IN THE END, they crashed out of the championship with a whimper. Donegal’s 2022 came to an end last weekend as Armagh cruised to a ten-point triumph in Clones.
Donegal flattered to deceive once again, coming off the back of their Ulster final loss against Derry. Manager Declan Bonner declined to do post-match interviews after Sunday’s game.
They will still face tough questions in the coming weeks. Last year Bonner was told he must reapply for the position of Donegal senior football boss if he wanted to remain in charge.
He did and was handed a two-year term but talk of his future has already begun. Former Donegal player Eamon McGee said post-match Bonner must be given time to decide on his future and there is no obvious candidate to replace him if he steps away.
Meanwhile, the county continues to wonder if this is a talented crop underperforming or simply their level. Put another way, would their last All-Ireland winning manager repeat the trick? There are only no obvious candidates if you rule out Jim McGuiness.
That was the question put to Marc Ó Sé on the latest episode of The42′s GAA Weekly podcast. If Jim McGuinness was over this Donegal, would they win an All-Ireland?
“Not sure. You put me on the spot there now,” Ó Sé said.
“I don’t think so. He’d definitely get them more consistent. Or he’d get more out of them. I am disappointed with them over the last few years. Look at the panel of players they have, they are not getting enough out of them.
“The system, Rochford came on board a few years ago and there were fresh hopes they were going to improve. They had a thing on The Sunday Game last night. Just look at their record.
“2013, All-Ireland quarter-final. 2014 in the final. 2015, quarter-final. 2016, quarter-final. 2017, qualifier round 4. 2018, Super 8s. 2019, Super 8s. 2020 lost in the Ulster final. 2021, out in the Ulster semi-final. Qualifiers this year.
“They have been consistently poor for the players they have. They do have quality players.
“I think he would definitely improve things. But Michael Murphy’s age profile, he is not the Michael Murphy winning ball from Karl Lacey in 2012 and hammering it into the back of the net. It would be a tough ask.”
McGuinness was pictured at a training session with Galway in 2020 and had some involvement with the Waterford hurlers this year, but has maintained his primary focus right now is soccer where he coaches Derry City’s U19s.
“Anyway, I was listening to McGuinness in an interview with my brother Tomás. I would say he is sticking with soccer for the future. It won’t happen. Maybe it is time for a young, fresh manager. Someone like Rory Kavanagh, he is with St Eunan’s. That said he might have played with some of those lads so maybe it isn’t the right time. It is a tough one.”
