The Alternative View: Comebacks, rumours, fitness tests and programme mayhem

It’s a difficult period for Donegal, on and off the field . . . and not just for the county senior team.

Defeat was the name of the game for the footballers (U-20s and seniors), hurlers and Ladies teams last weekend. And it doesn’t get any better off the field with the rumour mill in full swing surrounding the happenings of the Donegal Academy.

You have to have sympathy for new chairman, Fergus McGee, who has been thrust into a hailstorm that is totally not of his making; the workings of the GAA is a wonderful thing. The two big talking points in the week leading up to Sunday was Patrick McBrearty’s hamstring and the Academy. Everywhere you went, those were the two topics.

The McBrearty situation became farcical as the week went on. The dogs in the street were aware that he was out for a lengthy period yet a press release from the county board (on behalf of management I assume) said that he was facing a fitness test on Sunday morning to determine if he would be available.

It was difficult to understand where this was going (or what it was achieving). There was even an update on the Donegal GAA twitter on Sunday morning naming the team that was being carried in the programme, which included McBrearty, although it
did state that his involvement would be determined by this fitness test.

It was important then to get to Clones early and when you are travelling with Edward Molloy getting there on time is guaranteed. Plenty of time for tea and sandwiches in the St Tiernach’s Park car park.

The Donegal team arrived and McBrearty was with them but covered with a long O’Neill’s coat. No fitness test; we were going to be without our captain. But then we knew that from early in the week.

The good news - although it was not apparent in the match programme - was that Eoghan Bán Gallagher, Michael Langan and Oisin Gallen were back and in the starting 15. They weren’t even named in the 26 on the match day programme (I will come back to that).

All three made useful contributions with Langan showing the class that he possesses. Donegal were out of the blocks much quicker than they were in Omagh the previous Sunday and matched Monaghan in an entertaining encounter for three quarters of the tie.

Jamie Brennan’s goal chance on 50 minutes was a turning point as the tie was level at that time, but thereafter Monaghan had a firm grip on the game, even though the eight point margin probably flattered them. There were some encouraging signs but the urgency and clinical edge needed to stay in a top flight game was not there when needed. That edge will need to be found and quickly.

The GAA is a complicated part of society. When things are going well, everybody wants to be part of the positive side of things; when things are not going to plan, the talk is all about the negatives.

And when you have the story around the Donegal Academy intertwined, the county is in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Time for all sides to take a step back; there are always two sides to every story and no side is always right.

But back to one of my favourite grips - the match programme. It is not just a Donegal thing, but we are habitual transgressors. This has been happening for some time, sending a team and subs to the printers of the programme without any regard for the supporters who turn up, pay their admission fee and then fork out another three or four euro for a programme.

Donegal have played three matches in the NFL and the same 26 players have been printed for all three games, even though a good number of them are not included in the list which is handed to the referee prior to the game. It seems that it is a copy and paste situation; just send on last week’s team and that will do.

It is just not good enough. On Sunday last there were at least five additions to the match day squad. I can understand a change for a late injury, but copying and pasting from last week is an insult to supporters’ intelligence.

We have our own injury worries here in the office for Sunday next with Frank Craig having minor knee surgery; getting knee cleaned out. I think it’s an Ardara thing. But we are hopeful; we have booked him for a fitness test on Sunday morning and fingers crossed he will be in O’Donnell Park!