Shane O'Donnell's decisive final play in the Hyde and Michael Murphy's enduring legendary stature highlighted the game
In the nerve-wracking clash between Donegal and Mayo, it wasn't just the Mayo fans urging Donegal to end the game before the final whistle. When Shaun Patton prepared for the last kick-off, Donegal was set for second place, while Mayo could've snatched a dramatic victory against Cavan thanks to Fergal Boland's late equalizer.
Instead, Donegal made a sudden dash for victory, with Patton's kick-off finding its way to Ciarán Moore. He stormed up the left wing, leaving desperate Mayo defenders in his wake and recording the match-winning score.
After the game, coach Jim McGuinness commended his players' ruthlessness. Yet, wing-forward Shane O'Donnell admitted that some Donegal players on the bench were urging against such a daring move.
"There were a few voices on the bench shouting at him to kick it out," O'Donnell confessed to RTÉ Sport at the unveiling of the All-Ireland SFC knockout series. "There were probably even a few voices shouting at Shaun to drain the clock and wait for the final whistle.
"It was a struggle to transmit messages from the sidelines because of the way the stand was designed. But undoubtedly, there were players yelling for him to kick it out. Thankfully, it didn't happen as planned."
Despite the chaotic final moments, O'Donnell claimed he was well aware of the scoreline, while the players on the pitch might not have been as informed.
"I knew the score because I'd just come off the field at that point. The guys on the pitch might've been different. They could have been so engrossed in the game that they didn't notice the situation," he explained.
"The noise from the crowd made it even harder for us to communicate. We tried to shout a few things, but they likely didn't hear us... In hindsight, it's probably better they didn't hear us."
Donegal secured a home preliminary tie in Ballybofey for the upcoming rounds. Their opponents were to be Louth, announced during Monday's draw. The choice of Roscommon as the neutral venue for Donegal's game against Mayo stirred controversy, with McGuinness accusing the CCCC of fixing the match in Mayo's favor[6].
However, O'Donnell reckons the players paid little mind to the venue's choice, acknowledging that it could put a strain on the traveling supporters.
"There wasn't much discussion about it. After spending years on the road for big games, you learn to deal with the logistical aspects. We tried not to focus on the venue itself," he said.
Before taking a break from the panel ahead of the 2023 campaign, O'Donnell made his Donegal debut in 2022. He returned to the team for the 2024 season, with McGuinness once again in charge. After studying in DCU, O'Donnell secured a teaching position in Raphoe, where he teaches math and PE in the same school as Peadar Mogan.
"The main thing for me was being able to return home. I spent four years in Dublin, which took a toll on my body," O'Donnell shared.
"I thought I might have been underperforming during my first year due to fatigue and tiredness. The constant traveling played a role in that. Now that I'm based at home, I feel much fresher and healthier for the current season."
O'Donnell was just ten years old when Michael Murphy led Donegal to the All-Ireland title. Their paths have since crossed during Murphy's return to the Donegal squad in the off-season, with O'Donnell being one of the last players to find out about it.
"I didn't hear anything about his return until they returned for training. We had fallen short in the Ulster Championship with the club, so there were whispers going around. But I didn't believe it until I saw it for myself," he recalled.
"I wasn't surprised by his form since his comeback. When he played for Glenswilly during the club championship, he was in excellent shape and performed superbly in all the matches. It's great to have him back on the team again."
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- The sudden dash for victory by Donegal in the game against Mayo, led by a match-winning score from Ciarán Moore, shows that even in European-leagues like the All-Ireland SFC, team strategies can change drastically during a game.
- Despite the chaotic final moments of the game between Donegal and Mayo, players like Shane O'Donnell, who were informed about the scoreline, were aware that their team secured a home preliminary tie in Ballybofey for the upcoming rounds, potentially facing teams from other European-leagues such as the Premier League.
