Last Sunday, a full three weeks away from Donegal’s Ulster Championship clash with Cavan, a whopping 22 Donegal county players were not in a position to turn out for the clubs in the local leagues
Jamie Brennan, Ryan McHugh, Odhran MacNiallais, Paddy McGrath, Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Martin O’Reilly, Frank McGlynn Eamon Doherty, Paul Brennan, Tony McClenaghan, Caolan McGonigle Michael Murphy, Paddy McBrearty, Stephen McBrearty, Ciaran Thompson, Neil McGee, Anthony Thompson, Leo McLoone, Conor Morrison, Martin McElhinney, Niall O’Donnell, and Michael Langan all sat out last weekends’s fixtures.
It is understood that quite a few of these players are carrying injuries, an unsettling statistic so close to a Championship showdown.
Donegal are currently on a three-day training camp in Belfast at the QUB grounds.
These absentees are in stark contrast to Tyrone who had several players in action last weekend four weeks ahead of their big date with Monaghan.
Four weeks out from the Cavan match on April 15, Odhran MacNiallais, Ryan McHugh, Jamie Brennan, Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Paddy McGrath, Martin O’Reilly, Frank McGlynn, Eamon Doherty, Paul Brennan and Tony McClenaghan did not line out for their clubs.
But Donegal seniors played a challenge match against Mayo and beat them in a lively behind-closed-doors match in Father Tierney Park, Ballyshannon on Tuesday evening.
April was supposed to be for the clubs who would have their county stars shining brightly in old Tir Conaill, or so it was thought, but this has proved to be an illusion.
Last Sunday Bundoran had one of its most talented player’s in a generation called Jamie Brennan who was standing on the line, after picking up a knock.
They were also missing Paul Brennan, another powerful player who was not available either and they lost to St Naul’s.
Very few people want to go on the record on this matter, as there can be conflicting loyalties, but there is understood to be a lot of disquiet that clubs are not having their players when they really need them - as Bundoran did last weekend.
But the players should not be blamed for this state of affairs as they are being pulled in a lot of different directions.
Of course it is perfectly understandable that the Donegal county management wants to take no chances before the big match with Cavan.
Some observers believe the risk of injury on a Sunday in a club match is increased if you are training flat out with the county team 24 hours before that club match.
And Donegal manager Declan Bonner made a very good point that Donegal was rightly in a very difficult position with the May 13 start.
So the April for clubs only actually suits other counties that have a much later championship start.
It is an unfortunate situation where there are no winners.
But the past two Sunday’s have meant that many clubs have been playing with virtually one hand tied behind their back.
Last weekend was the fourth weekend of club fixtures in the county and the first two weeks seemed to be as good as it got for the clubs.
Many seasoned observers had expressed severe concerns about the viability of the April for the clubs, especially given the fact that Donegal was first out in the second week in May.
And when the Ulster Championship gets under way and if Donegal are successful then some clubs might not see their county players until at least August.
But the April free for clubs to have their county players slogan seems to have turned out to be just that… a slogan.
And the most pragmatic solution seems to be that clubs will just have to get used to playing without their county players in the run up to important matches.
They are well used to it, as nobody has come up with a real solution.
