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RTÉ News
a day ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Shane O'Donnell on fateful final play in the Hyde and Michael Murphy's iconic status
In the frantic final seconds of the Donegal-Mayo game, there were more than just Mayo supporters appealing for their opponents to kick the ball dead after the hooter. When Shaun Patton plonked the ball down on the kicking tee with only seconds remaining, Donegal were through in second place regardless of whether they could manufacture a winner. Mayo, meanwhile, would have survived in dramatic fashion at Cavan's expense thanks to Fergal Boland's late equaliser. In certain other sporting cultures, there'd have been little doubt that both teams would have agreed to leave it at that. But Donegal made a late impetuous run for glory, Patton's kickout breaking for Ciarán Moore. The centre-back sped up the left wing past despairing Mayo defenders to secure the winning score - and possibly a complimentary Cavan GAA hoodie in the process. Jim McGuinness praised his players' ruthlessness afterwards, though wing-forward Shane O'Donnell, who'd just been subbed, admits that some on the Donegal bench took a different view to those on the pitch. "There was a few boys probably shouting at him to kick it out and all that," O'Donnell told RTÉ Sport at the launch of the All-Ireland SFC knockout series. "And there was probably a few boys shouting at Shaun then as well to drain the clock and wait for the hooter to go. "It was just so hard to get messages on board even when I was on the pitch. You were unable to hear things from the sideline just because of the way the stand was. "But there was definitely a few bucks - and probably even including myself! - shouting on to kick it out. That's just not how it panned out. But we're happy with how it came out." Were the Donegal players on the pitch actually aware of the lie of the land before the last kickout? "I was fully aware because it was just after coming off at that stage. Now the boys on the pitch were probably a different story. "I suppose when you are caught up in those type of games and those type of moments, you are not thinking about other things. "Again, there was a lot of people in Hyde Park and it was hard to get messages on board with the noise from the supporters. "I think we were shouting a few things as well but they didn't hear us... It's probably a good thing they didn't hear us in the end." Win or draw, Donegal were set for a home preliminary tie in Ballybofey this weekend, with Louth the name to come out of the pot in Monday's draw. That Donegal supporters had to travel to Roscommon for the neutral game against Mayo was a source of controversy, with Jim McGuinness laying into the CCCC for the decision to fix the match for the Hyde outside the dressing room afterwards. In his comments, McGuinness noted that Hyde Park was "38 minutes from Mayo's training ground" and asserted that Donegal supporters were being "taken advantage of". O'Donnell, however, says the players themselves weren't too concerned about the venue, even if it was asking something of travelling fans. "There wouldn't be really much chat about it. I suppose with the big games you are kind of used to being on the road at this stage and you get your preparation and all done the night before with travelling down to hotels and etc. "We don't get too caught up in it, it's probably more of the logistics team that are dreading the thought of it." O'Donnell, now 23, made his Donegal debut in 2022 before opting out of the panel for the write-off campaign of 2023, a decision which did no one's reputation any harm. After spending that summer in America, O'Donnell returned to the panel for the 2024 season, with McGuinness now back at the helm. Having spent a few years as a student in DCU, travelling back and forth to inter-county training, O'Donnell got a teaching placement in Raphoe, where he teaches Maths and PE in the same school as Peadar Mogan. "The big thing for me there was getting home," says O'Donnell. "I was in Dublin there for four years so it was very taxing on the body, Which kind of led to me taking the break as well there in between. "After my first year in I thought maybe that I wasn't performing as well as I would have liked. I was maybe putting that down to fatigue and tiredness and whatnot. Driving can be hard on the body as well with hamstrings and whatnot. "It is definitely a lot easier now being at home, it takes away the travelling. Last year, I was kind of nearly lifting out of the car at one stage. "I suppose in terms of comparing to other years I feel a lot fresher and a lot healthier now this year. " O'Donnell was 10 years old when Michael Murphy captained Donegal to the All-Ireland and his first season coincided with what was originally supposed to be Glenswilly great's swansong in the jersey. Murphy, after two years of punditry work and a stint on the Football Review Committee where he helped to re-model the game we see today, he returned to the Donegal set-up in the off-season. O'Donnell, whose St Eunan's side won the 2024 county title and were preoccupied with the Ulster club, was one of the last to find out about his return. "I actually didn't get word of it until they got back (training). We fell short in the Ulster Championship there with the club. "So there was rumours going about and whatnot. It was a closed camp and I didn't actually believe it until I'd seen it with my own eyes when I got back there." Has he been startled at Murphy's form since his comeback? "Not really, no. When you're in the club championship and he was playing for Glenswilly, they were flying with him there as well and he was performing well in all those games. "I kind of had a fair idea that he would have settled in well whenever he came back. Probably not as well as what he's doing at the minute. "He's a bit of an icon in there for a lot of us because there's a lot of young boys there that wouldn't have played with him beforehand." Follow a live blog on the All-Ireland Football Championship on Saturday and Sunday on and the RTÉ News app. Listen to updates on Saturday Sport and Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1. Watch highlights on The Saturday Game at 9.15pm and The Sunday Game from 9.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.
Irish Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Shane O'Donnell gets his head around Donegal's ‘surreal' showdown with Louth
It's back to Ballybofey for Donegal this weekend, accompanied by the hope and expectation it is only a pit stop on the way to Croke Park. Yet for Shane O'Donnell, getting back to Donegal has been the making of him as an intercounty footballer. The St Eunan's man studied physical education and maths in DCU, during which time he tried to combine living in the capital and playing for Donegal. He made his senior debut in 2022 but, given the travel and associated time demands, he stepped back from the Donegal squad the following season. The return of Jim McGuinness to the helm in 2024 prompted O'Donnell to recommit and now, having completed his studies, the 24-year-old is back living and working in Donegal, teaching at Deele College in Raphoe. READ MORE One of his teaching colleagues in the school is his Donegal team-mate Peadar Mogan. Those home comforts have helped him produce some of his strongest showing so far for Donegal, while he was also named as the club player of the year following last season's county championship. 'I suppose the big thing for me there was getting home, I was in Dublin there for four years so it was very taxing on the body,' he recalls. 'Which kind of led to me taking the break as well. It is definitely a lot easier now being at home, it takes away the travelling. 'I was kind of nearly living out of the car at one stage. It is nice to be able to recover and rest, especially with the quick turnaround for games. I feel good at the minute and I am looking after the body really well.' O'Donnell has started all seven of Donegal's championship games this summer and chipped in with 0-6, including a point against Mayo. Having emptied himself for the cause last Sunday, O'Donnell was brought ashore with just three minutes remaining. So he was watching on from outside the white lines as Ciarán Moore jinked inside the Mayo defence and popped over a winning point with the last kick of the game. A draw would have been enough for Donegal to finish second as Tyrone were well in control against Cavan in the other group game. Ciarán Moore celebrates clinching victory for Donegal against Mayo. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho But while O'Donnell was aware of the permutations, he's not quite sure the players on the field had all the info. 'I suppose when you are caught up in those type of games and those type of moments you are not thinking about other things,' he says. 'It was hard to get messages on with the noise from the supporters, I think we were shouting a few things as well but they didn't hear us. 'There were a few boys probably shouting at [Ciarán] to kick it out and all that. And there were probably a few boys shouting at Shaun [Patton] then as well to drain the clock and wait for the hooter to go. But we're happy with how it turned out.' McGuinness expressed his unhappiness about the venue choice after the victory, the Donegal manager feeling the game should have been set for an alternative neutral venue rather than Dr Hyde Park. However, O'Donnell says the players tend to stay away from such matters and not get caught up worrying over where they play. 'There wouldn't be really much chat about it. I suppose with the big games you are kind of used to being on the road at this stage and you get your preparation done the night before with travelling down to hotels and so on. 'It's probably more of the logistics team that are dreading the thought of it. We are just happy to be playing in the big games and being at this stage of the All-Ireland series.' Their prize for finishing second in the group is a home preliminary quarter-final against Louth at MacCumhaill Park on Sunday at 4pm. It is a straight knockout clash between the Ulster and Leinster provincial champions. 'It's kind of mad that all four of [the provincial winners failed] to make it to the quarter-finals, that we're all in the preliminary round. 'That's how much competition there is between all the teams. We took our eye off the ball I think against Tyrone so we're probably in the place that we deserve to be, second place in the group. 'It's all to play for now and I suppose one of us is going to go out between ourselves and Louth this weekend, which is again surreal that one of the provincial champions isn't even going to make it to the quarter-finals.' Michael Murphy is still doing Michael Murphy things for Donegal. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho If Moore was the game-winning hero for Donegal last Sunday, the imperious Michael Murphy was once again their player of the match. It is impossible to measure the exact impact of Murphy's return to the fold this season but it's fair to say the 2012 All-Ireland-winning captain has been immense for his county. 'He's a bit of an icon for a lot of us because there's a lot of young boys there that wouldn't have played with him beforehand,' says O'Donnell. 'Thankfully I was there for his last year under Declan Boner and Stephen Rochford so I was able to work with him for a year, but there are a lot of new faces there at the minute that wouldn't have seen him before. 'I think a lot of us now just kind of idolise him and look up to him.' Getting Donegal and Murphy back to Croke Park is now the next target.
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Indo GAA podcast: Nice guys (Mayo) finish last, Donegal's siege mentality, Kerry's royal defeat
The lads discuss Mayo's crash out of the All Ireland series, how Jim McGuinness has implemented a siege mentality within Donegal and the 'shadow boxing' game that was between Armagh and Galway. Elsewhere they examine Dublin's lack of goals and two-point scores, how Derry might consider themselves unlucky and Kerry's collapse versus Meath. Our GAA Podcast coverage is with thanks to AIB. We'd love to get your thoughts on your overall listening experience, it only takes a minute, and your feedback helps us keep improving what we do. Plus, when you take part, you'll be in with a chance to win a €500 One4All Voucher. Just head to and enter GAA.
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Jarlath Burns hits back after Jim McGuinness blasts GAA over Dr Hyde Park venue call
GAA PRESIDENT Jarlath Burns has defiantly defended his fixtures chiefs after Jim McGuinness slammed Dr. Hyde Park hosting Donegal's clash with Mayo. Advertisement 2 Donegal manager Jim McGuinness slammed Dr. Hyde Park hosting Donegal's clash with Mayo 2 Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Jarlath Burns hit back at McGuinness' comments on Tuesday at the launch of the All-Ireland SFC knockout series at Croke Park But He said: 'Whenever fixtures are being made, there are so, so many things that they have to take into consideration, particularly with regard to neutral venues. 'I think they do an incredible job. I think they are amazing people and I just thought that it was important to put on record my appreciation and thanks for the work that they do in very complex circumstances. 'I was on the way back (from the Tailteann Cup quarter-final draw) in the car with Bernard Smith (Games Administration Manager), who was with me. Advertisement read more on gaa 'He took seven phone calls from counties asking for clarification on this, asking for a favour there, asking that they could play at a particular time, something that would have been on in their county, and I think every one of those requests was met. 'You know how hard they work to ensure that everything is done to the best of the ability to ensure safety and to ensure that there's no bias and to do the best that they can for all of our teams.' 'Just in time for Father's Day' - Dublin GAA legends welcome the birth of precious baby daughter
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
‘They do an incredible job': GAA president Jarlath Burns defends CCCC after Jim McGuinness criticism
GAA president Jarlath Burns has defended the GAA's Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) after Jim McGuinness was critical last weekend of the decision to schedule Donegal's All-Ireland SFC encounter against Mayo for Dr Hyde Park in Roscommon . Speaking after Donegal's one-point victory over Mayo on Sunday, McGuinness expressed his frustration at the GAA's fixture-making body for opting to schedule the round-robin clash in Roscommon. 'We don't believe we should have been here today either, being honest with you,' said the Donegal manager. 'We think it was very unfair to bring us here. It was the equivalent of bringing Mayo to Omagh and we also put in an email to the CCCC to say we couldn't get a hotel in the area so we had to stay in Athlone. We had to go beyond the venue to come to play in the venue. 'So, it was the equivalent of Mayo going to play us in Omagh and staying in Derry and I don't believe that would happen. I think that would only happen because it's us. Disappointed in that. We made a case and we made the case early. It was on deaf ears.' READ MORE I think they are amazing people and I just thought that it was important to put on record my appreciation — Jarlath Burns However, speaking in Croke Park on Tuesday afternoon at the launch of the All-Ireland senior football championship knockout stages , Burns made a point of praising the work carried out by the CCCC. The GAA president did not reference McGuinness or the Donegal manager's comments but he was keen to highlight the CCCC's efforts. GAA president Jarlath Burns at the launch of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship knockout stages at Croke Park. Photo: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile 'Whenever fixtures are being made there are so many things that they have to take into consideration, particularly with regard to neutral venues,' said Burns. 'I think they do an incredible job, I think they are amazing people and I just thought that it was important to put on record my appreciation and thanks for the work they do in very complex circumstances.' Burns added that after attending one of the Monday morning championship draws in RTÉ recently, he was able to appreciate the number of calls fielded by the GAA's games administration manager, Bernard Smith, whose challenge it is to link all the pieces of the puzzle. 'I was on the way back [from the draw], in the car with Bernard and he took seven phone calls from counties asking for clarification on this, asking for a favour there, asking that they could play at a particular time . . . and I think every one of those requests was met.' One of the arguments put forward by the CCCC was that there was no suitable alternative venue for the Donegal-Mayo fixture. The most logical location would have been Markievicz Park but the Sligo venue is currently closed as the pitch is undergoing repair work. Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada in Leitrim, with a capacity of just under 10,000, would have been too small for a fixture that attracted a crowd of 18,751 last weekend. St Tiernach's Park in Monaghan and Breffni Park in Cavan were not available as both counties had their senior footballers in action elsewhere last Sunday afternoon. Donegal will have a home All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final against Louth in Ballybofey at 4pm on Sunday.
