work for him and lucky has he's serious serious left foot as well like you know and just the work level from yesterday as you seen he's created that space maybe more time in the ball then you know good players always find that little bit extra time and you know that was Cairn's game yesterday you know those first couple of scores probably set up the platform for it and he got to win that game you know at the end of the day but the work level from him to off the ball you know it's fantastic to see like and Cairn's a top guy and you know it does it for his club week in week out as well when he's there you know so look congratulations to Cairn yeah yeah right looking ahead you know we've won that title at Big Game of Crow Park Shades of 2011 when we came up and was leash wasn't it we beat that year and things really took off from there do you get that feeling right or do you think the landscape's changed a lot since then in terms of particularly obviously from the get go we're playing you know the best team in Ulster yeah like I think the landscape has changed I think it's you know it is different now because of how the championship has changed it's condensed and you know we've got this round Robin you know that's going to be coming in May time as well into June you know and you do wonder you know maybe like I think in previous years you know you didn't want to lose your first round in Ulster and have to go into a qualifier and maybe have a tough away trip somewhere whereas you know the reality is now you know whoever loses Donegal or Derry will get you know five or six weeks you know to get a good block of trading to get it ready for the All Ireland series and for Lexa Donegal with injuries you know you know you could spin that around in a positive way for you know if you know if you didn't get over the line in Celtic Park which is going to be a tough one and even for Derry like you know you wonder is going all the way in Ulster is that going to help them get to their All Ireland you know possibly not so you know as much as everybody's looking forward to this big game in Celtic Park and you know it should be a home dinger there's still going to be an awful lot of football played after it and you do wonder how much impact will that first round game have on the grand scheme of things later down the year but I can't wait for it either like you know what I mean Do you know what Ryan? I'm just thinking Derry obviously going for three in a row which would be unbelievable as said you said but because Ulster's only provincial title now which really is up there to be won and you know you've obviously got five teams you think they can definitely won it which is which is unusual and you know for years obviously to own ourselves in Manhand dominated now like obviously there's another couple sides have come back into the picture and of course our friends I think that they can be in the mix as well so you know I'm just wondering for talking to Jim earlier in the year he was verminant that you know this which about Ulster doesn't matter about that's something else we don't even know you we're going to be playing etc etc but you know with this condensed season and playing week and week and week league final either of these teams are going to come into the group stage is very fresh and as you said there should Derry get the semifinal after you know there might be tough games in Ulster if they end up going through a group stage to get the semifinal you'd think there'd be some effect on them in terms of fatigue well you know there might be I suppose you know you're looking at it Brenn we've seen division two this year it's not being great you know there's going to be 16 teams in the All Ireland series are they like Stonygall or Derry going to have any great difficulty in getting through to the knockout side of it like there'll be out of the four teams will advance through to the at least the preliminary quarter finals and like you'd be shocked if Donygall and Derry they couldn't make it through now like and saying that you know Cork came good to beat Mayo last year in the round Robin Westmeath put it up to Aramaa and Throne so there can be surprising but you just feel it you feel it Donygall and you know and Derry and those maybe teams in the top eight are going to have no problem really getting through to the All Ireland series and you know are they thinking we're going to just plot a plan ahead from there and you know see how it goes but you know Jim has been very adamant that you know that Ulster Championship has a special place and he wants to go after it and you know even I was thinking you know over the weekend that you look at it you know we're out on Saturday night looking at league fixtures and all kind of chatting club here and that has you know has diminished in value and that's a competition now that it doesn't really have much worth and you know we've lost that and I suppose if we get rid of Ulster Championship that's another thing that's lost and you know the league final so I can see where he's coming from and that we shouldn't be getting away from these competitions and I think he'll see that game against Derry is a big one for you know there's good momentum building behind the team and you know there's going to be a big crowd in Celtic Park that day and I feel if Donegal can I don't know what you call it an ambush if they pull it off I don't know if you would or not but I think he'll feel that Donegal will get serious energy if they can win that game in Celtic Park and you know he'll have a plan now he'll probably need you know those five or six men that are out injured he's going to need some of them back if he's going to pull it off you know so I think he'll really be wanting to put the best foot forward and push on in Ulster and see what comes after that then maybe. Yeah indeed and I suppose Brian just mentioned there Park you know last time obviously Jim really went after Terones, Mickey Hart now it's Derry's, Mickey Hart is the team to beat and Brian mentioned there you know Big Birdie, McEw obviously your own band McCool in particular you know can we beat Derry without those lads we could essentially get them in because I think McGee obviously Jason coming in Ulster and Now the Donegal both contributed very well to the game in terms of them being back free from injury now so without those lads you think it'd be difficult you know it's wanting, playing our mat the way Derry is moving at the moment we're going to need our full side to really have a proper crack at them Ah well without doubt you have to say that Brennan you know you need your team there as well you know Brennan McCool look it's three weeks out so you know so look is it a wee bit you know timeline wise might come a wee bit too quick for them but look as Jim has always said like you know you get that feeling from interviewing him over the years like this is his second tenure it's the date is etched in everybody's mind who's in the training camp all he'd be talking about is championship and you can bet your bottom dollar he's going to have a plan to ambush them I think that's what Ryan has said you know look why would you get into management if you didn't think you were going to one that's for me is like you know what don't you call the last couple of years last year particularly you know they've come down they're back up again back in the division one the director is good you know it's a big game for them but it's a test of character it's a test to see where we're at and you know Jim better than and you know the aspects of management probably and playing it's a game you relish as a player because it's a massive opportunity to maybe do something you know yes Derry Derry's been talked up and they're a fantastic outfit and they are all Ireland contenders there's no doubt about it look do you give us a chance to get in there I definitely do I think we definitely have a chance I just think that not many other people will give us a chance I mean I think it's done it all people were obviously always thinking yeah we can do it I think it can be done but it's going to take some effort you know no more than probably what Derry did yesterday in terms of completely bringing their A-game to Dublin to beat Dublin I think in a similar way we have to do something similar to them and this one of the main men yesterday leading the line again was Oshin Gallant of course there's interviews with Mickey Hart and Jim McGinnis I caught up with Jim after the game as well to see that fair was coming after them you know Keena I used to see what Derry was doing but I caught up with Oshin Gallant after the game Oshin Gallant league 2 champs on beaten throughout the league come to Klo Bank a few men down but phenomenal performance from the team yeah it's nice to get that one again it's nice to keep that on beaten record going we were a few bodies down but it says that's the power of the squad you need boys to be able to fit the step in you need a strong squad and today we got over the line and we got the win and league champions it's nice to finish off the league season with that there and the boys are coming to Kro Park the few lads here hadn't played in Kro Park before was there something special for the team coming up here I definitely like it's always great to get up to the capital and even like we're just chatting there like we played in Macoon Park last week and the ground was a bit soft and everything and just the thought of coming up here to the hard ground good sunny day and getting fast football fast forward football you know you're thinking about that all week training so that brings the good boys to the whole squad they're old then and getting on to the pitch like some lads hadn't been in here before and even just the whole setting and the change rooms and everything to take it all in with the hope of maybe getting back here later in the year like it's great experience you certainly started the game fast yourself you know a mark early on to get us off the board I should have noticed after that you're double teamed a lot of time our map really had you detailed is that something you're seeing a lot in the league now when you come out to collect up all teams are doubling up against you I don't know if they're purposely doubling up like but I think the teams just getting more and more bodies back and when you do get the ball and you go to take on your man you might beat your man but you're only running into another man then like so you can have to vary yourself and vary your game around that but you just got to get used to it too don't you teams are going to play with a defensive packed defense and stuff and you just got to get used to it. Yeah at four up with the game in control did you think then it was ours to lose our man had had three wides and had the post didn't look like they were finding their shooting boats at all but they had a load of top forwards we expect a late rally from them. You're always going to go into stretch but I thought in that period we kind of forced them to kick bad shots and put a lot of pressure on we were very good defensively we didn't see out that game as well as we should have like we were four up and we were looking like we were cruising and then just went through a bad spell probably not getting our kick outs away and not getting hands on the ball and we were punished and they came down the street then and thankfully Doc stepped up and kicked that important point. Yeah and good to see the exegesis McGee back today now that Donald playing his part as well as well as a squad all the lads that came in as well you know we're down four or five possible starters so if we really do that in today's game and still control the match it must be very it must be a real positive vibe around the squad at the minute. I look at me like Keelah McCallion came back in today to first start just thrown into it and done very well on Connor Turbitt he must have kept them to a few points and the whole game like Jason back in now back in so we lost one or two last week but you mean we're gaining three or four and we're hopefully gaining a few more now as we come into the next couple of weeks and that's good you need a strong squad these days like and it's great for those lads who would have been regulars in previous seasons to finally get back and get playing like and no better place than Croker to get them out on the pitch. Finally for me, Ash and of course you know three weeks to Derry you are a champion so you're allowed to let the hair a wee bit down tonight and kick it back or is Jimmy one of the matches going to be playing on the bus? You might have a word with Jim there to see if we can get a few tonight. Well listen well there's our guys. Cheers lads, thank you. What do you think? Probably could give us now a blast that Jimmy's one of the matches there. Well, I don't know. Ryan, you have a bit of a singer aren't you? Oh, known for it all right. You won't refute that one. Ryan, this one's down to the last couple of minutes just now. Ryan, is there any word I know McQ's thing isn't too bad, Ryan's but tell me is there any word in the other three matches that you think are going to be playing on the bus? I don't know. Do you have anything of what the status is? No, he was very Jim was very coy on it yesterday when he was asked now he was obviously trying to get away and to watch the other game but you know he was just saying it would be week by week with pretty much the more I kind of from got this impression that maybe Darrell would he's been a bit vague on it you know where there's going to be another he's going to have a press event this Thursday so it'll be interesting to see if we hear anything more on it from then but you know we could be keeping his cards close to his chest at this stage, you might want too much seeping out. Yeah, that'll be the big story coming on Ryan. Where are these guys because I think you don't be ashamed to go on without them I think they bring a lot of that said a few of them have been out for a few weeks now so whether you could just put them in is a question mark as well maybe on the bench but we can't go without saying Thurman 114 fan at 7 points you have to a good start there We keep it down low so they start the league they start nice and steady you know it's for promotion What about the Unions going to Kilkiari yesterday you know it seems such a you know the way the league is at the minute you know round it's just like a pre-comp that seems so long now do we get any championships That's very long like it is I suppose when you look at the championship you're chatting almost you know your deep into August and September and October you know so it's a little bit away Everybody fresh and happy Thanks very much that was a great chat thanks for rounding everything up this evening as ever you will be in and out we'll be seeing plenty of you Ryan Ferry keep up the good work there as ever women and I'll be speaking to you I'll probably round set the park Cheers Brent Thanks Ben