No credit in the bank for McGuinness after Kerry slaying

Would he or would he not? In the end, we found out this week that he would.

Jim McGuinness has taken up the option of a fourth year in charge of Donegal, in this his second term as manager of the county's senior footballers.

Perhaps it is no surprise, given that he will want to atone for how 2026 ended. In many ways Donegal's exit from the championship was somewhat bizarre on the year's longest day.

The sun may have been at its highest overlooking Croke Park, but Donegal were deriving little energy from its rays despite taking Dublin to extra-time. It was clear to see that McGuinness's men were finding it a bit of a churn, though credit to them for forcing the additional periods after Michael Murphy nailed a late two-pointer. But it was just delaying the inevitable as the Dubs won with a bit to spare.

The camera honed in on Murphy and the question of whether he'll grace the Jones's Road sod again was percolating. Still no word on the 37-year-old's Tír Chonaill future.

After what Donegal had done for much of the previous six months, it may not be too hyperbolic to say that their championship exit bordered on the unbelievable - and we are not trying to go all Charlie Haughey GUBU here!

You can isolate their Ulster loss to Down, put it down to one of those days where the Mourne County went out and said 'we have a greater tradition in the game than this lot'. That reverse in Letterkenny also spared them a few more tricky provincial assignments, so the supporters had that to say in defence. Where it really mattered was upcoming. Donegal were, at worst, second favourites for Sam.

Few quarrelled at that assertion, a league title was won in impressive manner at the end of March. Kerry, admittedly shorn of a few regulars, were led a merry dance at Croker. David Clifford was limited to just two scores - his goal coming in the closing minutes when Donegal had pulled up the ladder behind them.

Jimmy's men clearly wanted it more, to lay down a new template, and move on from the previous year's All-Ireland final when Donegal were somewhat bemused onlookers in an orchestra pit where Paudie Clifford took the baton. Clifford's composition saw Kerry hit the right notes to deliver telling scores.

McGuinness's tactical acumen was questioned. How could he be outsmarted like that? He bit back at the start of the year, singling out "an All-Ireland winning manager or a top coach" as those worthy of questioning his ability as a coach.

Jimmy was in fighting mood alright.

Killarney in May and Donegal would win the battle and the war against Jack O'Connor's men. No shortage of needle, with McGuinness appearing to shove Diarmuid O'Connor, Micheál Burns' sending off and a hefty shoulder from David Clifford that initially set things off.

Donegal's emphatic victory was something of mere afterthought given Jimmy's somewhat spiky interview with Newstalk's Tommy Rooney and the prospect of a suspension for his sideliner actions. In the end, the CCCC felt the referee had ruled accordingly on the day. McGuiness would not follow Ger Brennan into the room of non-involvement.

Before Whit weekend, Donegal had assumed the All-Ireland favourites' tag. There was no reason to doubt their credentials.

And then across two weekends in June, expectation eviscerated. We didn't see it coming. Flops of the year? Harsh?

Cork, coming down the stretch in Ballybofey, had more in the tank. There was none of the verve and dash that had earlier sent Kerry packing. The Rebels arrived with a confidence they could do a job. They took a while to get going but when they did they rendered the hosts listless.

To partly reference Lady Bracknell, to lose against Down may have been a misfortune, but then to lose again on your home patch is akin to carelessness. Dive deeper and no doubt there is more to it. Donegal would eventually arrive in Croker devoid of that drive that would take them to the next step.

"Our players were running out of gas and looking on from the outside it is just a mystery," remarked Brian McEniff, as he made sense of Donegal's campaign since that league final.

Mr Donegal football, just as perplexed as the rest of us.

Were the side too fixated on keeping Kerry down? Did the fractious encounter in Killarney zap too much from the reservoir of adrenalin that had better use down the road. You can curse the swirling hands who drew out the pair now.

But since the 2025 All-Ireland, there is more to be gleaned on the debit side. That will hurt Jim McGuinness, in spite of winning the Division 1 crown. Donegal were excellent that day, as they were in Killarney. But the fall-off elsewhere was alarming. In a championship where the quality of football was rightly applauded, Donegal were left to brood as they failed to leave a telling mark on things.

And so Jimmy is back for another year. With something to prove.

In 2027, his focus may primarily be on events post the end of May. You have the league title and a few Ulsters already in the bag. What happens before can bring the likes of Shea Malone, Max Campbell, Turlough Carr and Conor MacCahill on further. The Michael Murphy situation will reveal itself in time.

Go to Paddy Power and Donegal are second favourites to capture Sam Maguire next July. As Mayo proved this year, it's all about timing your run. It's well and good to slay another big gun months out from when the big prize is handed out. Harsh lesson learned.

In what could be his last year as an inter-county boss, McGuinness will hope for more in the credit side of the leger, arresting the drop-offs and sending out a side who are not devoid of energy in games that matter the most.

And with that comes pressure. But Jimmy has been around long enough!

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