‘I didn't know what to expect' – Patrick McBrearty reveals drastic action behind Jim McGuinness' return to Donegal GAA
The county endured a dismal inter-county season in 2023 that was preceded by manager
2
Jim McGuinness returned as Donegal manager
Credit: Seb Daly/Sportsfile
2
Paddy McBrearty revealed what he did to make it happen
Credit: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
They were relegated to Division 2 as Aidan O'Rourke took charge in the interim.
But the Armagh native could not help the team avoid an Ulster SFC quarter-final loss to Down. Provincial foes
Ireland
SFC preliminary quarter-finals.
Skipper McBrearty, along with team-mate Hugh McFadden, took drastic action.
McGuinness led
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And after some persuasion, McGuinness agreed to return.
Donegal have since won back-to-back Ulster titles and are 70 minutes from lifting Sam again ahead of Sunday's All-Ireland final against Kerry.
And it all came from a knock at McGuinness' front door.
Forward McBrearty admitted: 'We didn't know what to expect. We knew Jim would either welcome us or there would be another response.
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'When you door-step someone . . . if it was me, I probably would have told him to clear it.
'We hadn't seen each other in a long time but we had a good chat about where Donegal
football
was.
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'But he never said no, which kept the thing alive. If he said no, that would have been fine.
'There wasn't just one conversation. There were a few conversations and it kept the pressure on.
'Thankfully he came back because god knows where it would be if he didn't.'
McGuinness had to use his own powers of persuasion to coax 2012 All-Ireland-winning captain Michael Murphy back into the fold ahead of this season.
The five-time All-Star has been in scintillating form and is Donegal's
Championship
top scorer this term with 44 points.
And McBrearty has had to be content with a place on the bench for the last three games.
The 31-year-old was in inspired form when entering the fray against Meath in the semi-final, scoring three points in a 3-26 to 0-15 triumph.
Looking on from the sideline as skipper is never easy but it is for the greater good.
And McBrearty likened his role to that of Stefan Campbell off the bench for Armagh last year as the Orchard lifted Sam.
The Kilcar man said: 'Every player wants to start but you've got to see the bigger picture.
'Everyone knows about Stefan Campbell coming in and Armagh's squad probably won them the All-Ireland last year.
'There are really good players in the Donegal set-up who can't get into the 26, never mind the first 15.
'I'm up against Oisín Gallen, Michael and Conor O'Donnell.
'It's tough for positions there.
'That's what I think is really good about this group.
'They are all willing to see the bigger picture.'
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