Mac's View: 'Travelling for club players is huge financial burden'

The countdown is on for the Donegal club championship and while all teams will have four games, a good few of them will have their season ended by the beginning of September. There might need to be a review of this.

And I will make the point again, the travelling involved at the moment for Donegal players is going to be a huge financial burden on clubs. I heard this week that our club members travelling from Dublin just to get to Bundoran is costing €70 on fuel alone. There has to be an argument for having a north and south of the county competition and this has to be part of any review of leagues and championships.

There are also a lot of important league ends to be tied up this weekend with Glenswilly and Killybegs meeting to see who stays in Division 1 while Naomh Conaill and Kilcar meet in Fintra on Saturday evening in the Democrat Cup final.
There are also important promotion and relegation issues which will be decided on Saturday evening as well as a Division 3 promotion play-off between Na Rossa and Naomh Muire.

Tough loss in Ladies semi-final

It was tough on the Donegal Ladies going out in the semi-final against Meath on Saturday last in Croke Park. I was awfully disappointed. Meath came very strong, I would have to say in the second half. They are a very physical side, but there is nothing new about that and Meath.

Also, I would have to say the standard of refereeing is something I wouldn't be happy about with a few decisions going against Donegal. I felt pity for Maxi and the crew; they gave it a very good shot. Meath had that bit of experience having won it last year.

Hurling final

We were treated to a great spectacle on Sunday last with the All-Ireland senior hurling final between Limerick and Kilkenny. It was great credit to Kilkenny for pushing Limerick right to the wire but this is a powerful time for the Limerick side.
And we have a local interest with their psychology expert Caroline Currid from just down the road in Grange. I have never met her but I would love to have a talk with her. She seems to be highly qualified and was in the front row for the presentation that night.

I remember the first psychologist I was introduced to was a Welshman who Art McRory brought in. But it is a big part of the modern game now. Currid has been working with a number of teams and seems to be highly successful in her work.
But while Limerick were majestic, you have to give credit to Kilkenny and Brian Cody, who has been managing them now for 24 years. He is a tight boy.

On another hurling angle it was sad to see what happened Colm Bonnar in Tipperary last week when he was relieved of his duties as county hurling team manager after just one year. It was not a nice way to dismiss a manager. The Bonnars have a big Donegal connection with their father originally from Killygordon.

Football final
Then on Sunday we have the showpiece of the football year - the All-Ireland football final. I'm told that there is no curtain raiser this year with the minor final between Galway and Mayo having already been played.

I think moving the minor finals away from All-Ireland final day is a mistake. Nothing goes close to that Croke Park experience and it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience for minors. Donegal have got to just one All-Ireland minor final, that was with Declan Bonner's minors in 2014 and we will never forget the experience. It is a great occasion for young players.

As for the football final on Sunday it appears that Paddy Tally has brought a new defensive dimension to Kerry football. They are a lot tighter and a lot meaner and I would have to say a wee bit cynical at times.

Hopefully, Galway will shape up and with a great football man like Padraic Joyce at the helm, I have no doubt that they will give Kerry a run for their money. If the game is anywhere near as good as the hurling final, it will be worth waiting for.
I'm not sure if I will go up because at the moment I'm not that fond of staying overnight in Dublin and going up and down in the one day can be hectic. Still, even if I don't go up, I will be looking forward to watching it on TV.

I can remember my first All-Ireland final was back in 1960 when Down won their first All-Ireland when myself and my brother, Pat, were at the ground early and got into Hill 16 with sandwiches and minerals at about twenty to 12. Then there was the following year when Down were back again, this time against Offaly, and the gates were broken down.
I remember Down got three goals into the Hill 16 goals and James McCartan getting one spectacular one.

At that time you didn't need a ticket, you just queued. I think the first time I had a ticket for a seat was in 1967 when Meath met Cork.