DONEGAL WERE STUNG by the critics who questioned their hunger last year, Karl Lacey says.
The Ulster and All-Ireland champions meekly surrendered both titles in 2013, crumbling against Monaghan and capitulating against Mayo.
Their 16-point drubbing in the All-Ireland quarter-finals sent shockwaves through the GAA and raised questions about manager Jim McGuinness’s future.
But the writing was on the wall for Donegal long before that. Ten minutes into their provincial dethroning, Lacey knew that something was wrong.
“You’re looking around and you’re looking for answers and you know you just don’t have it in the legs.
“That was the main thing. The hunger was there and we thought we were in a good place.
“Every man was trying their best and we just didn’t have it in the legs, didn’t have the endurance and didn’t have the speed or sharpness.
You’re looking over at the sideline and asking Jim, ‘what the hell’s going on here?’ Jim didn’t have the answers and that’s just the way it was.
“I suppose our hunger was questioned after it and that was a wee bit frustrating to hear that.
“The hunger was definitely there. We wanted it. We were going for three in a row, something that was never done in Donegal and would have been legendary status if we’d got it.”
When they limped out against Mayo a few weeks later, it seemed that the mental and physical effort that underpinned 2012′s win had taken its debilitating toll — as had the celebrations that followed.
“There are a lot of issues that go with winning an All Ireland,” Lacey says. “These things have to be done as well.
Lacey was speaking at the launch of Setanta Sports’ Allianz Football League coverage (INPHO / Cathal Noonan)
“I suppose it was new to all of us. We thought, Jim thought, if we came back in January [for pre-season] we would have enough time. Looking back on it now we didn’t.
If we were to win it again I’m sure you wouldn’t take as much time and you wouldn’t let the preparations be affected.”
The year was particularly tough for Lacey who spent most of it watching on helplessly from the stands. A hip operation ruled him out of the entire league campaign as Donegal were relegated to Division 2.
This time around he’s feeling the benefits of a full pre-season and “a few wee niggles” aside, he’s raring to go.
“It’s actually enjoyable now at the moment. Going into the national league, you’re starting to play games in training, in-house games and conditioned games and starting to feel good again.’
“The fun element is back again but it was a hard slog for six or seven weeks. It’s vital to get that stuff done and mentally it’s great to have that stuff in the bank and we can push on now.”
The new season really begins on Sunday week with a trip to Laois. Relegation means that Donegal will spend the spring out of the limelight but no matter, Lacey says.
“People are talking about Dublin and Tyrone coming good again. It’s great to have that pressure off but as a collective group we don’t really look outside.
“We can only control what we have on the training pitch on a Tuesday or Thursday night or in the dressing room on the day of a game. We are just trying to execute what Jim tells us to do to the best that we can.”
