READ THE REID: New hand pass rule in centre of storm already

As expected, our senior inter-county footballers won their opening match of the season in a lukewarm McKenna Cup affair in Ballybofey last Sunday against Queen’s University, Belfast.

There were more tackles made in the Abbey Hotel the previous night than there was on MacCumhaill Park. This was a completely one-sided affair with the Students unable to match the superior strength and sharpness of their opponents. Donegal, though playing with a depleted squad, never really had to move out of third gear. Still, Declan Bonner will be glad to get the season up and running with a generous victory.

The main talking point wasn’t about the game and the teams but the new rules. They had a negative impact on the game I thought. The referee blew at least three times for the three-pass rule. I know that Declan Bonner isn’t a fan of the new rules nor is Cavan manager Mickey Graham.

The most recent manager to publicly lambast the new rules is James Horan, the new Mayo manager. Donegal’s game down the years has been about slick hand-passing off the shoulder. It’s probably too early yet to make a harsh judgement because this particular rule is there to encourage more kick-passing. It is worth noting that Donegal didn’t score a goal in the game and I feel that this rule may have been the reason.

After watching Queens trying to match Donegal’s inter-county players makes me wonder at the value of having the third level colleges in the competition. None have won the McKenna Cup or even come close. I appreciate that they see the competition as great preparation for the Sigerson Cup but in all reality the game was simply a run-out for our lads. Down should provide stiffer opposition this Sunday.

So, it is with bated breath that we await the long summer days and championship football. There’s the small matter of the league first but in these short days that are slowly getting longer, we all like to think of summer. A new year brings new hope and it was great to watch Donegal back on the playing field again.

There are new players on show too which is always a great sign for Donegal football. I said last week that last year’s newcomers will be a year older and a year wiser. So too will Declan Bonner and his backroom staff. It was a master stroke to lure former Mayo manager Stephen Rochford to Donegal. I also hear great things about Karl Lacey and Paul McGonagle who are in Bonner’s management team. I believe that the people who a manager builds around him are so integral to success.

The manager needs both someone to challenge his calls in a critical manner but at the same time sing from the same hymn sheet. I also believe that Donegal will be much stronger this season and will be right in the mix when August arrives. An exciting year lies ahead and I’d like to wish everybody concerned with Donegal GAA all the best for 2019.

I would like to start the new year in good spirits. So, I’ve conceded to a request from a good friend. Culchies like myself have a fascination with all things ‘country’ and the GAA is one of them. This friend contacted me to ask me if I would relist (I listed them back in 2014 in this article) the 50 things that culchies love. So here goes:

1 Red diesel

2 Dinner dances

3 Nathan Carter

4 Hang sangwich

5 A bottle of mineral

6Eating a sangwich out of the boot of a car before a GAA match.

7 A stretch in the evenings

8 Heifers

9 Buttered biscuits

10 Duffle coats

11 Saying its too cold to snow

12 Fightn

13 Building walls

14 Being starved with the cold rather than with a lack of food

15 Digging holes

16Saying "Aaah" after taking their first sup of tae.

17 Jelly and ice cream

18Putting on a ganzee to stop them from being foundered

19Aetin' a big feed of spuds.

20 GAA Jersey during the day, chequered shirt during the evening

21 T-shirts with a load of writing on the front

22 Doin' doughnuts in cars

23 Lyin' across gates

24 Copper Face Jacks

25 Getting married to the neighbour

26 Telling someone how young they were when they first drove a tractor

27 Buyin' gates

28 Putting up Facebook posts about speed vans

29 Setting up a Twitter account solely to get local GAA results

30 Talking about yesterday's weather

31 Getting lifts in the back of vans

32 Listening to the wireless

33 Floury spuds

34 The smell of fresh dung

35 Saying “Now we're suckin' diesel”

36 Wearing wellies out shopping

37 Line dancing

38 Burning rubbish

39 Signing ‘Bang on the Ear’ by the Waterboys.

40 Saying "you know what I mean like" all the time

41 Machinery

42 Steel toe-caps

43 Drawing in silage

44 Lucozade

45 Lying

46 Shania Twain

47 A big bowl of carrots and parsnips

48 Hating the Dubs

49 Tayto cheese and onion

50 Keeping the faith!