Emerging from their shell?
What was conveniently ignored was that for long periods of that notorious semi-final, Dublin left four defenders and Stephen Cluxton marking the lone Donegal forward, Colm McFadden. It was, of course a source of much angst to Donegal people that they should become the focus of subsequent witch-hunts given Dublin’s negative approach to the same game. But that misses the point entirely.
The point surely is, that in revealing some of the hidden dimensions of the game of Gaelic football, Donegal showed a diabolical lack of ambition by playing some really good attacking players in withdrawn roles. The need to evolve was a point frequently made during the weeks that followed — including Jim McGuinness’ assertion that “if you are standing still, you are going backwards”.
There has been no shapeshifting evolution since last August and the curiosity factor since is whether the legacy left by the Donegal template would be picked up by other teams and other managers. That it hasn’t, speaks volumes for what the coaches with big ideas think.
There have been signs since the start of this year’s league that Donegal have been trying to work on a more expansive game, something which Jim McGuinness always intimated would happen in the second year of his tenure. Those of us watching from the terrace in Killarney a fortnight ago were anticipating an intriguing tactical battle between the team who commit so much of their thoughts and energies to attacking play and another who have spent so much time teasing out the nuances of defensive play. For one reason or another, that battle of wits never materialised — perhaps because Donegal seemed leaden-footed and were a few yards off each Kerry player in possession. Maybe too, it’s too early in the season for the boundless energy that players such as Mark McHugh, Karl Lacey and Anthony Thompson brought to the field last year.
But even in defeat there were instructive elements to that game in Killarney that were to the fore once more against Mayo last weekend in Ballyshannon.
Paul Durcan, the Donegal goalkeeper has varied his kickout from last year’s unimaginative punts to the general area between the two 70 yard lines. Against Kerry two weeks ago, he sliced so many to his right and reached his intended target with nearly all of them. This was no accident and there is no doubt Durcan and Donegal are putting much more thought into their restarts since Kildare’s Darryl Flynn cleaned them out in last year’s quarter-final against Kildare.
The younger players Patrick McBrearty and Michael Murphy and Mark McHugh have filled out a bit more compared to last year and this extra physical presence will stand to them in tonight’s game.
And yes, there were signs in the last two league games that Donegal are trying to take things on and that they are addressing the challenge of developing the offensive side of their game. Anthony Thompson and Karl Lacey are quality ball players and are beginning to attack with a bit more purpose and even if Leo McLoone has a few rough edges, he can still punch holes in opposition rearguards. The benefits of playing Murphy closer to goal are now apparent to all and Martin McElhinney’s return from injury offers more dynamism and a better nose for attack around the middle.
The concession of 2-16 against Kerry can be put down as an aberration but it did give an indication of Donegal’s limitations when not playing at the intensity we’ve come to expect these last 12 months. If they were to retreat into their shells on the basis of that showing in Killarney, it would be a shame.
When the Donegal challenge against Dublin petered out in last year’s semi-final, it was that same drop in intensity that became their undoing. It is quite difficult to match Dublin for sustained intensity and when Donegal’s energy levels dipped, they started making mistakes, and the tackles that were so effective in creating the first-half turnovers were getting flagged as fouls later in the game. Teams like Donegal who challenge our thinking about the game with their Machiavellian approach are always at the whim of those whose duty it is to interpret the game.
Referee Eddie Kinsella from Laois has a critical role in how tonight’s game is played. He was quite strict in his application of the rules when last refereeing a Dublin match against Kildare in the O’Byrne Cup in January and for two teams who thrive on breaking up opposition play and bombing forward with possession thereafter, it will be interesting to see how Kinsella interprets the tackle tonight. There is a sense with a few red cards in earlier rounds that Dublin’s indiscipline has been a problem this campaign but the 19 points conceded from frees in four full games doesn’t bear this out. Dublin’s discipline is no worse than any of the top teams at the moment but they are now adjusting to the added scrutiny of being champions and indiscretions that would have gone unnoticed before are being whistled now. Such is life in their brave new world.
Maybe someday we will view this period of cagey football with the same nostalgia we now view the free-spirited Galway team of nearly a decade and a half ago. Maybe in the future we will come to appreciate the hidden efforts that have given some Donegal people cause for pride in their county team again. Last summer, Jim McGuinness spoke of the great journey his players have been on. He also spoke of not really knowing the capabilities or limits of his own players yet. As they continue on their journey by facing up to last year’s conquerors tonight, maybe it will be possible as Ishiguro suggested —“to develop an intimacy with the most disturbing of things”.
Maybe tonight we’ll get the game we thought we’d get in Killarney a fortnight ago and if Donegal are up for it, maybe this time they’ll win.
