 welcome one and all to the DL debate. This is your weekly radio show and podcast bringing you up to date and all the events on the GA world of the weekend. I want to think of course to Donna Marie for the news. For Ivan Borland for the Power Hour Plus for getting us all going on a Monday evening was a bit of a slow start to the week for me. I don't know about you. I want to put a wee shout out just to Patty McDevitt and Boston listening in there. Patty of course responsible for a lot of success at Donegal Boston has helped many a Donegal person out there doing great work. He's now a delegate of course to the GA out in North America there. Keep up the good work. Patty was back recently actually. We were at the game in a Donald Park where we had a good after-match but a crack. We all headed the sister shares then and it was a great day. Always great to catch up with Patty. Joe Dex is here. Joe how are you? Thumbs up. Joe Dex here producing as ever and keeping me right. The man, the myth, the legend Park Hilfery I think is going to drop in at some stage this evening. Rumour has it he's doing a bit of work this evening. I don't know if anybody can verify that but I think he's going to land on and give us his views on the weekend. We're also soon going to hear a couple of interviews from yesterday's game. The big game in Bali Shannon football back in Father Tierney Park for the first time in four years. I'm going to hear from Donegal manager Jim McGinnis and Neve Connell and Donegal player Kieran Thompson. Of course you've got an All Star Club All Star award at the weekend. Well done to them. After that we're going to speak with Gordon Manning, the Irish Times columnist. We're going to review all the weekends GA action of course and a good bit of talk of course to go in depth on Donegal and Donegal on Louth and we're interested to get that outside view as well from Gordon. We'll talk a bit about Derry Dublin to Rowan Kerry and any other news that comes up of course this new group has been set up to save the GA. I don't know if that's if it just needs saving. There might be a few tweaks that are needed I think but yeah it's interesting how they've assembled quite a group Jim Gavin heading it up the Buddha Jim Gavin. That's coming up later. We're going to hear from Neve McLaughlin as well after Donegal ladies lost out to Rowan in the league. We're going to hear from Kevin Campbell as well the Satanta and former Donegal hurling Satanta player manager. He is in charge of Skolwara who are in All Ireland final this weekend and so are Abbey VS Donegal Town. So we're going to hear from Kevin later on the show too. That's all coming up but as I say we're going to kick it off with the man himself Jimmy McGinnis after Donegal's victory over Louth keeping up at the top of the table and almost ready for promotion I caught up with him after the game. Jim a sticky encounter with Louth their league position didn't really I suppose reflect their performances in the league indeed two tough games with our man Kevin teams that we've had difficult encounters with as well so it was outpanned out today a very sticky well set up side and a difficult opponent. No definitely Brendan lost three games by a point and won the game that they did one by a point so you're right it was definitely going to be all that but we also knew that was going to be the case and I suppose in the first half in particular we were disappointed with our decision-making a lot of the decision-making we made it a wee bit easy for them taking the ball into contact a lot of body central there from their point of view and gaps weren't there and and we were we were getting turned over and so that left you know double transitions are a hard thing to defend and that's that's what we were dealing with a lot in the first half and unforced errors the second half we're much more happy in terms of we even though we were into the breeze we're able to keep the ball use the ball recycle the ball I suppose attacking our own terms you know at the right time in the right moment and trying to get a quality shot off and that that's kind of the way that panned out we had much more control of the game in the second half so from that point of view we're delighted to get two more points on the board that's the most important thing Brendan and we knew who we're going to get with louth which was going to be a tough tough tough battle turned out that way and we have to I suppose now replenish a wee bit I think because it's been a very intensive period and then get ready for get ready for kill the air in a fortnight. Yeah the league's about learning of course Jim you're facing a real strictly sitting in deep defense a lot of our good player down in the league is coming from deep running from from strong running off the ball they didn't allow us to do that so we had to had to opt in the more of a work the ball type game plan you say there's a lot of maybe power play in that but then again these are the things you need to air out in the league and certainly when it comes into the championship you're going to play against the defense which is going to set something similar. I know definitely I think though in the last couple of games when we were in that phase we were much more controlled and we did get good shots off and we understood what we wanted to do and what what the finish line looked like in terms of sort of our movement and who we wanted to get on the ball and all those types of things so we felt to suppose we're making decent progress on that front and it was a wee bit of a step backwards in the first half today but then we managed to sort of again as I said earlier get a more control of the game in the second half and that that's probably what you know what resulted in us getting the two points. Yeah and as soon as you send Jack McKelvie get us a goal before he went on it was an instruction was clear but the two subs combining Tim it was a bit of maybe controversy about the goal about a potential a foul on the ball but that goal was pivotal you don't give us a wee bit of a cover in terms of stretching out the game and it was a massive score. I'm not gonna lie to you now I didn't tell him to go I'd like to I would I would like to say that I did that but I know I didn't I think it was more sort of really mental than that there but but yeah listen again we looked at a good few players Jack started the day first I think that was the first team he started first in the National League so that's it that's an important piece and listen we have a lot of players injured you know we've a lot of players injured that we're hoping to be getting back into the equation over the next number of weeks and and so it's great to be one of these games Brendan and tough games whenever we have you know a lot of players that would that you know that have played for Dunneagol you know and have a lot of experience with Dunneagol over the last number of years. I'm fascinated to know Jim just at six points up have you ever felt as a coach just to keep the ball? Louth were still sitting completely under blanket now we played about with the ball I think it was Keir and went for a pass across the far left-hand side we give away possession they got two points in her own wee bit of momentum do you ever feel at that stage just to come right back and try and suck Louth out is that something we'd ever cross your mind? Yes I suppose there was even at the end there Keir unlocked for a pass inside there you know and we were in a good position they needed the ball we didn't need to kick the ball in that situation like looking at Dublin last night against Erie and Celtic Park you know that was probably the hallmark of their performance really that you know that the composer they had in the ball and their decision-making on the ball and not getting not getting caught in possession but yet not been able to progress the ball you know so they're obviously the barometer for the rest of the country and you need good players to be able to play that game so definitely there's there's all those learnings are still there Brendan. Yeah and just finally Jim just on those injuries two weeks to go there now and you're on with McColmust out of the ages McGee you won't ban Nellie Donald Connor and Donald you know Keelan Ward you know there is so many guys to command and all guys but could potentially start for your team so is there any update on the on their progress? Well Keelan obviously is longer term like you know and he's kind of working his way back going bands gonna be another period of time as well so he won't play in the next game you know and it's for us is trying to get him ready for the end of the league or for the for the championship match Jason McGee has got good news about 10 days ago and and so he's just working his way back now or hopefully gonna have him training with the with the squad probably Tuesday week hopefully fully integrated but you know as I said to you one other day like the numbers dictate a lot of this in terms of what they can cover and the ground and all that type of stuff so we're getting very close and I know I keep saying that every week but we just have to keep working with the medical team and and have the bigger picture and we're all focused on dairy we are all focused on dairy but there's a long somewhere ahead too hopefully so it's just a matter of getting is getting getting them back as quickly as possible yes great to hear from Jim McGinnis there and as I say after the game I also caught up with Kearn Thompson who's with it to say Kearn just when we get into the game you made the All-Star Club All-Stars team at the weekend a big night for you personally and a great honor for the club exactly this and it's always nice to get an individual award I suppose so it was nice we cap on last year I'm glad to get it and just great for Neve Connell and great for myself too so happy days yeah very well deserved Kearn just under today's game don't I got flying high in the league as you all know last position probably didn't reflect their performances losing a couple games to a point in one by two this was always going to be a bit sticky today in this how the game panned out I definitely listen when you coming into the game they were their last few games were always one one or two points in it like so we knew it's not gonna be not easy they were gonna throw everything at it they had to try and come out and one and get points in the board to try and stay in division two and on our point of view we were we had to come out and try and get two points to get up to division one like we weren't as happy with the first half as probably as we should have been we're sloppy on the ball giving away the ball just counterattacks then kind of killed us but second half was a lot better thankfully yeah and just the way they were sitting with that that low block and defense here and I suppose for from the game we've been playing the power run that we're doing we couldn't really get that game going it was more we had to be bit but smarter bit sharper in the ball but that didn't happen and then they were counter attacking on the us we kind of got sucked on to their game plan and it always leaves you exposed then at the other end no exactly I listen we tried to play the running game you know down the middle and we just got turned over far too many times and we should have been a bit more composed we're probably a bit frantic when we had the one we thought we had wind we probably have thought we had to get a few five six points ahead but really we just should have stayed composed I think we showed good composure in the second half to work the scores and and come away with the victory then in the end relief maybe with the goal it was kind of all those moments that looked like at that point in the game could go actually either way so the goal was pivotal we went to six points up and from then on we kind of control the game I listen those it was a massive score for us by QA it was a handful in there at full forward so fair play to him he won the ball and just laid it off and was a handy handy goal but yeah that gave us a nice cushion you know and we kept on from then keep the ball and then just work our scores even more than yeah a couple of weeks to meet now does that mean a very tight weeks training coming up that's what everybody from outside the camp seems to think I listen we're in a good position now we're definitely in a good position to get up to division one to get into that league final so I will put the head down another few weeks for the meath game then and and really just to get into a league final now but we've a wee bit of breathing space so hopefully we can we can put hammer to the tongues a bit yeah and a huge week for your school as well soccer final gillie final club care you weren't there on Friday night when there was a fashion show obviously you're up at the Hullgrove or what I had you catwalking I thank God I'm not used to the catwalk so I'm happy to miss that now great for the boys there in school World of Uncranard being that all-in final on the Saturday comments Kevin Campbell's been asking your advice on a lot of things I presume I don't know about that I but I'm just I'm just there to give him a hand whenever he needs it so yeah happy days yeah top man Kieran Thompson there of course we're playing Kildare in two weeks not me and even mixed him up listen that's that that's who's up that's the last two games me from the last day now say Gordon Mannans waiting here to talk to us shortly we're going to get them after this break the deal debate with sister Sarah's letter candy serving food you'll love till 9 p.m. daily in Sarah's kitchen and there's free admission entertainment every weekend looking to treat your mom to something personal this mother's day add your own special touch to the iconic Dunstores e-gift card choose a photo of mom or select a snap of someone she loves whether it's you a family member or even a furry friend upload your photo and we'll add it to her e-gift card which you can use across fashion food and homeware buy and send a personalized e-gift card at any time or schedule it to arrive on mother's day Dunstores always better value terms conditions exclusions and minimum spend apply if you're with fbd insurance and your van gets robbed it's not a flippant bloom and disaster that's not what fbd stands for fbd stands for support we support van owners like you by covering your work tools up to the value of 500 euro if they're stolen with your van fbd insurance support it's what we do visit your local branch to talk to your fbd insurance team requires valid van theft claim excludes electronics and software teas and sees and normal underwriting criteria apply underwritten by fbd insurance plc fbd insurance group limited trading as fbd insurance is regulated by the central bank of Ireland hi folks paul mcdefford here inviting to join me self and jimmy staffer this monday night for another edition of the monday night sessions on the show this week we give a massive welcome to danu young women's choir and we also welcome the brilliant gary gillian and control the dark we'll also be playing some of the latest releases from around the northwest and from around the country so that's the monday night sessions this monday night between 8 p.m and 10 p.m right here on highland radio the dl debate with sister sarah's letter canny serving food you'll love till 9 p.m daily in sarah's kitchen and there's free admission entertainment every weekend yes folks welcome back uh we're now joined by avies times commas gordon manning gordon can you hear me are you coming through i can indeed gordon and i can see you too lad you're looking sharp as ever absolutely not and just back from underage training here windswept and blown away i can see the bit of color in your cheeks all right it's no harm i no harm dude no harm gordon you rang me last week we had a bit of a chat um you were doing a piece on cormac mcganallan uh on the 20 years and just the fact is his last game myself and he marked me in a in a mccanna cup final and i had a good chat then in the way of the world i said would you come on in and have a yarn and here you are um so much appreciative well thanks for having me brandon great and yeah look it was it was it was really interesting last week talking to a few people who had remembered uh cormac down through the years and it's kind of hard to believe i was born in the same year as as cormac so it always kind of resonated with me and to think it's 20 years ago now um and uh yeah you told you told a great story i suppose about uh marking him in his last game for toron and in that mccanna cup and uh how he uh how he didn't but how he didn't react to maybe some of your uh your macavelian ways of bringing freeze that day yeah maybe maybe on through unlike i don't want to unsalt him in my own friends but cormac had such a he was one of those kind of really classy footballers that uh didn't need to get involved in any of the shenanigans he would have never heard any any smartness no cheek no odd slides and that you would have seen with some guys he was just a class above that and uh you know probably you know the man that he was even in that short time his career i think was so much larger than even what he did in the pitch which was unbelievable yeah and i think you actually some dropped nicely you said that we only got to see maybe a glimpse of what he could have achieved because he was such a ga man i suppose that he you know i think you mentioned maybe he could have gone down the path of jarrett burns and i don't think anybody would have been surprised if we seen him go that way as well like but in 24 years he achieved so much in his life um and it just really is kind of hard to believe he's he's 20 years gone and i guess there are lots of people playing now playing into county football who don't even remember him and that's kind of almost scary when you think about it yeah it is it is indeed uh gardenism was a lovely piece to do garden just um we're looking at this game from the weekend we're going to start with dunny gall of course just from an outside and i love getting outside perception uh going first of all on division two you know we're obviously very channeled and they had our math went down we've seen signs of division two for a few years there nobody wanted to be in it because there was such a a a difference in standard now it has come up a bit but what i've noticed this year even like the way we hammered cork and for man a second half in particular there's not much in that for dunny god you know with our mag game there was good intensity there wasn't probably the game of football maybe we expected but there's definitely garden even though division two has got a bit better you want to be in division one that's where you need to be you know when you look at that's both what the dobs brought uh brought the Celtic park at the weekend like that that's the difference isn't it yeah like i've been at a lot of division one games this year and i was actually at two division two games and uh they were actually dunny gall arm and dunny gall cork uh and look i think dunny gall and arm are clearly two best teams in division two but then there's a step up again in pace to division one just even the quick decisions needed to make you know decision making in tight circumstances and it is it is a fast or pace in division one and that will be you know a concern i suppose for dunny gall management as regards when to go to play division one teams in championship but the flip side of that brendon is like if you are jim again is now looking at coming into this this year like he's allowed he's able to do things in division two to look at players to try tactical approaches that maybe he might not have been able to do if during division one so although dunny gall wouldn't have chosen to be playing division two football this year in some respects it might just suit them in the early part of jim's second coming to tinker with a few things to try a few players to try a few uh different approaches and game plans uh so look you can look at it half glass half empty glass half full as the summer comes certainly things against the division one team will will find out then how much off to pace maybe division two is but i think for jim and his management team they will see this as an opportunity to try out things to look at different players and to build a bit of winning momentum and that's no harm for any new management coming in yeah listen i totally agree i i think the way and jim has blooded some some some new young players there and he's saying if they're it gives him a chance to supposed to get get find their feet in terms of they're being backed up by you know quite often a better side in terms of around them and that so i think there's definitely more than that uh gordon gordon loose tactics obviously from from hartin and and devlin in there like we're playing a certain way all-star type football you know when jair braddon's was in there they played a very very negative tactic uh yesterday sipping deep and listen it couldn't really worked and this is the thing i suppose you know they're looking to dig off thinking we got to contain them we're away from home i can understand that it was very very negative physically strong big side you know their midfielder inside line were were were very good and just when did i go needed that they conjured up a goal but apart from that it was a very very negative and the game itself never cut life then and you can't i suppose you can't blame donny gall maybe too much in that and i spoke to jim after just about maybe our composure when you're facing a blanket defense that we were poor on the ball we give away a lot of turnips but from the live perspective they're going what what do you do there i mean do you come and have more of a cut or do you go and play the tactic that they did like i'd say for loud loud have been on a bit of a downward spiral and recent games have lost a number of games on the bounce and they're kind of fighting for their lives now and they probably looked at this game dunny gall and say look if we get a point out of this that that'll be a fantastic result away from home uh they've lost a couple of games very narrowly they've been very unlucky so i think they just they might have and they might have been approaching that in that respect that if we can get a point here it'll be brilliant to dunny gall are obviously approaching in a different manner uh but look for for dunny gall would have felt before this game that we're going to win this game i reckon as i said i was at the armada game i reckon they would have put a lot of stock a lot of preparation into that armada match so going into the loud game i don't think the performance was as good at the weekend as it was against armada i think maybe just to get that calm down after the armada game might have just had the same appetite maybe subconsciously and to go in and play loud a game that might have expected we're going to win anyway but look i was looking at dunny gall over the course of league like their the scoring rate is compared to that like the scoring rates have been quite strong like you know they've they've 90 points all together which is the top in the in the division and like they have an average of scoring an average of 16 points a game uh and like they're conceding an average of 10 points a game so like i think jim will be happy enough for those you know those averages and the loud just concede a 15 points against loud which is the most they've conceded in any game since jim has come back so although loud might be negative i'd say there'll be aspects of dunny gall's performance that dunny the jim wouldn't have been happy with when you when you consider that that 15 points is the most they've conceded since jim has come back yeah oh because you say inside like we all know about mulroy you know burns as well big big during an early midfield like they they were hitting us on the counter then in in many ways and it can be different you're the home team and the better team you automatically they let they didn't they gave up the kick out completely which again is something you wouldn't see in the vision one really uh hardly ever garden teams are tend to squeeze up and trying to take the game them so they had aspects of their play which was very good i think jair brinn is a good coach he had them well set up and as you say even though they're facing relegation you know the the the calving game in the rma game a point eats me they probably should have beaten so the league position probably is a bit tough on them if that had been away from home at the point where just before we got the goal i would say you know you would have probably backed left at that point so it's funny how the the league now is looking on them in terms of where they were and and what they're at but i think also brandy like i think teams are and this is maybe another of the the beginners effect teams are kind of spooked but don't you go nearly before to play them now good i like to hear that i like to hear that yeah i think i think they're setting up you know with don't you go in mind more than maybe uh you know taking on their own game plan sometimes and you know i the cork game in particular like corks i'm not sure what cork we're trying up in balibufe that first day like and don't you go just had completely uh figured them out after a number of minutes and cork just didn't know what we're doing and i think don't you go like 12 different scores that uh and like you just wonder if you're loud coming up there like before you even sat on the bus coming up i think loud had decided that they weren't going to win this game they're trying to get a point and i just think that you know whether it's jim's reputation or how don't you all have been playing in the division so far it kind of precedes them and uh that would have had an effect on how loud maybe approached the game at the weekend yeah yeah so i was looking now you listen don't you all know you've killed air away in a couple of weeks time in carlo and then me at home it's kind of almost set up already for a potential army don't you go league final well they're basically just kind of shake hands and play about the ball i just i can't see but typically division two you know going up uh i think it'd be about three weeks before the derry game if uh if don't you all do make it so it's going to be a strange enough finish the league of the match in that game now you won't just get the pulse race and uh should it happen uh gordon yeah no like probably not but i think like what mission number one for for for don't you all this year was to get out of division two and get back up to division one and that that's all what's being achieved now you'd be very surprised that doesn't come to fruition uh at this stage uh so look the the league final in crow pack maybe a bit of a bonus game uh down it down in crow park for dunny gall but all attention and it's interesting uh i i've heard jim reference derry in several interviews over the last number of weeks so the the focus within that camp is obviously uh towards me and derry already um and uh look whatever happens in joseph champ i mean if dunny gall were to win also this year is there would there be a more difficult provincial title one anywhere in the country like it probably like unlikely that have to be derry possibly tarone possibly arma to win a provincial title like it'll be the hardest one also or the hardest one provincial title anywhere in the country so you know i i'm not sure and i know jim is a big big advocate of the uh provincial system and provincial championships but like i'd imagine really the all-iron series is where they their season can really kind of take flight um and you know we've seen last year the the draws and that and part group you put yourself in or you get put in uh can have a big influence on where you can go like in the in the in the season uh so i think uh look i think dunny gall will have a big say in the championship no matter what happens in in the league to final um it won't be a game that will define them but i think it'll be jim will look at that as a as bonus game an opportunity to go down to crow park and give maybe players run out and head quarters before the championship i guess going now the condensed season is why i think previous that you know run out in crow park going minute and then there's this break in the championship and maybe not uh back to back allster champions in selty parks you know i mean i think very much it'll it'll take the shine off uh that type of game and it's everything's looking like it you know the small things are just looking you look at subs don't you go six players i think out at the minute who all potentially could start you know if we get them back you know you look at the squads the depth of squads and i think is the key is the subs coming on a tumic fad in there you see just a small thing or his power inside meant that he won a ball he probably shouldn't have and that sets up the goal and that goal you know at that point dunny gall was shaking i think it might have been back to that point you know in louth where dunny gall were just to get the bit jittery and those small moments in the games and you look at uh subs coming on and it is often the key to the game is the game's always going to open up and if you have those unpacked players if dunny gall get those back i think three or four and they'll be back in the next couple of weeks it does give dunny gall a huge advantage from last year because there's about those uh there's six seven eight of those guys weren't involved last year so coming in with with many uh positives under this championship uh garden there yeah and like you mentioned the squad there i think that's going to be huge especially in like in the condensed season uh if you get injuries if any players pick up injuries you need to have another guy up that can come in and fill that fill that void and i think dunny gall have looked at like looking at the players they've brought in and been able to bring in off the bench uh and and the couple of players i know to come back from injury like the dunny gall squad now looks pretty deep like it looks like it's got to go with the talent there uh but keep like it's it's going to be key to keep ushering gallin and patrick mcbearty injury free like i might like if those two guys can catch fire on the same day like it'll be what an afternoon that will be for dunny gall like if those two guys hit for him like you know and gallin's again reputation is almost preceding him because i've noticed in matches he's almost been double marked yeah so it's calvin now gordon yes it's calvin he has been getting a tough one he hasn't it hasn't happened for him that much yet but that's something he has to live with yeah yeah and that expectation though brendon maybe like well i'm sorry not the expectation but like i think maybe the fact the reputation that that he's got talked up so much and he is a fine footballer and very talented player that opposition managers and coaches are wary of him so they're kind of they're setting up defensively to curtail him and and i suppose as you said he has to kind of maybe deal with that as well but that you know mcbearty from what i've seen and you will have seen more of him is playing a slightly different role this year yeah but again he looks really he looks honest uh this this season i didn't keep those two guys injury free i think that'll that'd be huge also i mean the return of uh of ryan mcqueal like is is like ryan mcqueal is probably one of the best ball carriers in the country but i i just know when when he's on the ball i just think donnie gall look more he looks like they look calm or they look like they know this guy knows he's make going to make the right decision with the ball uh he kind of pulls the strings he controls it like uh like like a puppet master almost bringing to play and his engine and his work ethic i think he's huge to have back in that team as well uh so look i think dry it up as there's for donnie gall but no more than any team you have to keep your key players uh your key players injury free yeah and and certainly mur playing at fall back there he's playing in so many positions he uh first year in there flying it and said patrick birdie eight points manla matches to he's really not just i suppose there's the scores he's leading the line he's working hard and he's really playing a captain's role fantastic to see so we'll see how that plays out gordon how celtic park played out on saturday were you surprised by the dairy lineup in terms of their season and particularly the couple of games that they had maybe i thought he made a rest of players after that and only friends were not common we're hoping that that they would do that but certainly i thought this was going to be a good testing game for for dairy and then after the team that he played it's just left a lot of questions is it yeah it was it was a strange selection i didn't foresee it to be honest uh because uh and mickey has kind of set his stall out like to uh and we know him from over the years like he uh whether it's the mechanic up like winning it year after year winning the league like he's all about winning matches uh keeping momentum uh and to kind of send up or send out that signal which are team selection at a packed house celtic park it it took this thing out of the air out of the game nearly before it started and look who are we to question mickey and is his record and what he's achieved and but obviously he didn't want to go in for a a fistfight here like this wasn't this wasn't the game they were going at it they were they're going to give other guys a run and see how they measured up against doblin but essentially the the message they were sending out was that they weren't they didn't come for a 12 round are here like they were kind of they got beaten they got beaten which was like a mickey heart won't you know lose too much sleep over dairy's record against doblin but they never lot dairy had never beaten dairy in celtic park like so you're giving up that as well like but that's and look i'm guessing mickey the bigger plan he's obviously looking down the road a league final uh already um and perhaps getting silverware there and perhaps meeting doblin again the last number of times the last two times doblin played in celtic park dairy beat them and subsequently then uh doblin did a number of them on them back up in doblin when they met in the league final last year as well division two final so look i i think maybe maybe mickey was looking at a lot the bigger picture here and seeing that they'd rather perform in a league final in crow park than maybe show their full hand in celtic park but i it wasn't a decision i expected i actually thought that dairy would would try and maintain their winning momentum yeah but particularly i think garden because of the after the but the glen players were on the bus to carry which nobody could get over so i i i can't get my head around this i know kind of glass and engagement party in dairy uh on saturday night and i think he was kind of giving the night off and uh and all the lads joined him or whatever so um yeah listen strange that it was that game if it was the next couple of games garden yeah with a with a totally expected but speaking of records or taroon friends don't have a great record down carry who has let's be honest i was looking like they were beat the last three games by a combined total of 50 points down and down and carry now they didn't lose that much um i was at their game the previous week in in the heli park so again trying to figure out where where taroon is at there's so many question marks over to all the teams isn't there garden where may what where go away where ross cobb and you know we're taking entries aside and that what did what did you make of that another i suppose routine one for for carrying many ways yeah it was i mean it there were far more far superior than they scored a final score suggested anyway um but i mean the thing about taroon is like don't just wonder what's inconsistent teams in the country like they're so inconsistent i mean what started off this year beat ross common lost to dairy lost to gall with beat mail lost to carry and come back again to last year championship was similar as well like they just they don't seem to put two or three wins together in a row and look it's very difficult to know the reason why teams you know can't find that kind of some consistency but they haven't found it since the one year island a couple of years ago so it has to be worried for them has to be a concern and look the bright sparks for them are look to have some marquee forwards you know the darry canavan's playing brilliant football worry kind of in darry mccurry like to have talent and nyle morgan is one of the best goalkeepers and kind of orchestrators of in the business kind of quarterback s kind of a player so to have talent it's just the consistency piece for them is just it's not there and like i'd say it's very frustrating to be at her own fan because you're just not sure what throne team is going to show up any weekend yeah indeed even last week in that mail match four points at halftime and then absolutely blitz mail down mccurry himself hadn't eaten personally in the second half so should you write listen very very hard to figure out gordon i want you to nail your colors to a master and go down the austere give us your austere championship one or no this is a difficult i'm gonna ask you for for for a go with that one oh i throw the balls up and see where it land um but before i actually say one team and also work work kind of watching out for and i'm not saying we're going to win also i don't think they will but they're down are playing some f upland league this year and drond i suppose the easier side of the draw if you want to call it that but they've scored more goals than anybody else in the league they've won five on the bounce they're going to get the motion from the vision tree and kind of lavery has them moving really well so you're going to have another team coming into the mix and also in the next couple of years if it wasn't already competitive enough but regardless who will win it i mean oh you'd like you'd have to say marginally with no great conviction that dairy are still probably the best of the bunch there and and maybe with mickey and kind of that new new momentum of focus i'm trying to get another year of theming ulster again you know what margin i'll call dairy probably further down the road in dunny gall but when they both meet who knows and then you've thrown coming into the mix in the quarter final it's it's it's it's the most difficult of all the pressure to call but the best team in it at the moment is probably that said gordon that's what i wanted to hear keep talking up the dairy men and we'll ambush them men and gordon this fantastic stuff as ever goes down looking to get up eight or nine ulster teams will be in uh division one and two only the entremenne outside of time maybe they'll get in the year after it's not looking right this year gordon listen thanks you much for the round up as ever and i'll be talking to you as the season goes on brandon great thanks for having me take out my gordon man in here of the iwi's times we want to take a wee break folks and then we're going to hear from dunny gall's neve mclotham if you have a tv you must have a tv license it's the law if you don't you're risking a court appearance get yours at tvlicense.ie or annie post office brought to you by the government of ireland patio thread lifts and skin boosters which rejuvenate the skin by improving facial contours lifting and tightening the jaws neck cheeks and eyebrows are available at janis's aesthetics and skincare clinic edore to choose the right aesthetic treatment for you contact mary ferry your aesthetic practitioner also offering fat dissolving treatments dermal fillers and laser treatments for all skin conditions hair and makeup packages also available janis's aesthetics and skincare clinic edore 07495 32575 you've got a little weed you with putty power on this one then yeah mate big man to score anytime i'm backing him looks like it's the big man who's coming off he's going to struggle to score from the bench pal fear not punter because with putty power super sub your bet carries over to the player coming on you're ready for this so now all subs are super putty power football you gotta love it valid on selected leagues and markets only pretty much an in-play bets on qualifying player outcome selections only t's and c's and exclusions apply 18 plus gumley kia dot i he take their electoral commission i referendums Join me, Marty, for this and every Friday night from 8 for Rockin' Hits on Highland Radio in association with Arena 7 Letter Kenny. If you're celebrating a birthday or a work night out, Arena 7 Entertainment Complex has it all. Check out arena7.ie 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. Yeah, Stoney Gull, we're defeated in the division. Two ladies by Tyrone. It was 1-12 to 3-11 in Tyrone's favour after the match Moa O'Donnell caught up with Neve McGlellan. So Neve, does the point of that result there today? Ah, yeah. Of course, you're always disappointed. When you don't win the game, I suppose. I hoped for it to be fair to Tyrone. I thought they were well set up and they took their chances when they were on. Yeah, look, there's some good things, some things to work on, but I suppose we're just a work in progress. Yeah, it would be fair to say they looked a lot more clinical out there today than maybe done it almost a lot of easy chances. Yeah, I think so. I think they definitely have a lot of very good forwards and top quality forwards. And yeah, I think as you said, they were just a wee bit more clinical in front of the net. Our gears did well as well. There were a few gears tripping on the scores and stuff, but probably as a whole, they were better at that, yeah. Yeah, and I have to mention maybe the penalty opportunity in the second half. Claire Freel did well and probably very disappointed. Neve McGlellan carried up to that. She perhaps saved just maybe a few more times in the game as well. I love Claire. It's been great for us since she came in last year and look, it's one of those things that you're the girl. Just looking, thinking back about it now, there was probably one or two things that could have been a foul before that or something. I don't know, but no, it's not players fault. And yeah, she she she saved a lot of times this year and last year. So no, it's not from the ball against her. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. And listen, I suppose going out into the race today's game, you really weren't in a chance and the position maybe to get in within the top two. That's not looking like the case now and thrown probably secure enough in the position. How do you feel about that another year in Division two and always spoke a bit of before I look as well as when we spoke out before the aim is always to try and get up to Division one again. But you do that by focusing and trying to win every game. And look, that's what we're that's what we're trying to do. And look to owner. Well, I think they're probably well worth their their promotion. If they get there, they've been doing really well this year. And they're they're a good well team put together. But look, we'll just we'll just go back this week. We'll review your shelves and we'll dust ourselves off and get ready for cabin in two weeks time. Yeah, I probably could see it. They're drawn out probably five years maybe in Division two now at this stage. So, you know, you'd be hoping not to stay in Division two for five years. It is definitely a really tough place to get out of. Sure, I'm out with the same there. They've been in Division two finals this last couple of years and they only got out just they are just gone. So it's definitely a tough place to go. And I think even the results today were a bit probably a wee bit unexpected. I think Westmeath big tip and stuff. So it's definitely a very maybe a wee bit of an erratic league but we'll just focus on ourselves and then keep going. Yeah, look, I know probably people are thinking out this stage with Tarone on I think 13 points now. Donegal are on seven points, two games left in the league. If Tarone lose their next two, Donegal won their next two. They're still doing on a pass quality and up to number two. Is there or does it come down to the old difference or the game that you played today? I know, I think the court is going to go out and try and win. If we win our next two games, that'll be us up to 13. And then look, it's it's it's a kind of out of our hands from there. You're kind of hoping another result. So as I said, maybe it takes a wee bit of pressure off us. But we're just as I said, we're just going to go try and work on ourselves and develop. And that's what that's what we kind of focused on this year. And for maybe the years to come is trying to just get Donegal football back to sort of where where we should be and where we think we should be. And I suppose that comes from getting the underage structures in place, which we have done now this last year or two and really pushing at it and go on developing from there. Yeah, thanks to Maureen O'Donnell there for that interview with Neve McLaughlin. Now we're turning our attention to all Ireland's schools and we have one of the busiest men in the county, Kevin Campbell on the zoom. Why are you, Kevin? How's it going, Brad? Lad, you're at it again. Hey, this has been some successful season. Kevin, listen, how you get the break at all? I was I was down. You give me a late call on Friday night to come down to your your fundraiser there. We're doing a bit of catwalk on Friday night. But he weren't about. But you were up, of course, at the club all stars and good, good night. A good, good sit down to the crew up. Oh, I look, Brendan. I just want to tell your listeners there. Brendan helped us out very last minute for a fundraiser for the school, only I'm seen a fashion show for the night. So I just want to say thanks, Brendan. But yeah, good night, Friday night. It's good to get those recognition, you know, for the club players and I very, very good night to a couple of our heads now. Party morning, but yeah, very, very, very good night. Yeah, listen, hey, that you well deserved after after everything you've been in, Kevin, you're you're a man of many talents. Now you're coaching the Skull Wara football team and user and all that in final this week. A massive, massive achievement, of course, as a coach, you're like, right, one step away from the ultimate. But even to get this far, it's been a huge season. Kevin, listen, and what about Kieran Thompson down there was joking with him yesterday? Is he is he giving you a hand at all? But listen, things going great at the school. Yeah, it's been quite a rollercoaster season for us. Self and care talk last year, but, you know, maybe trying to want an Ulster inside the next two years for the boys. So we think we're a couple players to do it. Obviously, it's came a year earlier for us. But look, we can't sit and take the credit. As I said many times before, like the clubs down here on his own, Burt, Muff, Bunkranna doing great working underage. And, you know, if it wasn't for them, we probably wouldn't be in this position. You know, we wouldn't have the caliber of players to work with. So, you know, a lot, a lot of credit must go to them. Yeah. Yeah. And so many clubs is pulling into your team there. Kevin, the side that you have in the final. The majority of them is pulling in from Bunkranna. And then we have maybe five or six from the Muff Club. And then maybe two or three, four, maybe, actually, from the Burt Club. And then one from Orth as well. Very good. And, you know, you need that, Kevin. Like I was speaking a few times, Gary McDale was on Bits and Unions and he was up playing a side in the north. And he said it was something like 20 odd schools, all the Giller that were 20 clubs, all the Giller that was featuring around the school. You know, and it's, I suppose, is that disadvantage? Don't they go so spread out? So that makes your achievement all the more remarkable. Kevin, they just have come this far. Yeah, it's, um, yeah, you know, I know a lot about schools popular because of a lot of relations play up in the north. And, you know, the kind of setups they have, it's, it's, it's really like a, like an underage development squad. So most of them schools have heard about, you know, schools going right for 10 a weekend, saying the country and stuff. So like they're, they're really at, you know, next level. But long before a lot of the schools kind of got to that level. And I look when you look at St. Pat's here in Mahara, they're picking, you know, the boys and I'm giving my past three second school to school and the St. Pat's just with the fact that they've chance to play it in the quarter cup level. So, um, it is quite hard for them to go to schools. But, you know, you know, I've been flying the flag years gone by. Abbey put on a fantastic season this year, you know, um, and look, hopefully the schools keep pushing on and, you know, always try to bet themselves year on year out and try to push the, push the bar a little bit higher for the boys coming behind them again. And Kevin, tell me, what's the style of football at the schools level? We see how tactical football is getting, you know, between kickouts and flight keepers and all that. What is the general styles out there? I know different teams would be playing different styles, but what have you come up against in terms of your opposition and the way you use play yourselves? Yeah, a lot of the schools are quite, quite well set up, you know, like a lot of the second schools will have on a football or, you know, some kind of coaches on a high level and when you have a group of boys that are on the lesson and learn about, you know, it's, it's not easy, but it's, it's manageable. They set up an offensive structure, which shall contain all our teams to, you know, a reasonable score. And it's at a decent level. Now, there is, of course, a couple of teams that they'll come up against and, you know, for one reason or the other, the players or, you know, might not have been together enough, but, you know, you can definitely see this, that the teams that have been out working on things and the teams that haven't been working on things. But the standard we've been up against so far, yeah, it's been it's been fairly, fairly high and I've been quite impressed with it now. Yeah, and your opponents, have you, have you got video analysis? Have you got information? Is there a lot of fashion has to be done? I know video analysis is such, but a lot of fashion been done. I ring in different teachers and principals and people know down around offline and training, match reports and stuff. And I, they seem to be quite a, quite a tagging outfit. I think in the first 21 minutes, all six of the forwards have scored from play. So I'm reading to the reports, it's just full gone home, full out attack and then on the flop side, they've got a couple of sticky man markers in the back line. So look, we're probably going to be, have to be on a game defensively to be able to, you know, overcome them on Saturday. And keeping the schools in a soccer final as well? Aye, the girls there, unfortunately, a bit today and the older and senior girls. And I think the boys have, is it an Ulster final? I think we played a door in it. So, and there's quite a large number of them boys that will play the soccer, we'll be playing the soccer final, we'll be playing in the Gaelic final and the one, the North West basketball. So look, it's a, it's a real talented bunch of lads that were coming through the school at the moment. And look, we just, we've got to make the most of it for whenever we can. Yeah, indeed. And Kevin, I suppose it takes such an effort behind that in terms of you, if you got, has Kieran been helping right down there? Is that, have you been leaning on him as well? But it must be great to have someone of his calibre about the school as well, because, you know, all these young guys you're trying to inspire to the next generation, you know, they, they look up to people and everything that you're doing on the pitch, and you have someone that Kieran in there as well at the school. Aye, he's, he's, you know, fantastic. He's got that experience of a late level. And like you always kind of question yourself to some degree about, you know, am I doing the right thing here? Because like we've got boys that have been up in county development setups and, you know, played in minor county finals. So, you know, me personally, I suppose if I question myself, go on, you know, am I doing the right thing here? Does this kind of sound right? Because maybe my ideas and concepts are kind of, maybe we lean towards the Harlem background a bit more, you know, kind of thinking outside the box too much, whereas Kieran's the kind of, the reasonable head that can kind of go on the hall of court this way, because X, Y and Z, and, you know, it's great to have them there, build the bunch of ideas off them. And yeah, like he's a role model there for a lot of them, boys is up, you know, doing the stuff for the club and then doing stuff at the county level as well. And like all them boys will spare to play at the county level someday, whether they get there or not, you know, it's kind of what they'll, they'll be striving for the next. Yes, indeed. To be lose, Kevin there, I think we might have lost. Or Kevi there. Hello, sorry. You're back, you're back. Good man, Kevin. I'm back. Sorry. A phone call, come on, Kevin. Yeah, all right, yeah, all right. Tell him, Heidi, just, who was it? Tell him, he just interrupted Hylian Radio Live broadcast. There you go. The Democrat, I don't know. I hope it's not Hylian Radio station. There's nobody like us. No, Kevin, that's Kevin. I'm just going to say last, we're down the last minute and about here. Kevin, tell me this. So, so Reds, you used to come looking for you to coach their football team. Is that a possible there? I don't think so yet. They've got a good fella in there this year from Toronto. So I had a fella up in Toronto actually messing me about it to see what an outfit they are. And look, hopefully they do well. They've got a very good team coming through on the race. But no, definitely, definitely no approach on a club team, yes. Oh, listen, the reputation's building. I think you could turn your hand in. Kevin, tell me, obviously, you spoke to yourself and Nile just about next year and that. Has there been many more discussions yet about the plan for management next year of Satanta? Yeah, so Nile, again, and the rest of the background team are going to come on board. I'm stepping away at the minute. Just because of family issues for family commitments. But hopefully all going well. They're back in at some stage in the year, back in the management team. But I'll still be netminding, unfortunately, for the year again. So there's no real way out of that one. The magic flag keeper, I'll tell you what, you weren't too bad at it. It was an absolutely epic season. And I say we had a great night a few weeks back. And it was brilliant occasion here and brilliant to meet Richie as well. And I, you know, would live long in the memory. My mum, even everybody had a brilliant night up there. Hey, I want to thank you very much for that. Kevin, once you listen, about half of all the team here at Highlandtide, we want to wish you all the best at the weekend. Of course, to see them to Abbey VS and their manager, Stuart McFadden. Stuart actually is training, I think, an underage team tonight. He couldn't make it for a wee interview. But we want to wish them all the best as well. Kevin, hopefully we'll talk to you with a cup and we'll get a wee word of you maybe next week. Well done, Braden. Thanks very much. Thanks very much. I was Kevin Campbell there. Thanks very much for wrapping up the show. Joe Dex for producing. I want to thank all my guests. Stay tuned for the excellent Monday night sessions.