Are Donegal the Early Favourites for Sam in 2025?

With Donegal having made such an impressive start to the 2025 National Football League the question surrounding Jim McGuinness’ men is whether they should be considered favourites for this year’s All-Ireland Football Championship. Wins over Dublin, Kerry and defending All-Ireland champions Armagh mean that Donegal sit on top of the table after three rounds of this year’s competition.

Donegal’s 2025 Form

As I have mentioned Jim McGuinness, and his team have begun their 2025 campaign with three consecutive wins over three top teams in Dublin, Kerry and Armagh. Donegal have adapted quickly to the new rules brought into Gaelic Football this year and have certainly looked the best team in the country from the limited number of games we have witnessed under the new rules of the game. Many might have thought that Donegal could have been one of the sides that might not enjoy the new rules, but McGuinness in the second year of his second spell as Donegal boss has once more shown what a capable manager he is. Their performances away to Kerry in which they earned the county’s first win on Kerry soil for 37 years and their win over 2024 All-Ireland winners Armagh should particularly excite Donegal fans about what might lie ahead for the County in 2025.

Why Have Donegal Impressed?

Jim McGuinness being the top-quality coach that he is would have no doubt prepared his team to adapt to the new rules as quickly and as efficiently as possible over the winter break. They have looked further ahead than absolutely everyone so far during this League, not only in terms of their results, but also in the way they are playing and the attacking control they are playing with.

The new two-point rule for a score beyond the arc is something that Donegal really look like they could take advantage of this year. They have had fine shooters from long range in recent seasons with the likes of Ciaran Thompson, Michael Langan and Ryan McHugh, and this year those players along with the returning Michael Murphy and Paddy McBrearty could really shine with the new scoring rules.

Those long-range scoring abilities that they have at their disposal are only matched by a handful of counties in the country and pair nicely with the attacking runners from deep and quick hands they possess throughout their team. They appear to have a nice blend of natural distance shooters and quick attacking runners that mean they can play several ways, depending on the defensive structure they are facing.

What Players are Shining So Far

The strength of the Donegal team is the number of quality footballers they have at their disposal this year, but a few have certainly impressed during their fast start to the new season. Ryan McHugh has started the year playing some of the best football we have seen from the marauding wing back in years, and Donegal fans should be excited about the prospects of what the two-time All-Star can produce over the course of the summer. Paddy McBrearty looks rejuvenated as a top-quality scoring forward so far in the new 3-up rules and looks as fit and fresh as he has done in quite a while. If McBrearty keeps firing along with Oisin Gallen, Donegal will possess two of the most dangerous forwards in the country.

Perhaps the final piece of the jigsaw for Donegal this year though, could be the return of the great Michael Murphy. The Glenswilly man retired from the Donegal team at the end of 2022 but has returned under McGuinness and judging by his performance on his comeback against Armagh, it looks like he has never been away. Within moments of coming on against the All-Ireland champions, Aidan Forker did his best Zinedine Zidane impression by attempting to headbutt Murphy into the chest. Unlike Marco Materazzi, Murphy did not flinch, and Forker was sent off for his moment of madness. Murphy then scored three points to kick start his second coming in a Donegal jersey with the prospect of what’s to come from Murphy surely exciting fans ahead of the Championship.

Conclusion

Donegal fans should be very optimistic for the 2025 season. If they can keep their main players fit, and if Murphy can help them with some moments of magic throughout the year, it’s hard to look past them as the hot favourites at this stage for the 2025 Championship.

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