McShea's Say: Appropriate suspensions needed for after-match scenes following Naomh Conaill-Kilcar game

I watched the Naomh Conaill/Kilcar semi-final on television on Sunday and the scenes at the final whistle were simply a disgrace.
The game was competitive and on occasions tough, but nothing or nobody could excuse the behaviour of those who brought Donegal football into disrepute. It is fair to say that if the actions of some took place on 'civvy street' there would be a number of assault cases pending.
I am sure that the Donegal executive will give some of the culprits an 'enforced rest' as a result of some well deserved suspensions which should be of a lengthy variety.
No doubt the video of the game and what took place at the final whistle will be sufficient to ensure that appropriate suspensions are the reward for those who engaged in such thuggish, cowardly behaviour.
The match was very well refereed by Enda Mc Feely and his decision to disallow what was clearly a square ball was the correct call. He used lots of common sense and no team could have any justifiable grievance with his performance. Naomh Conaill were deserving winners. They had their homework, yet again, well done and their pride in the blue jersey is something special. The winners had a number of top class performers. Charles McGuinness won the man of the match performance and he did play really well but Ethan O’Donnell had the proverbial blinder. He has a remarkable engine and lots of pace and he will be a cert for inclusion when the next county squad is named.
Anthony Thompson, his brother Ciaran and Leo Mc Loone, used their vast experience to good effect when the chips were down. Kilar's decision to play Eoin McHugh at full back this year surprised me. McHugh is a fine player who does his best work out the pitch and would be much more useful to his team in a more offensive position. He does not have the physique to play at number three and Charles Mc Guinness made a big impression in the Glenties attack. Michael Hegarty showed when he was belatedly introduced that he was good enough for a longer spell of action. His experience and class were very much in evidence while on the pitch. There is an abiding magnificence to Naomh Conaill football. The hallmark of their game is the ability to keep pressing but they never compromise their open style of play. This Glenties squad over recent years are simply a credit to Donegal football and their appetite for success seems to get stronger with time.
The second semi final saw St Eunan’s justify their favorites tag when they beat St Michael’s, with a bit to spare, in very difficult conditions. The Letterkenny side are a well balanced team who have improved throughout this campaign. They are full of running and this is probably their greatest strength. At any time losing a player makes life difficult but in such trying conditions the loss of Liam Paul Ferry was a body blow to the Dunfanaghy team's prospects, and so it proved. Referee Mark Dorrian is not reluctant to use his red cards because last week it was St Naul’s Stephen Griffin who took the long lonely walk after a red card from Dorrian. Glenties and St Eunan’s has the potential to be a very entertaining county final.

Congress
The speculation about the demise of the provincial championship was put to bed in Croke park on Saturday when I was delighted to see that motion B was blown out of the water by the delegates. I cannot understand why there is such a rush to appoint a new committee to put another motion in place before congress next February. Everyone acknowledges that the present championship has its flaws as neither of the two motions last Saturday made sense. I am of the opinion that the GPA in their short time in existence have a superior attitude in relation to the running of the association which is less than justified.

Solskjaer
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was an Old Trafford legend with an uncanny ability to score goals in the dying minutes of important games. He scored the winning goal against Bayern Munich to win United the 1999 Champions League which secured a famed trophy treble. His time managing Cardiff City saw the Welsh club relegated. In 2018 he replaced Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford and this year was inexplicably given a three year contract. Unfortunately he is out of his depth in the premiership and the humiliation at the hands of Liverpool could well be the beginning of the end of his tenure in Manchester. Midfield is the bedrock for so much of a team's success and Ole has ignored the glaring deficiencies in this area with United. This defeat is a huge setback to United's failing title aspirations. It is now sink or swim for Solskjaer and United because the expectation and pressure is immense and Ole does not appear to know his best team.

Jim Brady
Speaking with one of Donegal's great supporters, Danny Mc Menamin, I was saddened to learn of the passing of Cavan’s Jim Brady. Jim was the proprietor of the well known Lakeside Manor in Virginia and Danny and his faithful followers never passed the Lakeside without stopping for lunch.
Jim was a gentleman to his fingertips and will be an immense loss, not only to his family, but all who partook of his wonderful hospitality over the years.

Former Donegal captain Pauric McShea's weekly column is first published each week in the Donegal Post newspaper.