McGuinness learned it all in Tralee

While tomorrow’s All-Ireland semi-final between Donegal and Kerry will undoubtedly provide a fascinating clash of styles, Jim McGuinness knows neither side will have left much to chance in terms of preparation.

No Donegal team has ever taken to a field as well readied as McGuinness’s contemporaries and, even now, admits much of that thoroughness was picked up from when he was a student in IT Tralee. By the time of the 1998 Sigerson Cup on St Valentine’s weekend, as well as being hosts and defending champions, the fact Tralee were the Kerryrepresentative team in a national competition also brought with it its own pressures from a county whose people were brought up on a staple diet of silverware. TG4 were to screen the competition live for the first time.

“When I was studying in Kerry and playing with the Sigerson team, I remember in 1998 we hosted the competition in Tralee,” McGuinness said. “There was big excitement in the town and a lot of expectation on the team.”