“HERE WE GO FOR 3 IN A ROW!” In the glorious Donegal sunshine of Thursday, I made my way out of O’Donnell Park in Letterkenny after running a training session with the St Eunan’s Juniors team that I coach. We’ve Championship against Naomh Conaill this coming Saturday evening. We had a light enough session on our club’s training field but had to vacate the area early enough because an under-12s hurling was due to take place on the field straight after we’d finished, the main pitch was out of action for them because there was another team training on it that evening; the Donegal senior county team. Now of course, the club loyalties were the priority on the evening. There was no nipping off from the session just to catch a glimpse of the inter-county team doing their stuff in the pitch just next to us, but there was a great sense of support for the lads as we all made our way to the car-park together afterwards with loads of the folks watching the hurling offering a quick wave and a ‘good luck on Sunday’ to them. Mind you, myself and one of the lads couldn’t help but give a quip to a certain Jim McGuinness, of all people. ‘Here, Jim! My boys have a Junior game against your crowd on Saturday night!’ Dressed in his white Donegal polo-shirt and black shorts and sporting quite the enviable tan (no wonder he’s the new housewives favourite), he looked up and nodded. ‘So c’mere, if nobody’s suppose to be watching yous train, how is a Glenties man allowed in here to spy on our Juniors, hiy?’ Jim laughed and gave a tip-of-the-hat like gesture to me, giving a smile as he did so. Rory’s song was right, he really does crack a smile when he’s standing next to you. But with all the good weather on the go, with talk of more to come, there was a genuine feeling of upbeatness and confidence that no doubt is in our county not only the most beautiful to be in when the weather is nice, but also that our county team are going superbly and are now just one game away from another piece of history. The possibility of a third successive Ulster title, what will be our eighth in total, is now within the grasp and God knows the people of Donegal have endured enough bother with recession issues and bad weather doldrums that we can now rightly enjoy the build-up to what could be a significant piece in our great county’s beloved history in gaelic football this coming weekend. THIS COMING SUNDAY The plans for the day in question are quite simple really. The ticket was picked up on Tuesday night last where I’ll take my spot on the hill of St Tiernach’s Park and because I went to generally the same spot the last two years, there’s no point in breaking a good-luck tradition for the good of the county. No doubt our ‘Ulster Final Super Happy Fun Bus’ will have a few wee refreshments on board for the trip home if it all goes well with a few renditions of songs by ‘Goats Don’t Shave’ thrown in ... or even if it doesn’t go well ... but sure we’re praying for the former, aren’t we? This weekend will be a first for myself too in that I’m taking a ladaaaay to the game. Sure nothing speaks romance like ‘here, d’ya fancy a run to Clones for the Donegal game on Sunday, hiy doll?’ Donegal charm never fails, eh? Ach naw, am only messing about; we’re just good pals, ya know. THE MONAGHONIANS I’m also quite hopeful of bumping into a few of my old pals from Monaghan around the streets of Clones or in the usual haunts like The Paragon Bar or Treanor’s Pub. During my time as a student up North, I became pals with quite a few of them. Like ourselves, they were always a very passionate county about their football but back in them days, it was the likes of Armagh and Tyrone that were the powerhouses of Ulster football so all their supporters in our gang of mates got to do the most ‘serious talks’ on football. Us Monaghonians and Donegalians were always seen as the ‘Likeable Losers’ and in some ways, we were back then and it sorta brought our two counties together in friendship. Suppose we had a lot in common before that too. We both knew what it was like to have Dubliners constantly ask us are we ‘part of the North or wha?’ or Northerners asking us what rate do our shops give on ‘thu sturlinn hi?’ And sure we both know the price of a good tractor when we see one! Probably my best mate from there is Brónagh Mac from Emyvale. A devout Monaghan football fanatic, club woman, Father Ted fan and loves a few snaeky beers down in the pub when she can get the time, so as mates go, myself and herself are a good aul match. But this past week, we’ve been at the ‘mind games’ with one another. Just the other day, I sent her a message asking if she was going to be at St Tiernach’s this weekend and with all our talk of ‘three in a row’ and the green and gold flags going up, it was almost unusual, but not surprising due to the fact that she is such a Monaghan die-hard, that she spoke in such a way from her side of the fence: “Might have to work Johnny” she informed me. “I’m feckin raging about that if so because I was soooo looking forward to seeing our boys win their first Ulster title in 25 years – sure I was only a wee wan back then - but I’ll have the blue and white on, have no fear there. Up the Faaaarney!” All I could do was smile and think, “Brónagh, I love ya, buddy. You’ve always been a great pal and I’m sure that will continue, but for these few hours on Sunday, our boys and the people of county come first so H’up Donegaaaal!” HISTORY COULD BE IN THE MAKING AGAIN! Joking aside though, Monaghan will be by no means a pushover in this game. Many people felt that Down would be and look at the trouble they brought to us in the semi-final. Our opponents have a very strong physical team with a lot of players who are household names in football who wouldn’t surprise ya if they had a few storming games. By the sounds of things, the Monaghan lads will be treating this like their own All-Ireland final and will going to the game knowing that they could either be beaten by the reigning champions and one of this year’s favourites or that they could become champions of Ulster themselves, so mentally, they have nothing to lose. But as I always say in coaching, it’s never much point to focus too much on the opposition when ya can realise what you can be good at yourself. Just over three years ago on that infamous day in Crossmaglen in 2010, never in our wildest dreams could we have imagined that by July 2013, we would be just one win away from winning our third provincial title in as many years and what a proud feeling that could be for everyone involved in this great county. We’ve always had a great county. It’s famous musicians, sports personalities, historical figures and literary scholars have proven that. We’ve always had the most beautifully scenic and picturesque county and the great weather in recent weeks has helped people, from both here and further afield, realise that opinion too. And now, thanks to the great work and efforts that so many young players and coaches have put in, we now have a team that is greatly representing this great county so very well which is a great reward for us supporters who have really been through the mill supporting our county throughout the years. And we always do our bit too. The abundance of green and gold that is expected to be on show this Sunday will verify that and if Jim and his boys can deliver again, we’ll be proud members of history when people in years to come ask us about ‘that great Donegal team under Jim McGuinness.’ I’m off to start things in my own house just now by erecting the green and gold flag in the garden with its ‘Dun na nGall’ embroidery on it and the famous red cross of the O’Donnells in the centre. Doing so in the knowledge that one more win will mean not just any Ulster title, but an historic third Ulster title in a row. Something no Donegal fan or player has ever had the honour to see done before, so let’s make it enjoyable. See yous Sunday. H’up Donegal! -By Jonathan Foley
Posted on: Fri, 19 Jul 2013 08:59:02 +0000
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