Doherty vows to stay on despite Rebel mauling

THE crushing defeat by Cork was a bitter pill to swallow, but John Joe Doherty says he has no hesitation in nailing his colours to the Donegal mast for 2010.

After four wins on the trot in the qualifiers, the men from the north-west were blown away by the Rebels in last weekend’s All-Ireland quarter-final clash by a whopping 14 points.

Last November, 1992 All-Ireland senior medallist Doherty was chosen to succeed Brian McIver in the Donegal hot-seat, and given a three-year term with his position to be reviewed after the second year.

But despite the bitter disappointment of defeat at the last-eight stage and Cork’s emphatic margin of victory, Doherty revealed he hasn’t been tempted to move aside and hand the managerial reins over to someone else.

“Of course, we were all very disappointed at not qualifying for the semi-finals, and also with the fact that we were comprehensively beaten by Cork,” said Doherty, whose side were shocked by Antrim in the first round of the Ulster Championship.

“I certainly wouldn’t be jumping with joy at the end of this year’s championship. But, with the exception of the Cork and Antrim games, I felt it was a reasonably encouraging year for us, and it gives us something to build on for the future.

“Admittedly, we struggled a bit in our first two Qualifier games against Carlow and Clare, but it was heartening to get the wins over Derry and Galway.

“To win four championship matches on the trot is something that doesn’t happen too often for Donegal.

“Back when I was playing, I remember that in 1995 we beat Down, who were the All-Ireland champions, but then in our next match we flopped against Monaghan, who weren’t as strong then as they are now, even though we were at home in Ballybofey.

“Then I remember a few years ago we beat Armagh, but then we lost in the next round.”

One of the pluses for Donegal and Doherty in the clash with Cork was the outstanding display of full-forward Michael Murphy, who just turned 20 during the week.

“Michael is a very talented footballer, and if we could find a few more players like him the future would be very bright for Donegal,” remarked Doherty.

In the hope of recruiting some promising new talent for 2010, the Glencolumcille man says he will be keeping a very close eye on the Donegal club championship which resumes on next weekend.

“The first leg games in the first round have already been played, and things will be in full swing in a week’s time,” he explained.

Doherty hasn’t been talking yet to his fellow selectors, his former county team-mates Tony Boyle and Tommy Ryan, and Michael McGeehan, about their plans for 2010.

But he says: “I would expect that the three lads will stay on for another year.”