Jamesie Donnelly steps down after MacCumhaills lose out in Ulster JHC
Jamesie Donnelly has been a key figure in the development of hurling in the Sean MacCumhaills club
If they gave degrees for passion and sheer determination, then departing Sean MacCumhaills hurling boss Jamesie Donnelly would have first-class honours long ago.
And in an emotional, eloquent final address to his young charges after losing to Truagh Gaels, Donnelly urged this young, gifted generation of hurlers to stick together and represent where they come from with passion and pride.
Confirming his decision to stand down as manager to DonegalLive, Donnelly said he would still be involved at underage level.
On the match, he rued conceding three very soft goals.
“They were physical, but we conceded three very soft goals and that hurt us a lot.
“I know the scoreline says different, but I don’t think there was a whole lot in the game altogether.
“I felt we dominated the first ten minutes of the second half, and we probably needed a goal at that stage to really get back into it.
“But Truagh are a good team, and they were much sharper than us as they have only just finished their county championship.
“We have not been together properly since our county semi-final against Setanta five or six weeks ago.
“We finished with 13 players who are between 18 and 19, which is great for the future.
“They are young boys, but they will get better, and they will get stronger, and it is a very busy schedule for them.
“We did not want to be leaning on them too much, and they are a great bunch of lads.
“Unfortunately, it is the end of my journey with them.
“I have stepped down, but I still will be involved with the club, and I will ‘footer’ about with them.”
Donnelly added that it took his boys a while to get to the pace of the game.
But there was a seminal moment in the second half when Gavin Browne’s goal-bound shot was superbly blocked by Truagh veteran Kieran McGuirk.
Had Browne goaled, it would have been a four-point game, but Oisin Hagan got a killer point.
“These boys played in an Ulster minor A final last year, but they will need to stick together and be patient.
“Senior hurling can be hard and unforgiving and physically and tactically different as well.”
So could this be the start of a golden hurling generation in MacCumhaills?
“It could be.
“But we are a long way off it yet.
“We are trying to get closer to St Eunan’s, Setanta and Burt, and there is still a big gap there which we need to close.”