The Alternative View: The League final conundrum is bad business for the GAA

You’ll never find a more aggressively passionate supporter than when Donegal lose to their biggest rivals on St Patrick’s weekend. There’s a certain element of entertainment added when you know they’re under the weather from the night before.   

I had never seen so many sunglasses worn on an overcast day in Letterkenny in my life. It probably didn’t help their mood when word came in that Rangers had taken the glory at Parkhead just before throw-in.   

One opinion they all shared as I walked past them in O’Donnell Park was that I be thankful for my age. “You’ll know what a sore head feels like when you reach my age, young Breslin”.   

It’s why we, the media, love the average punter; they can sometimes be more entertaining than the football itself. 

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At this stage of the league, we are still in uncharted territories. With a congested season, a championship around the corner, managing injuries, dealing with new rules, and the possibility of league finals, there’s no end to these subplots in what has been the most unpredictable spring season in recent memory.   

Currently, in our own county, we are asking that, at what point do Donegal decide what this league actually means to them?    

It’s been the running theme of their campaign so far, a delicate balancing act between winning enough to stay relevant and survive in Division 1 and holding enough in reserve to peak when it really matters. Jim McGuinness, as ever, has managed the tightrope well.   

But now comes the moment where decisions must be made. Against Tyrone, we saw a glimpse of what theme Donegal will run along this weekend in Mayo. The same policy with different faces, perhaps?   

Let’s give everybody a run, get them up to speed, and not risk any injuries! Sounds like a safe plan.    

McGuinness has cited for the past few weeks now that they will address the situation on what is best for the panel but dismissed any notion that his side will treat games lightly.    

“I never want to be in a spot where I’m standing on the sideline in my own county with the mind of not trying to win a game,” McGuinness said in the wake of Donegal’s 0-25 to 0-19 defeat to Tyrone in Letterkenny. “I never want to be in that spot.”    

So, in case there was any ambiguity, McGuinness was making sure to draw a line under it. Donegal did not set out to lose this game.   

The problem, as McGuinness pointed out in the aftermath, is the fixture calendar. A league final should be something teams aim for with their full weight. But with the championship looming so closely on the horizon, the decision becomes muddled.    

Do you go all-in for the league final and risk burnout and possible injuries? Or do you hedge your bets and keep your powder dry for the games that will ultimately define your season?   

It’s been a long season already; Donegal were in the unfortunate position at the start of the year that due to Storm Eowyn they were forced to play five league games on the bounce. Fatigue was noticeable after the Galway game. It was time for rotation.   

Nobody doubts McGuinness’s sentiments when he claims that his side is trying to win every game, he still fielded a solid team against Tyrone who gave their all.    

The difficult part stems from the comments he made after the Derry game in Ballyshannon when he stated; “I do feel that everyone in Division 1 wants to be in Division 1 and they’re fighting tooth and nail to be there. But I also do believe that 50 percent of the cohort don’t really want to be in the league final – that does diminish the competition.”   

To put it in simple language, ‘take your foot off the gas slightly’ is not a criticism. There are bigger days ahead.   

Nobody would criticise any team for setting their stall out for the championship over the league. In fact, it would be seen as madness if you didn’t. This is not a criticism of how teams approach the league, they do what’s best for their team, it’s a criticism of the GAA organisers who allow this to happen. It all blends back to a bigger issue of the congested season and where the league stands.    

Yes, it’s probably the third-ranked competition in the inter-county football season after the All-Ireland series and the provincial championships, but that doesn’t mean there still can’t be a form of pageantry brought to it.   

In fact, just as we debate the importance of the league at inter-county level, the city of Newcastle appears to have come to a standstill after they captured the League Cup final in Wembley on Sunday – the third-ranked competition in England’s domestic pecking order.   

The fanfare shown by the Geordies this week highlights how important celebrating certain competitions can be if given the right respect from those who organise it rather than shoehorning them in. And if you don’t believe me, you might want to give former Newcastle captain Alan Shearer a follow on X and see what it means to him.    

Yet, there is something deeply unsatisfying about the idea of deliberately bypassing a chance to win something. That is where the frustration lies. The league has always had an awkward place in the GAA’s hierarchy of importance, but it should be a competition teams can fully embrace without having to weigh it up against bigger concerns.    

That Donegal even has to ask themselves these questions is an indictment of a calendar that has been constructed with little regard for competitive integrity.   

On the game itself, McGuinness became the first Donegal manager in years to go with the starting team that was listed completely accurately on the match programme. Brownie points to whoever can name the last manager to do that.   

With record home attendances this year in the league, many were wondering just what attendance would file into O’Donnell Park. No doubt the numbers were increased when it was released the night before that Michael Murphy would be lining out in full-forward.   

Knowing that the Glenswilly native will be in action is the smartest form of business that Donegal GAA can use if you want to up your attendance and something they should’ve capitalised on against Armagh last month rather than keeping it a secret.   

Donegal’s performance on Sunday in front of 8,410 was something of a positive note for McGuinness, especially when it featured players who perhaps have not been seen since the Donegal club championship half a year ago.    

There were moments where they looked like every inch of the team McGuinness is moulding them into: aggressive, disciplined, tactically sharp.    

The honest question leaving O’Donnell Park on Sunday was how many will feature in the starting fold come championship time. Some? Yes! All? No!   

Tyrone, for all their inconsistencies, smelled blood and took full advantage, which left Donegal with a choice: Do they learn from it or dismiss it as an off day?   

The answer, as it so often does in modern Gaelic football, depends on context.    

If Donegal were in need of validation, or a statement win to prove their credentials, a league final would be an obvious target. But that’s not where they are. The work has already been done in that respect.    

McGuinness has successfully re-established Donegal as a side to be taken seriously. The aura returned long ago. The muscle memory of competing at the top level has kicked in faster than most expected.   

So what now?   

McGuinness’s post-match comments in Letterkenny laid bare the frustrations of a manager who sees unnecessary obstacles being placed in front of his team. “No, definitely not,” he said when asked if Donegal’s approach against Tyrone was an indication that they didn’t fancy a league final.    

“I think the league finals are brilliant. They should enhance the league final and try to get as close to a full house as possible.   

“The best way to do that is to say there’s a window for Donegal and every other team in Division 1 that they can get after and really just do everything in their power to be in that league final and play in front of a big crowd because it doesn’t affect or impact their preparations for the championship.”   

The key phrase in all of that? “Because it doesn’t affect or impact their preparations for the championship.” That is the issue. That is the question Donegal must answer before they take the field for their final league game.    

If there was a two-week gap after the league final, this wouldn’t even be a discussion. But the calendar is what it is, and so McGuinness has a choice to make.   

What makes it trickier is the toll the new rules have on the squad, not just Donegal.   

The idea of playing a full-pelt league final one week and then going again in the championship the next is one that needs serious consideration.   

Two years ago, Mayo triumphed over Galway in the Division 1 final. Kevin McStay’s tenure got off to a dream start, only for that optimism to be swiftly dashed a week later when they suffered defeat to Roscommon in Castlebar. From champions to chumps in just seven days.   

A similar story unfolded last season when Glen’s players hurried back from their All-Ireland celebrations to bolster Mickey Harte’s ranks with Derry. They came out flying, playing at full throttle from the off, and went on to clinch the league title against Dublin in a frenetic final.   

Just three weeks later, McGuinness and his masterful kickout strategy outwitted them in Derry’s own fortress.   

In both instances, Mayo and Derry managed to regroup and reach the All-Ireland quarter-finals, but by then, the momentum had well and truly deserted them. Derry have won once in the past 51 weeks, since lifting that Division 1 title.  

If Donegal goes on to reach and win a league final, the similarities to last year will be striking — with one key difference. This time, it will be Derry hunting in Donegal’s own backyard.   

So, what does this mean as we enter the final round of the league?   

If Armagh and Tyrone both secure victories over Derry and Dublin respectively, and Kerry manages to draw their match with Galway, that would result in the three teams finishing on seven points (with Mayo potentially joining them if they lose to Donegal).    

In such a case, there could be a three-or four-way tie, meaning that scoring difference would come into play to determine the final standings.   

Currently, a win for Galway doesn’t guarantee them a spot in the league final. However, their significant advantage in scoring difference over Dublin and Donegal as they head into round 7 means that Pádraic Joyce’s team will almost certainly secure a place in the decider on March 30.   

Looking ahead to the final round of fixtures, it seems that the league final will likely involve Galway, Dublin, and Donegal. However, if Mayo beat Donegal this Sunday, they could still be in the running for the final, provided both Galway and Dublin fail to win.   

In theory, Kerry still has a chance to qualify for the final. But for that to happen, they would need to defeat Galway by at least three points, rely on Dublin losing to Tyrone, and then hope for a favourable scoring difference to see them through.   

As emphasised, nothing is set in stone until the final whistle. While Derry has already been relegated with one round to spare, the situation remains open for relegation, with Kerry, Mayo, Armagh, and Tyrone all at risk. At the same time, two of Galway, Dublin, Donegal, Mayo, and Kerry still have the chance to secure a place in the National League final.   

McGuinness, you suspect, will do what he always does. He will strip the situation down to its fundamentals and make the call that best serves Donegal’s long-term interests.    

That might mean rotating heavily in the final round, or it might mean going strong and then managing the aftermath as best they can. I wouldn’t place my money on that as quickly.    

But whatever decision he makes, it will be one that highlights the absurdity of a system that forces teams to choose between success in one competition and adequate preparation for another.   

And that, ultimately, is what will matter when the summer comes around.   

MATCH FACTS 

Scorers for Donegal: Michael Murphy 0-4, 2f; Jamie Brennan 0-4; Caolan McColgan and Odhran Doherty 0-2, 2p; Ciaran Moore 0-2; Hugh McFadden, Kevin McGettigan, Finnbarr Roarty, Mark Curran, Eoin McHugh 0-1
Scorers for Tyrone: Niall Morgan 0-5, 2x2pf; Darragh Canavan and Mark Bradley 0-4, 2f; Mattie Donnelly 0-3, Ciaran Daly 0-2; Peter Teague, Kieran McGeary, Peter Harte, Michael McKernan, Brian Kennedy, Seanie O’Donnell, Darren McCurry 0-1 

Donegal: Gavin Mulreany; Mark Curran, Kevin McGettigan, Peadar Mogan; Odhran McFadden Ferry, Finnbarr Roarty, Caolan McColgan; Hugh McFadden, Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhríde; Jamie Brennan, Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí, Odhran Doherty; Charles McGuinness, Michael Murphy, Niall O'Donnell. Subs: Eoin McHugh for Mac Ceallabhui (half-time), Ciaran Moore for McColgan (48), Keelan McGroddy for McGuinness (48), Luke McGlynn for Doherty (54), Jonny Carlin for Murphy (63). 

Tyrone: Niall Morgan; Aidan Clarke, Peter Teague, Niall Devlin; Michael McKernan, Rory Brennan, Joe Oguz; Brian Kennedy, Conn Kilpatrick; Mattie Donnelly, Kieran McGeary, Ciaran Daly; Peter Harte, Mark Bradley, Darragh Canavan. Subs: Seanie O’Donnell for Oguz (48), Cormac Quinn for McGeary (51), Ruairi Canavan for Harte (51), Darren McCurry for Bradley (57), Shea O’Hare for McKernan (67). 

Referee: Paul Faloon (Down).