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Jim McGuinness hails Donegal heroes as Ciaran Thompson nets first championship goal in rout of Louth

JIM MCGUINNESS beamed at Ciaran Thompson’s first championship goal as Donegal blew Louth away to power into the All-Ireland quarter-finals. 

The Ulster champions saw off the kings of Leinster in style in a riproaring second half in Ballybofey, as Thompson marked his 50th championship appearance with a green flag. 

22 June 2025; Donegal manager Jim McGuinness during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship preliminary quarter-final match between Donegal and Louth at MacCumhaill Park in Ballybofey, Donegal. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Donegal manager Jim McGuinness hailed his side after a comfy win over Louth on Sunday
22 June 2025; Louth goalkeeper Niall McDonnell fails to stop a shot by Ciaran Thompson of Donegal during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship preliminary quarter-final match between Donegal and Louth at MacCumhaill Park in Ballybofey, Donegal. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Louth goalkeeper Niall McDonnell fails to stop a shot by Ciaran Thompson, who scored his first championship goal in the clash

Oisín Gallen got back to his best with 0-5 as a dozen Donegal players scored to see off Ger Berannan’s men by 16 points. 

And McGuinness gushed at Naomh Conaill clubmate Thompson for producing the goods, as his smashing second half strike killed the game.  

He said: “Brilliant, brilliant. Listen, Tomo offers us so much and he’s so consistent and so honest and so brave. 

“He punches way above his weight in the skies to be honest with you, with a lot bigger fellas out there. 

“But delighted to see him get a goal as well because that’s the first goal he’s ever scored in championship football, so it’s a good day all round for Ciarán.” 

And boss McGuinness gushed at fan favourite Finnbarr Roarty too. 

The Glenties teen sensation, 19, has been magnificent in the Donegal defence since making his SFC debut against Derry this summer and fired 0-2 in another sizzling performance yesterday. 

He said: “He’s a huge favourite there with the crowd because he’s just so honest and works so hard and he wins balls and he turns balls over that probably he shouldn’t at times, and he’s so young. 

“He’s like a breath of fresh air for everybody watching him. But for me the most important adjustment that he’s made is on the ball. 

“He’s always been a brilliant tenacious defender the whole way up through the ranks but now he’s playing at senior Inter-County level and he’s difficult to take the ball off as well.

“And no matter how good you are defensively if you’re going to give the ball away in attacking phases you know it can cost the team. 

“But he’s been excellent at that and very good agility and very good at avoiding tackles and he adds so much to our attack with Ciarán Moore and these other fellas coming from deeper positions.”

And McGuinness hopes his men are granted a Sunday fixture this weekend after this morning’s quarter-final draw, as they face their third championship game in 14 days. 

He added: “I think every county in Ireland will be hoping for a Sunday fixture, I don’t think there will be too many saying we’re happy for Saturday. But listen, we’ll wait to see what that brings.”

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Ger Brennan refuses to dwell on Donegal hammering after memorable season with Louth

DEFIANT Ger Brennan insists Louth’s journey is only beginning – despite getting lost on their way to Donegal. 

The Leinster champions bowed out of the championship yesterday against Jim McGuiness’ men in Ballybofey.

22 June 2025; Donegal manager Jim McGuinness, left, shakes hands with Louth manager Ger Brennan after the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship preliminary quarter-final match between Donegal and Louth at MacCumhaill Park in Ballybofey, Donegal. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Ger Brennan praised his side for their season despite the defeat to Donegal
22 June 2025; Ciaran Thompson of Donegal shoots to score his side's second goal during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship preliminary quarter-final match between Donegal and Louth at MacCumhaill Park in Ballybofey, Donegal. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Donegal sailed past Louth on Sunday afternoon after a stunning second-half display

Donegal blew Louth away in a rip-roaring second half, as they outscored their opponents 1-16 to 0-5 to kill the game and march into the last eight.

Brennan was coy on his future after two years in charge of the Wee County, but hopes this is only the start of something special after winning their first provincial title for 68 years this summer. 

He said: “Look, all journeys do come to the end, but it should be the beginning of something new. We can see where the gaps are. 

“Like all first experiences, the jubilation and almost relief and joy that you feel. When you look at 68 years, there were very few of us around. 

“For this group of players to achieve that, for the people of Louth, it’s just a wonderful experience. That’s what we will remember the experience for. 

“When you look at what Donegal did, we weren’t able to win possession. How efficient and how powerful they were in driving forward, that’s the part. 

“You want to be playing in games like this to see where you actually are. The journey so far with the lads has been absolutely incredible. 

“I think everyone should sit down and review the game critically as a group because that’s something, that process that we got into was something that we had to keep and then you try to plan from there.”

The Louth team bus arrived at MacCumhaill Park less than an hour before throw-in after taking a wrong turn from their Enniskillen base -and ending up in Sligo. 

Throw-in was almost delayed as a result, Brennan insists their detour had no impact on their performance, despite shipping a 2-22 to 0-12 loss to the Ulster champs.

He said: “The honest to God truth was human error in our navigation. We stayed in the Killyhevlin Hotel and it took us maybe 2 hours and 20 minutes to get here today. 

“If we had left from our centre of excellence in Darver in Louth it would have taken us 2 hours and 11 minutes, so we gave ourselves an extra few minutes in the travel. 

“We were in Sligo. So Enniskillen is here, Ballybofey is there and we were down there. So we turned about 100 degrees to the direction to the left of the west. But the Wild Atlantic Way looks good. We’ll chance that the next day.

“It was human error in terms of navigation. But luckily we played well in the first half so maybe it worked!”

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Thailand Video News | Thai couple arrested after scamming 2,000 businesses, Phuket retires iconic pink buses for modern electric fleet

Phuket’s familiar pink buses are now a thing of the past as the city shifts to electric transport. Across Thailand, a scam operation targeting thousands of businesses has been shut down, and changes are coming for foreigners applying for a Thai driver’s licence. Meanwhile, political tensions rise as PM Paetongtarn faces calls to step down. …

The story Thailand Video News | Thai couple arrested after scamming 2,000 businesses, Phuket retires iconic pink buses for modern electric fleet as seen on Thaiger News.

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INQToday: No ill feelings toward Marcos over ‘political persecution’ – Sara Duterte

Here’s a quick roundup of today’s top stories: PH urges diplomacy amid escalating Middle East conflict The Philippine government on Sunday urged concerned parties in the Middle East to avoid the escalation of conflict, reiterating the need for a “peaceful and diplomatic solution” to the ongoing crisis. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) issued this

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SSO ensures insured Thai nationals access to safe abortion services

The Social Security Office (SSO) has announced that insured Thai nationals are entitled to medical services to terminate unplanned pregnancies without legal repercussions. Today, June 23, Marasri Jairangsee, secretary-general of the SSO, stated that they are committed to ensuring comprehensive access to quality medical services for insured people. This includes both general healthcare and specific …

The story SSO ensures insured Thai nationals access to safe abortion services as seen on Thaiger News.

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PNP chief issues clarification on fitness coach for weight loss drive

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III has clarified that he did not authorize any fitness instructor to lead the 93-day weight loss program for the entire police force.  Torre made the clarification in a memorandum circular dated June 21 but was released to the media on Monday.  According to

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Free LRT-2, MRT-3 rides for seafarers on June 25

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced on Monday that free train rides will be offered to seafarers on Wednesday, June 25, on the Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2) and Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3). In an advisory, the DOTr said the initiative is part of the celebration of the Day

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Thai police thwart migrant smuggling after truck stuck in mud

In Kanchanaburi, a man from Bang Saphan was apprehended after attempting to smuggle 41 illegal migrant workers in a pickup truck. The vehicle became stuck in mud during a police chase, leading to the arrest of all involved. The migrants, from Myanmar, confessed to paying over 50,000 baht (US$1,515) each for passage to Bangkok and …

The story Thai police thwart migrant smuggling after truck stuck in mud as seen on Thaiger News.

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Bangkok protest planned against PM over Cambodia issues

Prominent protest figures are organising a demonstration in Bangkok, aiming to remove the Paetongtarn Shinawatra government due to its management of territorial issues with Cambodia. Jatuporn Prompan and other leaders gathered at Victory Monument this past Sunday, June 22, to reveal their plan to protest at the same location in six days. They asserted that …

The story Bangkok protest planned against PM over Cambodia issues as seen on Thaiger News.

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Thailand Weather Drama: 49 Provinces Brace for Torrential Downpours on June 23, 2025

Oh, the whimsical dance of the raindrops! As Thailand steps into yet another day soaked in anticipation under the gaze of the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD), there’s an air of excitement bundled with gloom – a complex melody of weather woes on this day, June 23, 2025. The script reads like a blockbuster thriller: 49 provinces predicted to host torrential deluges, with 70% of the great metropolis, Bangkok, preparing to bow under the aquatic serenade. With an umbrella in one hand and a hope for sunshine in the other, Bangkokians are bracing for what could be a meteorological rollercoaster, keeping a wary eye on Mother Nature’s mood swings. The heavens might not be in a forgiving mood today, teasing the city’s streets with threats of flash floods, forest runoffs, and potential landslides, turning the concrete jungle into a scene from a water-themed attraction. The drama isn’t just confined to Bangkok’s…

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