Kieran Donaghy: ‘Huge learning curve’ seeing how Armagh develop winning mentality

Kieran Donaghy: Not reading much into league form. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Kieran Donaghy claims the current Armagh camp have had to work harder than Kerry to develop a winning mentality.

The 2006 footballer of the year, who came on board as a forwards coach with Kieran McGeeney’s side this season, argues the Orchard County players have not benefited from the history and pedigree enjoyed in his native county.

As Armagh go in search of their first provincial title in 13 years, Donaghy says: “The mentality is probably better because of the culture that Kieran has developed with them in the last six years. They’re a fantastic group, really, with the time they put into it, how professional they are, the leadership group on the players’ side, and the message they constantly drive.

“It’s been a huge learning curve for me to see that. The work that Kieran has done over the last number of years is starting to hit home with the players and they’re really driving it on.

“Whereas with the history of the Kerry jersey and what’s gone on before would carry a certain of weight. These players are trying to forge their own story, their own history in the Armagh jersey. That’s where they are at, they are climbing through the divisions and thankfully managed to stay up in a tough group this year.”

Donaghy feels Kerry will be happy with where they are following an unbeaten run in the league but in general he does not want to read too much into counties’ form.

“I’d be always slightly slow to judge teams on what we’ve seen so far because the reality is most teams only had three and a half weeks to get ready as a group. It’s quite hard to get a team prepared in that time.”

The Austin Stacks man gets his first taste of the Ulster SFC when Armagh entertain Antrim in their July 4 quarter-final but this season could be the last in its current guise as the GAA assesses the structure of the senior inter-county football season.

He has previously argued for provincial competitions being pushed towards the start of the year and maintains that view.

“Get provincial championships played earlier in the year when roads are bad and it’s dangerous for people to be travelling long distances to games. A lot of local derbies and they’d be a bit tighter on a wetter pitch.

“If you had that kind of a feel to things and you had a provincial championship at that time of the year and then go into what they’re looking about now, I think you’d have the best of both worlds because there is a lot of history that comes with these provincial championships and I don’t think there is a lot of appetite to lose that.” 

The 38-year-old says he has no issue with commuting between Tralee and Armagh. 

“I’m finding it fine. I work from Dublin on a Thursday and a Friday and I train on a Thursday and a Saturday so it’s not bad.”