Gloves must come off sooner or later as Ulster kingpins collide

Only those who were in Crossmaglen on June 26 2010 can fully appreciate what Jim McGuinness achieved the following season.

Only they can truly acknowledge just how much Donegal transformed. For on that day in St Oliver Plunkett’s Park they were pitiful. Yet 13 months later and with 10 of the same team, they were Ulster champions (Kevin Cassidy and Neil Gallagher were injured for the final against Down).

We reported at the time: “With the exception of Michael Murphy, Donegal were a disaster.” On TV, Bernard Flynn said: “It’s something we’re used to seeing with Donegal. When it goes bad, it goes dreadful.”

Jamie Clarke, on his 21st birthday, led their defence on a merry dance and had two goals to his name inside the opening seven minutes. And with that, the shoulders of John Joe Doherty’s men sunk. So bad was the display that he joked afterwards, but not without a dollop of realism, that he too had to review himself on top of the county board’s assessment of his two years in charge.

Two days later and he was gone but the bitter taste of defeat remained. It didn’t help that Colm McFadden’s gesture after being substituted was interpreted to be something it wasn’t. The forward had been informed on being taken off that he would be receiving a piece of crystal after the game for his 100th appearance in a Donegal jersey. He couldn’t but offer a wry smile.

Yet that’s not how Flynn saw it looking at the TV footage. He remarked: “None of their older players stood up. None of them led by example. I think I saw Colm McFadden, being taken off, in the dugout and himself and the subs laughing and having the craic, a laugh and a joke.”

The camera wasn’t there to see how embarrassed McFadden was to pick up the award after such an insipid performance afterwards but Flynn was correct in one assessment: “I think there has to be a massive change there. The mindset of the Donegal footballer and what he’s about at inter-county level has to change drastically because what they’re at is only hit and miss. Thinking they’re a top eight team is only downright silly.”

McFadden, who scored the all-important goal to beat Armagh in 2007, claimed his first of back-to-back All Stars the following season. Against Derry in May, he made his 150th appearance and Saturday will see him move to within six of Brian Roper’s all-time record of 159.

He may be having the poorest season since his brother-in-law took charge so far but few other teams will fire him or McGuinness up more than Armagh.

Both were in the Donegal set-up when Ray Sweeney’s unfair sending off had an impact in their 2003 All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Joe Kernan’s side.

However, there was more heartache against Armagh for McFadden and stalwarts like Paul Durcan, Neil Gallagher, Rory Kavanagh and Karl Lacey in a 2005 Ulster semi-final replay and the following year’s provincial final.

There was some respite with the 2007 Ulster quarter-final when McFadden’s goal in a drenched Ballybofey helped Donegal squeeze a one-point win. But for the most part, Armagh has meant pain for McGuinness’ 30-somethings.

McGuinness won’t need to remind them and he needs little motivation himself. His relationship with current Armagh selector Kieran McGeeney is warmer now than it was in 2011 when he accused the then Kildare manager of using the media to influence the referee before the counties’ All-Ireland quarter-final.

However, this is the first time the pair will share a Championship sideline since then. On the day of the game, a piece appeared in several newspapers in which Kildare selector Niall Carew claimed Donegal were getting away with cynical fouls.

McGuinness responded after Donegal’s extra-time win: “Kieran McGeeney was a phenomenal player. He didn’t cry, he didn’t whinge and we weren’t very impressed by that.

“We’re happy that the referee didn’t take the bait. The article was based on cynical fouling. Anybody who watched the match in relation to Kildare players in the last period of extra-time would say there was a lot of cynical fouling.

“The referee has a tough job. We all know he has a tough job to do. But the place to do your business is on the coaching field. Try and beat the opposition there, not in the media.”

Both McGuinness last year and McGeeney, by his association with Paul Grimley, this season haven’texactly been innocent on that charge. But where Armagh’s motivations seem to be centred in proving people wrong, Donegal’s are aimed directly at their opposition on Saturday.

Sending them to Division 3 this year was one thing. Knocking them out of the championship would be another.