Memory of ‘dark days’ drives Eamon McGee

The night they returned to Donegal Town having reclaimed the Anglo-Celt Cup last July, Eamon McGee was content on the peripheries.

He sported a sizeable forehead gash following an accidental collision with Monaghan’s Christopher McGuinness, who goaled that afternoon in the Ulster final in Clones. But it was Jim McGuinness’s side who claimed a 0-15 to 1-9 victory.

It was the first time Donegal clinched the minor-senior Ulster double. With both panels paraded side-by-side through well-wishers up Tirconaill Street and introduced from the stage, the revellers eventually headed off into the night to the various watering houses that run the perimeter of the Diamond.

Donegal never won Ulster until 1972 so their supporters will always celebrate an Ulster title.

But McGee didn’t.

He briefly shook hands, got a few pats on the back and momentarily posed with a mannerly clenched smile for photographs with supporters before heading for home with his girlfriend Joanne.

It was, in almost 11 years in the county colours and six Ulster final attempts, the first time McGee could feel part of a provincial crown. But he didn’t need a party to confirm that. He remembers the journey as clearly as arriving at his destination.

“There’s been a lot of dark days with Donegal and dark days for me personally,” he says.

In his first season, 2004, he was ejected from the panel after Donegal’s 3-15 to 0-11 capitulation to Armagh in the Ulster final having spent too much time on the perimeter of the Diamond.

In an era when Donegal were better at celebrating defeats than earning victories, a 19-year-old McGee was perhaps a little wet behind the ears.

“There was a public fall-out with myself and Brian McLaughlin getting removed,” McGee says. “That was an education for me and it was embarrassing for my family and friends. They were proud to have me as part of the Donegal squad and then I got publicly withdrawn for going partying. It wasn’t a nice time.”

Two years later McGee and his club-mate Kevin Cassidy were removed — again in the watchful eye of the public — having broken a drinking curfew put in place by Brian McEniff’s successor, Brian McIver.

It was, by all accounts, an innocent enough misunderstanding. After explaining himself, McGee was in the Donegal team as Armagh won the Ulster SFC for the third year in succession, 1-9 to 0-9.

“It as almost worse that we were getting close to Armagh and fooling ourselves,” McGee adds. “We thought we were near enough when in fact, we were so far off.”

From that day until 2011, Donegal would win just one match in Ulster. As well as the provincial shortcomings, there were public floggings; like when Cork ran up a 1-27 to 2-10 victory in the 2009 All-Ireland quarter-final.

Then there was the 2-14 to 0-11 defeat to Armagh in Crossmaglen in 2010.

“They’re still fresh in the memory,” McGee adds. “I often thought ‘Bugger this. Let’s pack it up and do something else’.”

After hearing new manager McGuinness’s plans in early 2011, some of which fell marginally short of reinventing the wheel, McGee told the locals in Gweedore of them, over a few pints, only for McGuinness to find out.

McGee ended up in London and it was joked he was in form as he “kicked three points against Kilkenny in Division 4”.

McGuinness called again, in April 2011. McGee accepted, knowing this opportunity was perhaps his last, but wasn’t up to speed for the Ulster final win, 1-11 to 0-8 over Derry, and was hamstrung the year afterwards, when Down were overran 2-18 to 0-13 as Donegal won back-to-back Ulsters.

McGee, with white boots, in his own words “got cleaned” by Kieran Hughes as Monaghan were surprise 0-13 to 0-7 victors in the 2013 final. He gave the boots away.

McGee made his 100th inter-county appearance in the 2012 All-Ireland final, which Donegal won 2-11 to 0-13 against Mayo. And last year, almost won a second.

“Had we beaten by Kerry I’d have been more than happy with two All-Irelands and would’ve gone back to Gaoth Dobhair,” McGee adds of his local club, whom he lines out for with brother Neil and Odhrán MacNiallias.

“For a club with three county seniors and a brilliant underage structure, we’re not doing enough. Giving something back to the club is something that I would like to do but for now it’s all about that second All-Ireland.”

Donegal, under Rory Gallagher, are enjoying their football following a 1-13 to 1-10 win over Tyrone and 2-11 to 0-8 victory in Armagh. But they’re still only in an Ulster semi-final, this evening against McIver’s Derry.

“We’ve only won two games and I’d prefer if people spoke about Rory Gallagher and Donegal at the end of the year,” McGee adds. “Things can go pear-shaped pretty rapidly.

“I take nothing for granted and with the end-line in sight, it’s just about being as greedy as you can be. All I ever wanted to do was play football and then all this hassle used to come along with it.

“It’s full circle now. You know now you have to give your all and there are sacrifices that have to be made if you want to play county football. When you’re getting rewards, those sacrifices then become worthwhile.

“There’s a line from the film Vanilla Sky, ‘the sweet is never as sweet without the sour.’ That’s why when we finally did get it together to win the All-Ireland in 2012, it was worth it. We remember where we came from and we remember what it was like when we weren’t there. It’s what keeps us going.”