Jim McGuinness slams brawl that required Gardai intervention following Donegal's win over Armagh in Ulster SFC final
DONEGAL boss Jim McGuinness was savouring another 'special' Ulster title last night.
The Glenties man
Advertisement
1
Armagh captain Aidan Forker confronts Donegal manager Jim McGuinness as a tussle breaks out after the Ulster GAA Football Senior Championship final
Credit: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
And he was happy to let captain Paddy McBrearty, prodigal son Michael Murphy and the rest of the squad enjoy the moment after an extra-time thriller against Armagh in Clones.
McGuinness said: 'Yeah, they're all very unique. They're all as special as the next one. And you're in a packed house out there and the sun's shining. And, you know, we all travelled to Ulster finals as children. And that's the moment.
'The house is full and the sun is shining. Somebody's going to win and somebody, unfortunately, is not going to win.
'We had a lot of days against Armagh, in many respects, where we were out the wrong side of it. A lot of days I played in Ulster finals. So they're very special.'
Advertisement
Read More on GAA
Donegal go into an All-Ireland SFC series group with Tyrone, Cavan and Mayo.
And McGuinness continued: 'We will enjoy tonight, enjoy that with our families — and refocus then as quickly as we can because another competition is going to start now.
'But we're not talking much about that tonight. I'm just proud of them, proud of the way they went about it and kept going to the very end. And they're entitled to celebrate.'
McGuinness condemned the ugly scenes that marred the end of their victory.
Advertisement
Most read in Sport
Exclusive
A scuffle broke out in Clones as members of both camps clashed and Gardaí intervened.
The situation was defused before Donegal skipper McBrearty lifted the Anglo-Celt Cup. McGuinness did not see what caused the ruckus.
RTÉ GAA pundits Paul Flynn and Lee Keegan slam All-Ireland draw
He said: 'I don't have a perspective on that. It's not nice to see. It shouldn't happen. I was giving my daughter a hug at the time. I didn't see what happened, but it shouldn't be in the game.'
His Armagh counterpart Kieran McGeeney has to lift his players for a group of death with Dublin, Galway and Derry but hopes they can bounce back after raising Sam Maguire last July.
Advertisement
He said: 'We've been in the group of death for the last three years, so what's new?
'It's a tough one. Derry are playing well. Dublin are Dublin, and Galway are probably one of the best teams in the country. There's no easy ones left.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Pat Ryan's emotional reaction to Cork beating Limerick reminded us how sport can provide solace amid tragedy
WE WERE all stopped in our tracks when the cameras cut to an emotional Pat Ryan at the end of Saturday's Munster SHC final at the Gaelic Grounds. Having been sent back to Cork Advertisement 3 Pat Ryan and his son Cian after Cork's momentous victory on Saturday 3 Pat's brother Ray, right, passed away in February 3 He was understandably overcome immediately after the penalty shoot-out Credit: RTE They weren't given a prayer ahead of their return to the Limerick lions' den. After 90 minutes of madness, where the teams were level no fewer than 17 times, The debate will rage about Sport can provide comfort in grief but can also add to the heartache. Why the Cork manager was so visibly upset did not need to be stated. Advertisement Read More On GAA Robert Downey paid tribute to the man who steered them home in the darkest of times for the Cork manager's family. The Rebels captain said: 'I don't think he realises how much we love him. But on days like these, I'm going to tell him. Pat, we love you to bits.' Ryan The former Cork and Sarsfields hurler would have revelled in Saturday's joyous scenes. It's hard to fathom what the Ryan family have been through but hurling undoubtedly gave them hope. Advertisement Most read in GAA Hurling Five days after the passing of Ray, Ryan was on the line when the Rebels beat Kilkenny in Division 1A of the NHL. Duty called. Before throw-in, the entire panel and backroom team lined up across the 45 for a minute's tribute to Ray. GAA fans 'loved seeing and hearing' the late Micheal O Muircheartaigh as he features in RTE documentary Hell for Leather Pat was in among them, wearing a black armband. Maybe behind Advertisement How he has navigated that in his time of despair is a measure of the man. His players would dearly love to land Liam MacCarthy for him. He is not the first and won't be the last GAA man to keep the fire burning with a broken heart. HARTE EXAMPLE The morning after Tyrone lost the 2018 All-Ireland SFC final to Dublin, the Red Hand faithful wanted answers. Had they been too defensive against the Sky Blues? Why did they let Jim Gavin's men get the better of their blanket defence and blow them away at Croke Park? Advertisement Mickey Harte sat down with the media and braced himself for those questions. One of his answers provided a stark reminder of how small sport is in the greater scheme of things. Harte's daughter Michaela was murdered while on honeymoon in Mauritius in January 2011. No one has been convicted over her death. That morning, Harte said: 'There's many worse things you can wake up to on a Monday morning. Advertisement "Think about that, that people have to wake up to those things, things that are more permanent — loss or hurt. 'I'll think about their hurt and loss as football people and fanatics. I appreciate that and empathise with it, but I'd ask them to think about how people wake up to something that can never be the same again. "There's never another chance to get back to where you'd have liked to be. 'And then they'll begin to understand that while it may be life and death in words, in real terms it's not. There are things that are more important than that. Advertisement 'I would've probably been more heartbroken about this if life had been different in our case. 'But the fact that I know something that's much, much worse and never could be compared to this, then I feel hurt about this, but it's not like the real hurt of loss.' BLAME GAME We all do it. We blame managers, players and whoever else when things go wrong on big days. But we never truly know what people are going through. Advertisement Later this summer, Liam MacCarthy and Sam Maguire will be paraded through towns and villages in two lucky counties. But away from the schools and the town squares, the trophies will be taken to final resting places too. Loved ones are remembered and missed in victory and in defeat. Hopefully Saturday night gave Pat Ryan and his family something to smile about. Advertisement
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
California governor accuses Trump of escalating unrest in Los Angeles
Sligo Rovers Football Club are running coaching sessions with some of the prisoners at Loughan House Open Centre in Blacklion, Co Cavan. Video: Bryan O'Brien
The Journal
an hour ago
- The Journal
Ireland round out the season with dreary draw away to Luxembourg
The 42 Luxembourg 0 Republic of Ireland 0 THIS BORE, END-OF-SEASON draw was just about the most passive mutual offering from Ireland and Luxembourg since they designed their respective tax regimes. Acknowledging that June friendlies are hardly havens for confidence or rich feeling, Ireland were desperately poor in the first-half, with their passing ragged and their energy levels low. They were much better after half-time, though, and were unfortunate not to grab a late winner when substitute Jack Taylor smashed a shot off the underside of the crossbar. They ultimately had to settle for a goalless draw, one which extends their unbeaten run to four games and does not seriously check their momentum going into September's World Cup qualifying campaign. Ireland, though, will have to play much better than this if they are to take enough points from the opening games against Hungary and Armenia to maintain an active interest in qualifying through to the final games in November. Heimir Hallgrimsson decided to reward the oft-travelling, rarely-seen Max O'Leary with a first Irish start, giving Caoimhín Kelleher a break. Jake O'Brien replaced Matt Doherty at right-back with Killian Phillips making his full senior debut in midfield, with Ryan Manning benched. Evan Ferguson – whose sharpness in training had impressed his manager – earned a start having come close to doing so on Friday, while Troy Parrott returned to lead the line. Ireland's shape was that to which we have become accustomed: a 4-4-2 without the ball that morphed into a fancier, 3-4-2-1 with the ball. Phillips dropped into deep midfield alongside Jason Knight with Will Smallbone freed up to play further forward. Among Ireland's first-half problems: their evolving formation got stuck in its larval, two-banks-of-four phase, such was Luxembourg's dominance of the ball. O'Leary was sharp to dive to his left to push Danel Sinani's long-range shot around the post, a move whose genesis was a clumsy lay-off by Ferguson to Phillips. Hallgrimsson, growing increasingly frustrated, swapped Phillips and Smallbone's positions. That move was tantamount to tinkering around a crash site. Ireland's passing was awful, with players remonstrating with one another as moves continually broke down. An ugly problem from Ireland's last few years also reared its head, with Knight, Phillips and Smallbone looking rushed and uncomfortable when they were pressed in midfield by their opposite number. Troy Parrott contributed Ireland's best moment from open play shortly before half-time, when he controlled the ball and spun away from his aggressive marker, Eldin Džogović, who responded by kicking him in the calf. It was a rare moment of conviction from any Irish player. Smallbone floated the resultant free-kick to Dara O'Shea at the back post, whose square header was met by Nathan Collins, who stooped and headed the ball against the post. Ireland mercifully improved after half-time. Kasey McAteer hinted at the severity of the half-time message by quickly closing down and opponent to rob possession and then pull a left-footed shot wide of the far post. Advertisement McAteer should have remained so single-minded a few minutes later, but rather than go for goal himself, he instead directed a free header from Ryan Manning's terrific deep cross back across goal for Parrott, who handled the ball amid a miscued effort to try and force the ball over the line. Jack Taylor and Festy Ebosele were sprung from the bench within 10 minutes of the restart and both combined for another chance, only for Taylor to pull a shot wide having been smartly picked out by Ebosele on the edge of the box. Ireland finally managed an effort on target shortly after, as Parrott ran in behind to collect McAteer's pass before lifting the ball delightfully over the onrushing goalkeeper. Parrott, alas, was too eager in making his run and had strayed offside. McAteer, now shifted to an inside-left role as opposed to standing out on the right wing, grew far more influential, but was also guilty of over-enthusiasm in taking an over-the-shoulder volley too early having been picked out by a ball over the top. His shot was tame and easy for Luxembourg's teenage goalkeeper. But alas as many of the Irish players improved around him, Evan Ferguson visibly waned; his lack of match minutes across the season becoming painfully evident. He was caught too often on his heels, most gallingly when Dara O'Shea played a risky pass through midfield that was intended for Ferguson, but intercepted by the much more alert Tomas Moreira, whom Ferguson pursued and then fouled. He was booked, and eventually withdrawn for Adam Idah with 15 minutes remaining. Taylor came agonisingly close to winning the game as the clock ticked out. First Parrott wriggled brilliantly along the endline to pull the ball back for Idah, whose heavy touch ended with the ball running out to Taylor on the edge of the box, who smashed a shot off the underside of the crossbar John Patrick came off the bench for a late senior debut, and showed some very neat touches, most obviously on the edge of his own box after Matt Doherty recovered brilliantly to snuff out a late Luxembourg counter. The Spanish-born midfielder will be among a handful of people on earth to remember this game. While Ireland will have to be vastly improved in September, the context of this game is enough to avoid ringing any alarm bells. Already without the bulk of their Championship contingent, the squad were carrying an accumulated fatigue that will not exist in three months' time. This season, after all, has been long and, er, taxing. Luxembourg: Tiago Pereira; Eldin Džogović, Laurent Jans (Michael Pinto, 62′), Seid Korac, Dirk Carlson; Leandro Barreiro, Tomas Moreira, Danel Sinani; Florian Bohnert (Vincent Thill, 62′) , Gerson Rodrigues (Eric Veiga, 82′), Aiman Dardari (Alessio Curci, 76′) Republic of Ireland: Max O'Leary; Jake O'Brien, Nathan Collins (captain), Dara O'Shea, Robbie Brady (Ryan Manning, 20′); Kasey McAteer (Matt Doherty, 75′), Jason Knight (John Patrick,90′), Will Smallbone (Jack Taylor, 55′), Killian Phillips (Festy Ebosele, 55′); Evan Ferguson (Adam Idah, 75′), Troy Parrott Referee: Stefan Ebner (Austria) Written by Gavin Cooney and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won't find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women's sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here .
