Jim McGuinness’s return to Donegal has stirred up much curiosity regarding the team’s strategy and goals. As this marks the beginning stages of his return, deciphering the ultimate outcome remains challenging; however, his systematic approach, both on and off-field, has been made somewhat apparent. A particularly unique event was the contest against Derry, considering McGuinness’s tendency to challenge the ruling champions of Ulster and meticulousness in defeating the finest.
Defensive Tactics
Over their two championship games, Donegal has displayed a remarkably structured defence with everyone dropping back, shifting with their opponents’ offence. This approach reflects the strategy that made McGuinness’s first stint successful. However, this time around, there are no immediate evasive manoeuvres, which is in stark contrast to the strategy used a decade prior.
Goalkeepers Sean Patton and Gavin Mulreany have successfully kept the goal untouched in the two games, thus far, with opposing teams nearly devoid of scoring opportunities. Derry managed a goal shot-success rate of only 50 per cent, a figure, doubtless influenced by their impatient offence, a trait rather unusual for them. Similarly, Tyrone managed a mere 28 goal attempts over the 80-minute game, representing a conversion rate of just 57 per cent, clearly insufficient for a win at this level.
Defensive coordination requires every player to act in concert to foil the opponent’s offensive attempts. However, Brendan McCole stands apart due to his exemplary role as a man marker.
Brendan McCole’s Role
McCole exhibits extraordinary man-marking skills, as shown in his performances against Shane McGuigan and Darragh Canavan during the inaugural two Ulster rounds. In the quarter-final round of Ulster, McCole was instrumental in reining in the Derryman, who remained largely idle outside the danger zone. As the Captain of the Sigerson Cup-winning team, DCU Dóchas Éireann, McCole also managed to overturn a 60:40 ball inside during the initial half.
The organised Donegal defence was so effective that McGuigan only managed two attempts at a free kick throughout the game, and both of his points were scored during the injury time in the second half. This was when the outcome of the game was already clear, and Donegal could afford to concede a few points as opposed to three-pointers. McGuigan, who had proved impactful in the previous year’s Championship and the current league, struggled under the close watch of McCole, who left him with little room to maneuver.
McCole demonstrated his defensive prowess yet again when dealing with Canavan in the match against Tyrone. Canavan, who typically thrives in wide open spaces, found himself limited due to the Donegal defence flocking to the empty areas at every long kick-out from Morgan. Despite this, Canavan managed to score twice from direct balls into defence, won a free kick after being fouled by Mulreany, and scored from a mark. His two superb points from each half of the game, one resulting from a Donegal turnover, however, were a rarity in a game where space was rarified. Over the course of the game, he was limited to just 11 possessions and didn’t get a touch for the duration of extra time. McCole’s impressive interception from Niall Morgan’s pass prevented Canavan from getting close to the 20-metre line. Apart from thwarting the two star forwards from Ulster, McCole was also instrumental in scoring the leveller during regular time, pushing the game to extra time.
In terms of long kick-offs, Donegal performed exceptionally well against Derry. It’s oversimplifying to view Odhran Lynch as the problem here. Conor Glass wasn’t directly involved in any of the long kick-offs that resulted in goals, for Donegal purposely kept him out of the game. Their aggressive response allowed them to easily get past the Derry defensive line. Oddly enough, this approach wasn’t new – it had been employed as far back as the first three league games, with the third goal against Derry mirroring their late goal against Cork. This win saw a surge of Donegal players heading towards the goal, mimicking their previous league tactics.
Tyrone decided to completely abandon Mulreany’s kick-outs, an unexpected yet predictable move. Tyrone’s cautiousness can be traced back to Donegal’s impressive 3-3 score from the kick-outs against Derry, and a similar tactic they employed against Cavan. The no-show of Patton might have lessened the danger slightly, but Tyrone did not attempt any changes to unsettle Donegal. While this might not have startled Donegal outright, Tyrone’s gamble still yielded a 0-10 score from 20 short kick-outs, half of which were transformed into points.
The length of a team’s possession of the ball can greatly determine their method of attack. Donegal has shown a flair for high-risk, counter-attacks, but can just as easily switch to a measured approach. This aggressive tack was clear during the game with Derry, as Donegal capitalised on their own long kick-outs and speedily recuperated turnovers to accumulate points rapidly.
Donegal managed to score 4-3 within 20-second possessions, largely thanks to Derry’s vulnerable defence and widespread kick-outs. Nevertheless, Donegal struggled when Derry assumed a defensive structure. Tyrone’s defensive strategy was more guarded and influenced the way Donegal navigated their defence. Although only securing 0-1 from quick attacks, Donegal demonstrated their versatility through controlled possession, securing 0-12 in attacks that extended beyond 40 seconds.
Evidently, the intentional offensive strategy of Donegal was most prominently displayed when McCole struck the posts to push the game into extra time. This occurred after they successfully kept hold of the ball for a little over three minutes as normal time reached its conclusion. It’s crucial, during these periods of possession, to stay cognizant of one’s actions when off the ball. Reviews convey that numerous Donegal players understand their responsibility in paving clear ways for Ryan McHugh, Shane O’Donnell, Daire Ó Baoill, and Caolan McGonagle to confront adversary players in one-to-one situations. Additionally, it seems that Donegal is keen on constructing these individual matchups with opposition forwards, something reminiscent of the late free granted by Cathal McShane.
Regarding the Ulster final, Donegal will likely need to employ a variety of tactics, considering Armagh’s flexibility in adjusting their gameplay. The Division Two league final that previously took place between these two teams may not be a reliable indicator of the forthcoming match. At that time, Donegal was missing key players such as McCole, Ryan McHugh, and Paddy McBrearty. From Armagh’s side, Rian O’Neill was only introduced late in the match. An important detail from that final was the restrained gameplay from both sides for the first three quarters, followed by a fast-paced closing quarter which saw Donegal triumph by a single point. The forthcoming Ulster final, no doubt, will be intriguing to observe.