Donegal can have good summer no matter what happens in Derry - Michael Hegarty

Donegal are well placed to take on Derry in Celtic Park on Saturday week but no matter what happens in that game, former Donegal player Michael Hegarty feels they can have a very good summer.

The former county captain who won an Ulster championship in his last season, which was Jim McGuinness’s first year in charge, feels that the county have the players to take their place at the top table once again.

“They had a great run out against Armagh. I know they have a lot of injuries at the minute but it is going to be very difficult for Derry to rise it again so close after the Dublin victory and winning that National League. No matter how good they are; and they are a very good team, I think Donegal are in a great position.

“They have players coming back; they are very fit and well organised and they have a lot of scorers from all over the field. They definitely can upset the odds there and they will relish it,” said Hegarty.

Two of the players on the Donegal panel that are battling injuries and are in a race against time to be ready for the Derry game are his club players Ryan McHugh and Patrick McBrearty with McBrearty looking to be fighting a battle.

“It seems to be. I haven’t spoken to him because a lot of people would be annoying him.  I have left him to his own devices, but he will find it difficult to make it.

“But at the same time I hope he doesn’t try to play when he’s not 100 percent, because it could leave him out for the whole summer then. Because it is not the end of the world if they do get beat. They can regather themselves and you never know where that could take them.”

Hegarty feels that Donegal, when they have all their players back, will be in a very good position to challenge any team in the country. And he feels they have the talent in the squad to match anyone.

“Absolutely. They will be strong. They have a lot of good players and comfortable players. We saw them against Armagh. Donegal have far better footballers. What probably might go against them would be the physical aspect where they are not at the level that some of the other teams are at.

“As far as football wise, they are probably as good if not better or equal to the Derry footballers.”

As for the return of Jim McGuinness, the Kilcar man, who has taken over as manager of his club team in 2024, feels he will make a difference.

“He definitely does make a difference. He is a great motivator. This game (against Derry) could have been very interesting.  Rory (Gallagher) was with him when I was there in 2011. The two of them could have been clashing in this game and it would have made it even more interesting.

“I think Donegal has a manager who is well organised and they are never too far away when things are well organised and things are done right.”

But while he wishes Donegal well, Hegarty is not a great advocate for the new split season which sees the All-Ireland final being played in July.

SPLIT SEASON

“I would have a big animosity about this split season. I think it is an absolute disaster really. I think county football is having a big effect on club football. It is not helping. Even since the time that I stopped playing in 2011-2012, the divide has gotten too much and it hasn’t helped club football at all. County players are playing very little club football.”

And he even feels the split season is not helping at county level with less interest in games and attendances and atmosphere nowhere near where it used to be.

“Even  watching that Cavan-Monaghan game on Sunday, 9,000 at the game, it is diminishing the county game as well. People don’t look forward to the big games any more. They are thinking will I go or won’t I. That shouldn’t be the way, it should be ‘this could be our last day out’,” said Hegarty.

“People are thinking, they are going to be playing more games later on and we’ll maybe pick one of those games. Even if you go back and pull up old clips of championship matches and the atmosphere before them in Ulster, the flags and the build-up to it. It was just so good.

“Now they go to games, the buzz and atmosphere is not there unless it is a fierce big game. I know Derry and Donegal will bring it but that is the only one,” said Hegarty.