This is what it feels like - sheer elation, pride and satisfaction at a job well done. Nineteen long years were quickly forgotten about yesterday in a wave of emotion on the St Tiernach’s Park turf in Clones.
Being amongst thousands of Donegal fans pouring onto the pitch to greet our heroes and seeing the joyous expressions on every face was very special. Great to see a good old fashioned GAA pitch invasion - who says provincial championships don’t matter.
Let there be no doubt, Donegal played a terrific game yesterday and were well worth their six-point winning margin. Every man played with passion and heart not seen from Donegal jerseys in a number of years.
And its all down to one man, The Messiah himself, Jim McGuinness.
He has taken largely the same group of players who looked like an underage team of misfits in Crossmaglen last year and transformed them into one of the fittest teams in the country. And this team can play football.
Their bottle had been called into question numerous times and even leading up to the game some felt that it would be the same old story and the expectation would be too much. This was must win, simple as.
Even amidst the enormity of the occasion Jim seemed relaxed - determined that his boys would do the job. An insight into his state of mind was seen early on; as he patrolled the sideline a few minutes after throw in, despite all the pressure, he still had the grace and poise to shake hands to some members of the Cavan minor team as they made their way into the stand following their victory in the minor final.
Back to matters on the field and the midfield battle was going to be key; if Donegal could hold parity they had a great chance. Kevin Rafferty’s injury meant a first start of the year for Neil Gallagher and a chance to regain the midfield berth that he has held for the last few years - and boy did he take it. The big Glenswilly man was immense. He caught some wonderful ball, winning crucial primary possession and setting up a number of attacks with that nonchalant foot pass style he employs. Joe Diver was fantastic for Derry but Gallagher held his own in a confident performance.
Of course it wouldn’t be a Donegal winning display without the efforts of Neil’s clubmate - the inspiration, the leader, the virtuoso that is Michael Murphy. Much of the pre-match previews in the press centred on the defensive style the team play, and one particular gripe was the fact that one of the game’s foremost talents is asked to play in a deep lying role. Jimmy trumped most commentators and indeed his opposite number John Brennan by stationing Michael on the edge of the square for almost the entire 70 minutes. He came deep for two or three kick outs but by and large he stayed in the No 14 spot and Derry had no answer. As had happened in the league game at Celtic Park different markers were used to try and negate Murphy but to no avail; he was outstanding. On almost every occasion he was well out in front and whether he shot himself or laid off ball to Colm McFadden or Michael Hegarty he had a hand in 1-6 of Donegal’s 1-11 total.
The rapport he has built up with McFadden is a joy to behold. Whichever of the pair receives the ball the other knows instinctively where to be to collect a tap down or a hand pass. Similar to McDonnell and Clarke in their pomp, or Canavan and Mulligan, they’re a devastating double act for any defence to deal with and indeed no-one has yet deciphered a way of dealing with them.
McFadden spoke during the week of his new found love of turnovers; always noted for his gracious style and classy point taking he was never known for what we saw yesterday. In the second half he ran 100 yards down the field to win back the ball and that type of endeavour was on show all day long. To see a man in your county colours bursting a gut in order to win back possession, block a ball or make a tackle fills you with huge pride; the purists may baulk at it but these same people would be the first to give out if a forward, or anyone for that matter, was idling about lazily and not trying.
Murphy was involved in the game’s key score early in the second half and once again the character of the man was there for all to see. As I’ve harped on about numerous times before, that fateful night last May in Breffni Park - that penalty, that crossbar - was a defining moment for Donegal football. Despite the anguish and pain felt by fans that night it has led to a bond between captain and manager; they have unfinished business to atone for that ball cannoning off the crossbar.
And yesterday was another chance to do it. Michael Murphy - Donegal - Final - Penalty. It was never going anywhere but the back of the net.
He had to wait about two and a half minutes between the award and actually striking the ball but he showed great composure in first stepping away from it all and then waiting for the referee to tell the Derry net minder to retreat before placing the ball. And then, Bang. Donegal a goal to the good and in Murphy’s reaction afterwards, in burying the ghost of Breffni, you can see that it was our day.
The maestro now has won minor, U21 and senior provincial titles, the latter two as captain. After that it was a procession, scores came thick and fast and some of them put paid to any suggestion that this team are robotic defensive incarnations.
Hegarty battled with Anthony Thompson for the man of the match gong, who put in an all action display. After a couple of early wides, Thompson steadied the ship with a burst forward and neat finish and he repeated the trick soon after for his second. At the other end of the pitch he threw himself into tackles, won the dirty ball and along with the other defenders put Derry under huge pressure.
Everyone was hungry for the ball, the afore mentioned Kilcar man in particular winning ball he had no right to as Derry tried in vain to launch attacks. He also scored two fine points, the second of which led to Jimmy finally releasing the emotion of the day, letting out a huge roar on the sideline and looking towards the Donegal faithful in the Gerry Arthur stand. He thumped the chest of his number two Rory Gallagher and they knew it was job done. Gallagher has been a crucial part of the setup this year and his reputation as one the game's leading young coaches has been displayed for all to see.
To see Hegarty and others who have soldiered in the jersey for many years with no provincial honours finally getting their hands on the Anglo-Celt warmed the heart. Of course plenty others have come and gone to no avail and victories like yesterday are also for the Sweeneys, Devenneys, Gildeas, Divers, Monaghans, Ropers (and indeed McGuinness himself) who never got their just rewards.
With the contest settled we were able to savour the last few minutes and you could sense the delight of the players as they passed the ball around to each other. The hard slog of winter is worth it for days like this. And it was a hard slog. Donegal simply did not have the fitness levels required to compete at this level in years gone by. After twenty minutes in Crossmaglen last year they were out on their feet. In extra time against Down in Ballybofey it was the visitors who kicked on and drove home for the win with nothing left in the Donegal tank.
The footballing ability in Donegal has never been in question, a steady conveyor belt of talented players has developed good teams but we needed someone to get more out of them. That someone arrived in the shape of The Messiah last year, after the U21 success it had to be him for the senior job. That he has delivered a long awaited Ulster title in his first year is nothing short of remarkable. Watching the first league game of the year against Sligo, fans felt that mid table in Division Two wouldn’t be a bad return but after the Tyrone victory in Omagh we felt maybe our targets could be set a little higher.
There’s more to come though, be it this year or not. Joe Kernan and Mickey Harte won Ulster titles in their maiden years at the helm, they also went on to meet a certain Corkman in September of those years of 2002 and 2003. Whether Donegal are at that level yet remains to be seen; for now we’ll savour the moment and rejoice at what The Messiah has done for the county. Thank you Jim.
