COUNTDOWN TO CROKER: Former Kerry star Darragh Ó Sé has labelled Donegal a ‘serious side’ but feels they lack the strength and depth in their squad that is needed to win an All-Ireland title.
Rory Gallagher’s side face Cork this Saturday evening at Croke Park in an All-Ireland qualifier, with a place in the last eight up for grabs.
It’s a chance for Donegal to kick-start their season again after the crushing disappointment of losing the Ulster SFC final a fortnight ago.
Ó Sé thinks Donegal are a serious side, but points to the fact they had to take off Anthony Thompson and put him back on again as a sign they lack the strength and depth in their squad required for a sustained assault on winning the Sam Maguire Cup.
In his column with The Irish Times, Ó Sé also said the fact referees were adding on five or six minutes of injury-time has added an x-factor to the championship – and it’s going to be more crucial and we move into the business end of the season.
“This summer referees have been adding five or six minutes at the end of every game. It’s an x-factor to the championship that hasn’t really been talked about but it’s going to be more and more crucial as we get down to the serious stuff.
“The difference between two minutes and six minutes is nothing at the start of a game. But at the end, when you already have 75 minutes played and your legs are sore and your shirt is drenched and you’re dying for the end to come, the difference between two and six minutes is huge.
What it will mean, of course, is that the best teams with the deepest panels will be the ones who come through.
“Donegal are a serious team but in the Ulster final, they had to bring Anthony Thompson back onto the pitch after taking him off. Would Dublin do that? Would Kerry? Tyrone?
“Everybody has been dismissing Donegal and saying they’re gone but at the start of injury-time, they were leading 0-11 to 0-10. In other years, it might have been enough.
“Donegal got a free 60 metres out. It was just about on the spot Michael Murphy had kicked a free from a few minutes earlier. As he was walking over to take it, the clock passed 73:00. Again, in other years, this would have been the last kick of the game. One kick to win it all, Michael. Let’s see if you have it.
“But Murphy was done at that point. You could see it in him – he’d spent the game making every run, taking every hit and by now he was knackered. When it came down to it, he didn’t have the kick. Even Jesus only had so many miracles.”
