Loss to Kerry in 2014 stayed in Jim McGuinness’ mind until his return

Sunday marks just the fourth All-Ireland final for Donegal and the third managed by Jim McGuinness.

Donegal were two wins from two finals after 2012, but it wouldn’t be third time lucky for the side two years later.

That day in 2014 would be the Glenties natives' last game in charge for almost a decade as they lost out to Sunday’s opponents by 2-9 to 0-12.

Looking back on that day as the Kingdom won by a goal, the bainisteoir was reminded of the last time Donegal reached the final.

The loss left a hurt with the boss, and he admits it’s something he has thought of for the best part of the decade.

He spent years away from the sport as he pursued a job in soccer around the globe, but the loss to Kerry was never far from his mind.

“I would say, until I got back involved, there wasn't a day I didn't think about it. I can remember walking about the hotel after we lost in a daze. I didn't know what happened.

“I didn't know where I was. I didn't know what actually had gone wrong there and taking a step back from that and trying to work that out, it's very, very painful. You're in a banquet and there are 1,200 people and you don't want to see anybody.

“That's not a nice place to be. All of that factors into it, but I think when you get back on the horse, then you're not thinking about the past, you're thinking about what you need to do. You're thinking about moving forward and we have moved forward and we've created this opportunity.

“As I say, if everything works well and everything goes to plan, the only thing that it guarantees you is to be competitive. That's the only thing that guarantees you. But if we're competitive in this All-Ireland, I'll be happy. I'll be really, really happy.

“That's all we're looking for is to go in, show our true colours, and be competitive and the focus has to be there.”

For McGuinness, the regret of losing that final will be drilled into his team all week in the build-up to Sunday’s battle with the Kingdom and he will be ensuring they don’t leave the pitch with any regrets, win or lose.

“Losing always sharpens the pencil. There's nothing better than winning an All-Ireland and there's nothing worse than losing it. It's probably the best day of your life and the worst day of your life and that's the reality. I've been on both sides of the fence and I suppose trying to get that message across to the players is very, very important.

“But you have to live those moments as well and it's difficult. When you're 18 or 19 years of age and Anthony Molloy is telling you to make the most of this because it'll fly in, you're thinking, it won't really fly in.

“And all of a sudden you're retired and you haven't got the sense to take the information and use it maximally, if you like.

“So we'll be imparting that to the players, that it's a brilliant day but also there's a football game to be played. And if you don't win that game, it's tough. Nobody has the right to win any game, but I do think that if you go out and you give it everything you've got and you fall short, at least you've done that.

“I think where the regret falls sometimes is if you're coming down the road in the bus and you feel there was a bit left in the tank, I think that's when it becomes really, really hard. 

“We know what we're going in against in Kerry and we know they're just brilliant in these situations and they expect to win in these situations. 

“Challenging that and battling that will be very, very difficult but we have to give it our best shot to be fair to the work that they've put in all year.”

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As Donegal go into a third All-Ireland final this century, their Munster opponents are there for the third time this decade.

Experience of the final is something McGuinness acknowledges, which Kerry will have the upper hand in.

“They know their way about Croke Park and All-Ireland Final Day better than anybody else, maybe with the exception of Dublin, in the last decade or so. But they were probably contesting most of the finals with them anyway.

“So the challenge is huge. I think that's the biggest barrier that you have to overcome as a team that's around the periphery, if you like. And I would say ourselves and Tyrone would be in that bracket, Armagh would be in that bracket. 

“Good teams and good sides, but trying to make a breakthrough. We wake up on the 1st of January and you're hoping things will go well and you're hoping you can get momentum and you can build a team and build an energy.

“Kerry and Dublin wake up on the 1st of January and if they don't win the All-Ireland, they'll be disappointed. So that mindset is going to be difficult for our lads to overcome because that's what they're going to be facing. As soon as the ball is thrown in, they're going to be facing fellas that have been there, done that and know how to do that.

“And have the knowledge and the experience and the tradition to back that up. So that's probably the first challenge that we'll meet. And I think some of that will be played out before the ball is even thrown in.”