Kieran Donaghy: People stuck signs outside Kieran McGeeney’s house wanting him out last year

INSPIRATIONAL: Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney is lifted by his selectors Kieran Donaghy and Ciarán McKeever. Pic: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

Kieran Donaghy has hailed the unwavering character of Kieran McGeeney in the face of brutal criticism last year and personal trauma this season.

Armagh’s All-Ireland SFC winning manager was the subject of a vote of confidence at county board level last August. In recent weeks, he lost his uncle Peter Kelly before the All-Ireland quarter-final against Roscommon, while his son Cian was also hospitalised.

Through it all, McGeeney’s mind remained focused on the prize and his Kerry selector Donaghy was in awe of him. Asked how the manager kept his head through it all, Donaghy smiled and referenced just how far his critics went to force him out of the job last year.

“It’s McGeeney. I don’t say it lightly. It is. He’s an inspirational man. The way he’s led this group and the way he’s kept his head and the way he’s kept it altogether in terms of what he’s had to go through personally himself, the shit he went through last year with people sticking signs up outside his house and wanting him out and all that kind of stuff.

“The easiest thing in the world after nine years and the heartache of another penalty shootout against Monaghan (in last year's All-Ireland quarter-final) would have been to step away, but McGeeney doesn’t do easy and he demands it off his players not to take easy roads.

“Everything is about doing stuff right, approaching stuff right, doing your gym, doing your video, having your leadership groups, holding each other accountable. The learnings I have taken from him in terms of a culture and a team environment he has developed with this group is second to none.

“I think a lot people took shots off him at times this year but it’s him, it really is.”

Asked where he places this victory alongside his four All-Irelands with Kerry as a player, Donaghy replied: “I can rank it highly. It’s different, it’s definitely different.

"I have four years going up and down two or three times a week, it’s a lot of going. It means a lot to me, it means a lot to my family, Hilary my wife and my three girls there on the pitch afterwards.

“They have probably sacrificed a lot. My mam (Deirdre) helps out Hilary sometimes when I’m gone for weekends and stuff, so it wouldn’t be possible without the backing.

“Colin (Teahon, Donaghy's employer), who is the managing director of PST Sport, was above in the crowd. He said he wasn’t going on Monday then Tuesday and Wednesday he was ringing, ‘I’m going to go to that game alright.’

"I’d say he was full blown Armagh by the end of it today.”