Crippling pain and finding it hard to say ‘I'll stop'

Bennett also breaks down why Waterford weren't good enough to get out of Munster, and what the team must do to improve
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Irish Times

an hour ago

• Irish Times

Dean Rock: Jim McGuinness wants people to think it's Donegal against the world

It felt like Jim McGuinness had ripped some pages from the Alex Ferguson playbook last Sunday - the chapter on 'us against the world'. The Donegal manager was apparently frustrated by the scheduling of Dr Hyde Park to host his team's All-Ireland round-robin match against Mayo . His remarks to that effect caused something of a dispute between Donegal and the GAA's Central Competitions Control Committee . But sweep away that thin veneer and maybe it was more about engineering a sense of Donegal against the world. Or the world against Donegal. Take your pick. It was about galvanising the squad, galvanising the county. It was more about what's to come rather than what has already taken place. READ MORE McGuinness doesn't strike me as somebody who expresses such sentiments without having first walked through the consequences in his head. It's all part of a plan and a strategy. McGuinness remarked: 'You're 38 minutes from Mayo's training ground. We're 3½ hours from Inishowen. It's not fair. If I don't say it, who's going to say it?' Having travel distances at hand showed this was a message McGuinness had pre-cooked and was keen to express. It wasn't really about the venue. It was about creating a siege mentality. Additionally, it was used as a deflection tactic because Donegal's level of performance probably wasn't where he would have wanted it to be last Sunday. The Mayo match rounded off a slightly disappointing group stage for Donegal. They never really reproduced the levels they showed in the Ulster final. Donegal players form a huddle before last Sunday's match against Mayo. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho Donegal would have targeted finishing top of their group, so the last few weeks haven't panned out as McGuinness and his management team would have liked. The preliminary quarter-final is a game they could have done without. So, it was an opportune time to rally the county behind a cause, stir up a 'them versus us' mentality. Ultimately, it creates a fuss around an issue that is not going to have any material impact on whether Donegal win the All-Ireland or not. Should they beat Louth in Ballybofey on Sunday, then Donegal will play the rest of their championship games at Croke Park. Moaning about a venue at this stage is incidental. However, it does allow the Donegal squad and their supporters to unite behind a perceived sense of unfairness and use it as a motivational tool for the weeks ahead. In that regard, McGuinness had nothing to lose by shaking a few trees in his post-match interview last Sunday. At this stage of the championship, teams will use whatever they can to gain an edge. If you should be beating a team by 20 points and you don't beat them by 20 points, then that's probably a sign of complacency or a lack of humility For years, it was thrown at Dublin about playing all our championship games in Croke Park. When we were asked about it, the message from the players and management was consistent – we are happy to play anywhere; we don't decide on venues. And we were happy to play outside of Croke Park. That wasn't just a throwaway comment. Looking back now, some of my fondest memories were going to play down the country. Those away trips were great for team-bonding and encouraging camaraderie. I would have liked to play in more of the grounds around the country. Donegal manager Jim McGuinness looks on from the sideline during last weekend's match against Mayo, which his team won by a point. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho But we were aware of the narrative out there around us playing in Croke Park. When our success reached a certain level during that era, everybody outside of Dublin wanted us to be beaten, which is understandable. We certainly used that as a motivating factor. It wasn't a central tenet of our preparations, but I think we kind of fed off that as a group. We got a huge amount of confidence during that period because the group was so tight-knit. The dressingroom became a sacred place – when we were in there, it felt like it was us against everybody else, and that worked for us. It wasn't about going out to prove people wrong – it was more about showing the opposition absolute respect. You do that by beating them by as much as possible. If you should be beating a team by 20 points and you don't beat them by 20 points, then that's probably a sign of complacency or a lack of humility because you are not doing what you should be doing. And I think there might have been an element of that in the comments by McGuinness last week. Donegal need to rediscover their form from earlier in the championship, because in the defeat to Tyrone and for parts of last week's win over Mayo, they weren't doing what they should have been doing in terms of putting the opposition away. Instead, that result hung in the balance right until the last kick of the ball. Donegal's Ciarán Moore celebrates scoring the late winning point against Mayo. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho Given how the second half panned out, Donegal could quite easily have ended up losing and found themselves finishing third in the group and now facing the prospect of a trip to Killarney this weekend. So, while McGuinness will be pleased by the character and ruthlessness they showed to win the game, it wasn't as convincing a victory for Donegal as they probably would have liked. Instead, it was another draining 70 minutes for a team that has played more games than most in this year's championship. Sunday's preliminary quarter-final will be Donegal's eighth outing having already played Derry, Monaghan, Down, Armagh, Tyrone, Cavan and Mayo. Only Meath have played as many matches as Donegal – and the Royals have avoided the prelims. So, perhaps McGuinness just felt now was the right time to spark a little fire. You cannot keep the 'us against the world' psychology going for six months but it's something that can be helpful in a shorter window. There are just five weeks until the All-Ireland final, so McGuinness probably reasoned that leaning into it now would pull the group nice and tight for the journey ahead. There is probably a bit of pressure on the group as well because the expectation levels have increased – Donegal are fancied by many to win the All-Ireland. Patrick McBrearty and Michael Murphy celebrate in the dressingroom after Donegal beat Armagh in the Ulster SFC final in May. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho McGuinness delivered Sam Maguire in year two during his first term in charge and so parallels will be drawn between 2012 and 2025. One key difference is that for this group, 2025 looks like their best shot at winning the All-Ireland. Donegal made it back to an All-Ireland final two years after the 2012 triumph, but I wouldn't be as convinced this group will still be as competitive two seasons from now as they currently are. Michael Murphy, for one, is unlikely to be still togging out for the county. Will McGuinness still be there? Key players like Patrick McBrearty and Ryan McHugh have spent well over a decade in the trenches. I think it's pretty much now for this Donegal team. The players know this team's window for success will not be open forever. That all adds to the pressure. And with the team not performing as well as they should, maybe that's why this 'us against them' messaging emerged from the Donegal camp last weekend. Because, let's be honest, Donegal are not exactly the most loathed team in the country. Far from it, I would have thought. They are expected to beat Louth on Sunday and I believe that is exactly what will happen, but Ger Brennan's Leinster champions have nothing to lose and I'd expect them to bring a decent performance. Donegal's Oisín Gallen signs autographs after the game against Cavan at the start of June. Photo: Lorraine O'Sullivan/Inpho Beyond that, Donegal will need more from the likes of McBrearty and Oisín Gallen in supporting Michael Murphy up top. Gallen, for me, is the key. He was exceptional last year, won an All Star and brought that real x-factor quality to his play, but I don't think he has got back to those high standards this season. All it takes for a player of his ability to find his mojo again is one good game. If he can deliver a big performance against Louth, then Donegal will travel to Croke Park as a much more formidable outfit. Either way, the Ulster champions are likely to be among the last eight when the quarter-finals take centre stage next weekend. Because the racket last Sunday about venues wasn't really about Dr Hyde Park, it was about benefiting Donegal when they get to Croke Park.

Irish Daily Mirror

an hour ago

• Irish Daily Mirror

GAA fans furious ahead of bumper weekend of All-Ireland action

As another bumper weekend of GAA action approaches, fans have been taking to social media to voice their anger over which games are being televised on free-to-air TV and which are being shown on GAA+. RTE will televise the two All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship quarter-finals of Dublin v Limerick and Galway v Tipperary on Saturday. The broadcaster will also show the Tailteann Cup semi-finals as Wicklow face Limerick and Kildare take on Fermanagh on Sunday. However, it is the decision to show the four All-Ireland Senior Football Championship preliminary quarter-finals on GAA+ that is angering supporters ahead of the weekend, with three of the top four in the outright Championship betting in action. Kerry host Cavan at Fitzgerald Stadium on Saturday afternoon before the evening meeting of Dublin and Cork at Croke Park. Then on Sunday, Down host Galway in Newry before the clash of Donegal and Louth in Ballybofey. "Dublin v Cork, football's biggest game of the weekend, is on a subscription channel online Sat. It's on at the same time as the biggest hurling game of the weekend on RTE. They couldn't get less people to watch the biggest football game of the weekend if they tried," stated one fan. Another asked: "Where are the important gaelic football matches ,also known as the Preliminary Quarter Finals been Televised, Not on free to Air?" Someone else said: "Taking all the big games this weekend, @rte and you wonder why numbers are declining . Absolute disgrace especially when your buffing the weekend schedule with re runs of west side story & all creatures great and small." "An absolute disgrace by the GAA to put the Dublin vs. Cork match on GAA+," read another comment. LIVE GAA ON TV AND STREAMING THIS WEEKEND Saturday June 21 All-Ireland SFC Preliminary Quarter-Finals Kerry v Cavan, Fitzgerald Stadium, 3.30pm, GAA+Dublin v Cork, Croke Park, 6.15pm, GAA+ All-Ireland SHC Quarter-Finals Limerick v Dublin, Croke Park, 4pm, RTEGalway v Tipperary, TUS Gaelic Grounds, 6.15pm, RTE Sunday June 22 All-Ireland SFC Preliminary Quarter-FinalsDonegal v Louth, Ballybofey, 4pm, GAA+Down v Galway, Pairc Esler, 1.45pm, GAA+ Tailteann Cup Semi-Finals Limerick v Wicklow, Croke Park, 2pm, RTEKildare v Fermanagh, Croke Park, 4pm, RTE

The 42

2 hours ago

• The 42

Munster appoint Alex Codling as forwards coach ahead of new season

MUNSTER HAVE ANNOUNCED that Alex Codling will become the province's forwards coach for the 2025/2026 season. Codling takes up the role after joining Munster as a forwards coach consultant last November. He worked with the province throughout the remainder of the 2024/25 season while also working with Ireland senior women's squad. Codling will continue to work as a forwards coach with Ireland for the upcoming women's World Cup. He will begin his role with Munster on 1 October, with incoming Head Coach Clayton McMillan fulfilling the role of forwards coach during the pre-season period. He will be supported by elite player development officer Tommy O'Donnell. Advertisement Codling was previously head coach of Premiership side Newcastle Falcons and also held a coaching role with the senior England men's team, Harlequins and Oyonnax. Meanwhile, Brad Mayo has been unveilled as Munster's new head of athletic performance. Mayo comes into the role this summer having worked with Brumbies, Bay of Plenty, the Chiefs, Glasgow Warriors and most recently was head of athletic performance with New Zealand Super Rugby side, The Hurricanes. He worked with new Munster boss Clayton McMillan in the role of strength and conditioning coach for the All Blacks XV during their Northern Hemisphere Tour. 'Alex's impact since he began working with us in November has been excellent and we are delighted that he will be back with us for the 2025/26 season,' said Munster's General Manager Ian Costello. 'We also look forward to welcoming Brad to Munster this summer. Brad has worked in elite environments all over the world and I'm sure he will be a huge addition to the high-performance team. 'Securing the services of Alex and Brad in conjunction with the arrival of Clayton adds to a top class coaching and performance support team as we look forward to the new season.'