Donegal defeat Tyrone

The key questions before yesterday’s game was where Donegal stood.

Did they have the same desire after winning the All-Ireland? Was relegation from the league going to affect them? Were the losses of Karl Lacey and Mark McHugh going to hinder them?

All of those questions were answered emphatically. Coming into the game, I fancied Tyrone based on what I had seen during the league. But the match proved that Jim McGuinness was correct in the attitude he adopted towards the league.

He said Donegal were not bothered with relegation and that theory proved correct. There was no signs that their desire has been dulled at all by winning the All-Ireland. They were excellent. The confidence and belief is there amongst their players in a system that they know and have bought into.

I think they are going to be able to refine that even more as they get more accustomed to it and that’s a frightening thought for every else. McGuinness demonstrated again what a shrewd operator he is. He knew that Lacey and McHugh were not able to perform for a full game..

Donegal manager Jim McGuinness and manager Mickey Harte of Tyrone
Pic: INPHO/James Crombie

Thus he operated with the rationale that it was better to play physically fit players from the start – a key ingredient for Donegal’s system. The team were then boosted by springing those two players from the bench. It was clever stuff.

McGuinness is building a very formidable outfit. Ross Wherity came into the game and made a difference. After his goal it was game over as Donegal shut up shop. The other player who contributed significantly to that goal was Patrick McBrearty. He’s growing up in football terms. Yesterday he stood up and really drove at Tyrone. The guy is only going to get better and better

It became a typical Ulster game by the end as it developed into a niggling contest. Tyrone’s discipline was poor near the end and that was borne from pure and total frustration. What Joe McMahon did was very foolish.

The game was a learning experience for Tyrone and proved how championship is a different beast. Niall Morgan did not have a good day with his frees and I felt if he’d been an outfield player, Tyrone would have taken him off the frees earlier. But they were very dogmatic and stuck with him.

Tyrone won two All-Ireland titles through the qualifiers and the circuitous route might help them develop. They have a fantastic manager in charge of them. But there will be doubts about them if they bump into one of the big guns and they also badly need to look at their discipline after yesterday.

London’s Ciaran McCallion celebrates.
Pic: INPHO/Jim Keogh

London’s victory over Sligo

The biggest game might have been in Ballybofey but the biggest result of the weekend was in Ruislip yesterday. It was magnificent for London and everyone involved with them who have put in such a huge effort.

With the way the country is going, you’d imagine they will get stronger as people continue to leave these shores. It’s a tough life playing for London with the commitment needed to travel to training and they’re to be commended for that result.

Eamonn O’Hara’s comments last night on Sligo and Kevin Walsh have hit the headlines. The bottom line is I think O’Hara – who has given unbelievable service to his county – merited a bit more respect. He’s 37 years old and needed a different training schedule. They could have done with him yesterday.

I wonder did the Sligo players believe that they were not going to be facing the biggest of tests. That slackness of attitude can prove costly. I saw them last year in the Connacht final against Mayo, a game they lost after having largely controlled it. Yet yesterday’s defeat was a sign that they have slipped back since then.

Action from Kerry and Tipperary
Pic: INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan

Munster and Leinster championship

The games in Munster this weekend highlighted again how the whole championship structure needs to be re-examined. There are a huge amount of counties that are simply hitting their heads against a brick wall when they face the elite.

There had been talk in the spring that Kerry were in decline but they went out yesterday to win by 17 points against Tipperary. Cork did something similar on Saturday night against Limerick. Munster is a two horse race where Cork and Kerry are essentially sparring before they meet each other.

What’s the benefit to the teams who are beaten? Zero. This is the championship that we have as an association. We hang onto it for grim death but we need to look at it. A two tier championship is badly needed so that everyone genuinely has something to play for.

Take Longford and Wicklow yesterday who played each other in Aughrim. Are either of them going to win Sam this year? No, but at least a second tier would be a competition they could realistically aim for.

We need to be more practical, especially when you consider the amount of money being invested in the preparation of teams. As a country we don’t have as much money to spare and county boards certainly don’t. Is it not time to start paring back on that front and change the mindset?

Murph’s Sideline Cut: Nothing added to Donegal except more McBrearty brilliance

Eamonn O’Hara calls on Sligo boss Kevin Walsh to resign after London loss