As we head towards the conclusion of the year, I think it’s safe to say that 2025 will be remembered fondly in GAA circles with the new rules helping to rejuvenate Gaelic Football.
They have made the game quicker and a better spectacle and whether you’re a player, manager, or supporter, the experience is enhanced because of the changes that have been made.
I thoroughly enjoyed both the club and county action and look forward to seeing what 2026 has to offer.
Now it has to be said that the changes haven’t sorted all the issues within our game.
I’ve been banging on about it for a few months now but I think something has to be done about the player welfare of our county players.
Too much is being asked of them and there just isn’t any substantial break to be had.
The top young players are busy with club, county, colleges and underage football, and the reality is that a percentage of those are going to get burned out because we are just asking too much.
We played a challenge game with Fermanagh recently and the other manager was telling me that he had more than twenty players out injured.
Some of those had picked up knocks from breaking down in training while a lot of the seasoned campaigners had surgery after the championship and were still coming back.
We are asking too much of our best young stars and for me we need to help them so that they can get the right balance in their lives.
Nobody wants to be sidelined especially now when we are seeing big crowds coming out to watch the enhanced entertainment.
We have been seeing great scores, big contests in the middle of the field, and players taking more risks.
Coaches have been working hard over the last six months to find ways to make the rules suit them and evolve and that’s going to make things very interesting going forward.
I think you can even see since the intercounty season finished and into the latter stages of the top-level club stuff, and the two-pointer has become a huge factor.
I think it’s something that teams have to be working on and finding ways to get your best kickers on the ball near the arc.
Donegal
From a Donegal perspective, it was a memorable 2025 with the county team going on a great run.
It’s hard to believe now that it’s coming up on five months since the All-Ireland Final and the excitement that brought with the ticket scramble and the colour around the county.
Sometimes it’s the last memory that lingers on and that’s probably the All-Ireland Final defeat and the manner of that loss against Kerry.
But there were some brilliant days out like the Ulster Final win over Armagh.
Michael Murphy’s first appearance back in the league in Ballybofey was great and the roar from the crowd when he came on.
You had Ciaran Moore’s late point against Mayo in the Hyde to knock Mayo out of the championship.
Then you think on Donegal falling behind against Monaghan in Croke Park and how Michael Langan’s goal sparked a superb comeback.
The arrival of Finnbarr Roarty as a young rookie corner-back and ending up as an All-Star was a great subplot through the year.
Brendan McCole got his All-Star as well and he had another fine season and has just worked so hard to get to the level now where he is considered as one of the best backs in the game.
Conor O’Donnell and Shane O’Donnell lit it up at times as well so there were many highlights over the course of the year.
Yeah the big prize may have eluded Donegal in 2025 but it wasn’t for a lack of effort and I think the whole county enjoyed the journey.
Underage
It was a decent year at underage level for Donegal.
I feel the county is bringing through talented players and good teams but we aren’t lifting the silverware.
The minors this year reached the Ulster semi-final and lost to Cavan, while they were also beaten in the league final by Tyrone.
The Under 20s also tasted provincial decider defeat at the hands of the Red Hands.
Derry and Tyrone are always going to be strong at this level, but I don’t agree with the sentiment that it’s ok just to be competing with them.
And without putting too much pressure on, I think things are about to change.
I know Karl Lacey is putting in a huge amount of work with the minor footballers.
I have worked with Karl before and he is a serious coach. Those young players are going to be part of a brilliant set-up I have no doubt.
I think it’s a huge boost for Donegal football to have Karl back involved and he will drive standards up.
Donegal had a good group at Under 20 level in 2025 and they were very unlucky not to win Ulster.
They beat Tyrone comfortably in the group stages but the Red Hands turned them over in the final in Owenbeg.
It reminded me of 2015 when I was over the Donegal minors and we beat Derry easily in the league and then lost out to the championship semi-final when it mattered most.
The loss of Cian McMenamin to injury didn’t help the 20s back in May and there was a very harsh call given against Finnbarr Roarty at a crucial time.
Tyrone won that game and went on to win the All-Ireland.
A good chunk of the team are underage again for 2026 and Gary Boyle will have them well coached.
Club
The club championship was excellent in 2025 in Donegal.
Even going back to the league, the top teams were down bodies but new sides emerged then and that was good.
I would like to see our leagues becoming more of a priority again. I know county players won’t be involved but that doesn’t mean there can’t be good competitive fare for everyone else. You’re probably not going to get that when you have 13 or 14 teams in a division and some teams haven’t got much to play for after six matches.
The senior championship is a bit too drawn out as well.
I know in a lot of cases these days, it’s the only time county players line out for their clubs but more games doesn’t always help. You want games to be meaningful and have jeopardy.
You have to hand it to Naomh Conaill. The old dogs for the hard road.
They just found a way to get over the line in games where they looked dead and buried.
They fought back against Termon, Four Masters and Gaoth Dobhair, and to win the championship without Ciaran Thompson was massive.
Some of their older players are coming towards the end but there are younger lads who want in so Naomh Conaill won’t be giving up the doctor without a fight.
The days of club footballers taking a few months off and jogging back in towards early March are gone.
Most teams will be back doing a bit of gym work already and trying to make gains ahead of 2026.
Gaoth Dobhair will feel they should have won the championship and they will think that they are close.
Termon and Four Masters are making real progress, maybe MacCumhaills as well.
The big one will be how will St Eunan’s get on with an outside manager in Kieran Donnelly.
He has intercounty experience and will look to push ‘Eunan’s on.
I think the O’Donnell Park men have underachieved but there’s clearly a willingness to do something about it.
Is there another kick from Kilcar now that Patrick McBrearty has more time on his hands?
It was disappointing that all three of our champions lost at the first round of Ulster to Monaghan sides.
You need a bit of luck with the draw at times and a home draw in 2026 would possibly make a big difference for our champions, whoever they might be
