Football

Declan Bonner: Hurt and frustration will fire Donegal

Donegal manager Declan Bonner pictured during his side's game against Armagh in the Ulster Senior Football Championship semi-final at Kingspan Breffni Park, Cavan on Saturday November 14 2020. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin.
Donegal manager Declan Bonner pictured during his side's game against Armagh in the Ulster Senior Football Championship semi-final at Kingspan Breffni Park, Cavan on Saturday November 14 2020. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin. Donegal manager Declan Bonner pictured during his side's game against Armagh in the Ulster Senior Football Championship semi-final at Kingspan Breffni Park, Cavan on Saturday November 14 2020. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin.

“Hurt” and “frustration” will be powerful motivators as Donegal seek to banish the blues of that shock Ulster final defeat to Cavan.

And 2021 will really be a defining year for the squad according to team boss Declan Bonner as he heads into his fourth year in charge.

“We are hurt, and we are frustrated as a management and team of players who set high standards and we did not reach those standards against Cavan,'' said the candid Bonner.

“The hurt from that Cavan defeat is still fairly raw and it was a difficult place to be leaving the Athletic Grounds in Armagh on that Sunday evening.

“We have got to deliver, it’s as simple as that.”

“I've been involved with Donegal GAA for the best part of 40 years and when I leave it, I want to leave it in a better place.”

Two Ulster titles in three years and retaining Allianz League Division One status would be regarded as considerable success by any county.

But such is the talent at Donegal’s disposal that expectations have been much higher.

And much of that talent has blossomed under Bonner’s watchful eye since they were juveniles.

But for the past three seasons they have failed to kick on when it really mattered.

Nobody is more aware of this than Bonner who has been involved with Donegal GAA since his playing days.

And he admits that Donegal badly need to go one better this year.

When asked for his reflections on that Cavan defeat, he said: “It's not that easy finding answers.

“I've heard enough commentary about this that and the other.

“No-one really knows as much as those who are in the squad.

“People talk about complacency but with the best will in the world we did everything we could to guard against complacency.

“We were coming after two good wins over Tyrone and Armagh.

“We are not saying we are not hurt, we are definitely hurt and we are frustrated as a management and as a group of players that set high standards and we just did not reach those standards against Cavan.

“That has been disappointing and frustrating, and we have just got to rectify that.

“So, the quicker we get back on the pitch the better.

“You just don’t get easy answers from where we went wrong against Cavan, but we just have to improve in 2021.”

So, does the fact that this is the fourth year in a row that Donegal are looking to get into an All-Ireland semi-final sharpen the focus in Bonner’s fourth year in charge?

“We have got to deliver it’s as simple as that,'' stated Bonner.

“Every year we set high targets and goals, but we have just come up short the past three years when it looked like we were going to push on.

“We must do things differently and make sure we move on this year and that is where we have to be

“We are happy with the squad of players we have, and it will be good to get Kieran Gillespie back on board.

“He has been very unlucky with injuries and he has not featured in my three years and he will bring something extra as will the lads who are recovering from injury.”

Meanwhile Bonner is preparing for a February 28 resumption of the Allianz National Football League

“That’s the date and the lads have been doing individual programmes and it is a throw-back to last March,'' he said.

“Covid is rampant, and it needs to be under control, but thankfully we have a vaccine and hopefully we will have a situation where crowds can come back to see the games.”

And, Bonner paid tribute to Karl Lacey and Paul Fisher who have left the back-room team and welcomed Antoin McFadden and James Gallagher on to his group: ‘Karl and Paul have done good work with the lads and we wish them well and Antoin and James have come in.

“Antoin has done work with Limerick and Clare before moving to Australia while James used to be with Finn Harps.

“They have a fair bit of experience and James has been there before and it is great to have lads of these calibre.”

His immediate concern is a “mini-Ulster Championship” in the new re-structured League that pits Donegal with Tyrone, Monaghan and Armagh: ''That is going to be ultra-competitive and Tyrone have new management and Monaghan and Armagh are always hard to beat on their day.”