Donegal boss McGuinness unhappy with a number of referee Cawley calls

IRATE: Donegal manager Jim McGuinness demonstrates to linesman David Coldrick about a free. Pic: Daire Brennan/Sportsfile

Jim McGuinness claimed Brendan Cawley made some harsh decisions against his Donegal team.

McGuinness was irate with the decision to penalise Ciarán Thompson for touching the ball on the ground in the 66th minute. 

Before Robert Finnerty sent over the free to put Galway ahead, he advanced up the sideline to ask linesman David Coldrick to review the call on the Nally Stand big screen.

“I don't make comments about referees and I try to stay away from it,” said McGuinness. “There were a number that we weren't happy with. In the first minute, Ryan McHugh was breaking through, had two men pulling at him and he was blown for over-carrying.

“I don't really want to go there; it is what it is. These games can be decided by one or two moments. We'll take it on the chin.” 

Although he sensed fatigue set in for his players in the closing stages, McGuinness pointed out a couple of breaking balls did them no favours either.

“It is a tough one to take, it is a really, really tough one to take, but that’s football. You know, these moments. Big games are decided on moments and there were a couple of moments there when the rub of the green wasn’t with us as well.

“The game ended a two-point game. The goal was very fortuitous. We had two brilliant blocks, defensively, and the ball fell to a Galway man. You know after two brilliant defensive blocks. 

"So those wee bits and pieces as well, sometimes you’re thinking… you know, Oisín (Gallen) missed a free, like he could kick that over in his sleep.” 

This has often been considered a project for McGuinness and it was in his second year with them the first time around that he brought them to All-Ireland glory. However, he considered this season a missed chance.

“People talk about year one – there is no such thing, there is no such thing. It’s this year. This was an opportunity this year and we had an opportunity and we felt we were in a really good position at half-time and felt if we kept it together, push it on for another 15 minutes we could potentially see the game out.

“2024 was on the line today. Armagh grasped that nettle yesterday and they’re in the final. We played them three times this year, we didn’t lose and good luck to them and good luck to Galway as well. I think it will be a really good final.” 

Explaining why he felt his players “ran out of steam” towards the end, he spoke of it being an emotionally draining day for them. 

“We probably did and we’ll have to go back and look at it, but it’s a huge day and there’s a lot of emotion attached to the day, the stadium is nearly full and there’s 30,000 or 40,000 Donegal people.

“All of that ties into the players and they’re bringing all that to the table so it’s probably natural enough when you narrow into that, that you find the going a wee bit tough.

“They’re on the cusp of something really big themselves and to try and keep that going was a wee bit challenging and you have to give Galway credit as well. They kept going and kept looking for those transitional moments.”