 Sarah's kitchen and there's free admission entertainment every weekend Yeah, debate. Thanks so much for tuning in now on Highland radio or back via the podcast This is your weekly J wrap-up and this weekend We're wrapping up the Ulster Club and all excitement from the weekend action Includes the unions who qualified for the hurling junior championship final in Ulster Downins unfortunately crashed out in the doubleheader in the football on Sunday But Neve Connell joy for Neve Connell the late late show from them indeed We're going to discuss that their victory over Gowna in the company of Dirty Gone News reporter Dara Dara welcome to the show jungle day is on the line as well Dara boner in the house They give us the lowdown on the gauntlet John good to hear from you the club scene of course Kicking in the Ulster later on the show. We're going to hear from Michael McBallon of the Gillick life He's gonna wrap up the rest of the Ulster action. I can't actually read me one right in here That's somebody scrubbing there for me He's gonna wrap up the rest of the Ulster club action for us and he's also gonna discuss his book with us Book Derry the game of my life, of course centered around the victorious 93 all Ireland one and team and 25 years around that and all the history that's coming looking forward to that But they say first we're gonna get straight into it and John How was the heart after yesterday? You know, we love this two points down late goal thing We don't see it that much more now because teams are so well set and players are back in the defensively solid But John from a halftime position where you look completely in control, you know, you were crashing out of Ulster club What a phenomenal finish to the game Anonism It's great when you when you come out the right side of those games and then it's obviously if you slip it around to the side and Looked at it from a Gowner perspective. It's absolutely got wrenching and only if colonel last year had had similar type of experience So we know both ends of the off the spectrum at this point in time, but not was it was nerve-wracking stuff Did you deserve that Robert the green after last year John against Kerrigan because it was a similar type scenario I suppose in terms of you know Snatch promise. I know it went down to the the pen was him, but it certainly was maybe something that we've been lucky deserved Well listen, I think you make your own look a lot of things and The other side of the equation is you don't always get what you what you deserve so, you know while there seems to be kind of a Correspondence to last year maybe a bit of you know, we got the rubber the green So therefore the balance book has been balanced out, but it wasn't even that I felt that From a performance perspective it was poor from a native colonel perspective. I thought well, we were relatively good in the first half I didn't think that going to cause us any major problems didn't get in behind us get a couple of nice scores I thought we left a lot of scores behind us. I think in the first half I think we made a left two three two four behind us. We had the post And then Leo scored an opportunistic goal just before half-time which gave us a four-point lead and relief in that perspective Given the way the first half had gone You thought we've got into the cruise control and then we would see the game out because you know, I felt That even up until Leo's goal with a better side. We probably as I said, we should have scored more And it was a very uncharacteristic like the common performance in the sense that we were much more wasteful than we had been all year Team had been very clinical and I know there was a win and the ball slipping the ground was Gracie and that plays into this time of year as well But and then when it came down to it goona, you know, they're county champions They're defending county champions and Kevin for a reason. They're a big strong physical side I thought they they gave us a lot of bother around the park and lots of positions just from fear Physicality point of view some big men and they just decided we're gonna throw the kitchen sink in it They had nothing to lose They had a lot of pride and and ultimately at the end of the game they will feel hard done by because if you know It's normally the team that wants a second half is is a team that wants a game and going over the better side in the second half And that's been realistic and honest about it. Yeah, I agree Yeah, you know, we talked about finals throwing up scenarios, you know, Ulster club, of course It's gonna throw up now. They've gone away from home. It's it's it's a county ground But still it's a grounded that gunner gonna know very well no more than they've called playing at the cool park You know, they would in the game as favorites as John was in there in that first half, you know They've kind of left a lot of scores behind them control the game I thought as the half were on that you could see that Tactical counter-attack that they were drawn on gunner gunner were trying to tackle them all over the pitch The gaps was a dollar and the John as John said they're the beginner shut off the post But at half time, you know, John said four points But I mean it was double scores and a low score in game that four points was it was a huge Lead and half time you think in Nick as John was saying there and they've kind of were just going to continue What they did in the second half. I think this would everybody certainly from the dunnig allside thought would be happening in the second half Yeah, Brennan looked just like a trademark and Eve Connell performance really like they just they chipped away a couple of scores That Leo McLungo was brilliant now. It was lovely. He had very little he put that on them some funny It was real death like yeah considering the chances they had missed earlier in the game to as like Teco John's already said. I mean they left a lot of scores behind them and Charlie McGinnis Probably be had his head in his hands for about 10 15 seconds after he missed that chance as well but yeah coming in the halftime you just that Neve Connell, it's Neve Connell. They're not gonna let this slip now and The first 15 minutes of the second half. They were just just couldn't find themselves I don't know what it was whether it was complacency, but I don't think it's not like them to Expect it just like the rest of us that even if Gowna got a patch that they would score and they would just keep ticking You know, even if they brought it back to two they would get it back to three No, they bring it back to three. Is that the mindset? I suppose that can be dangerous because you know people saying to me about how you say Gowna played but Gowna a damn good team a lot of good players They keep a couple of phenomenal scores last night. You've got to take that into consideration You know around the ability that that gonna have yeah I think even their first two or maybe three scores in the game or apart from the free kick to the easy free kick now The couple ones they scored in the first half were brilliant. They were still wasteful at the same time now and Probably kick some harder scores and they could then dawns they must but I think I think they've kind of just As you're saying like they could let them have a couple have a couple points and they've kind of always get them back But then just when Gowna went direct for that one that one ball in just got through It's kind of rocked me've gone all the way but for a second to thinking and I suppose they just They did what what champions do well and got back into it when they're two points down with that ball in from Anthony Thompson Yeah, and you got to respect that John you don't start us in there do what champions do You know it didn't look like you know towards the end that match as you say John Is it a good thing in many ways now John? I suppose in terms of being a coach in Martin Regan looking saying right here We did right in the first half that second half of form is not going to be Glenn It's not going to take us where we need to go So is it a bit of a reset in terms of the second half the way you look at it manage a game in the second half? Yeah, listen an ideal way to go into a game against Glenn because they'll be totally ripped enough Which is ideal from their perspective So, you know that type of situation is ideal as long as you come out the right side of it But the problem we unless and we've had this down through the years as well They play a very particular style of football. They don't blow teams away generally teams always have a chance Pipping them somewhere along the line and the goal You know the goal was relatively easy when you think about it They got through down the left-hand side very easy They got inside the cover very easy and then the ball across the stair was palm them easy So very uncharacteristic, you know, it's it's it's a hard one, you know because listen They won the county championship Also, it's always very very difficult because you're playing teams in exactly the same position as you in the sense that Confidence is high your county champions and Gowna's case. They were defending county champions. Very good site a lot of very very good players so you can get away with that to a certain extent because Maybe and in Donegal Connell have an aura about them in the sense that oh when they go four points up You may forget about it the games over whereas Gowna didn't come with that baggage But I had come back a number of games throughout the year just like new Connell had so they they were never out of the game Even though maybe from a Donegal perspective, we were looking and going okay. Well, this is typically Connell But Gowna didn't read the script. They have no exposure to new Connell from that perspective so they just went they just went at it and they were gonna go out with their boots on and Ultimately, they very nearly pulled it off and it was listen. Let's be honest. It was complete good fortune I heard Martin Regan said that one 10, you know, that'll only work one and ten times. I can assure you I played a lot of games You know, it works a lot less than one and ten and you know, they came out the right side of it But as I said, you want to kind of championship? There's a couple of days on the beer. There's refocusing Etc. Etc. And maybe, you know, it's it's It needed something like that now to refocus the mind again and maybe that game Hopefully if we look back at it in seven eight nine ten weeks time and maybe they're hopefully they've gone a much further Maybe that'll be seen as a pivotal point because as we all know if you're gonna be successful in any sport and Any tournament and any event even a little bit of luck at the right time and up until now New colonel didn't need luck because they were just this year. They've been better than everybody else I don't think anybody can deny that and they need a little bit of luck on Sunday that deserted them last year And they got it this year and hopefully that'll spur them on and everybody will knock it down because I thought Overall, it was an underperformance by a lot of our a lot of our key men Now is that an underperformance because we underperformed or is it an underperformance because gonna did a really good job on us And made it very difficult for us to perform So I suppose that'll only come to you know light in the common weeks when we pay Glenn and see exactly where we're at And John listen, I know your time is a bit tight tonight. I'll just go through another question You don't as you said there were always the biggest the Tommy's scored a goal against leave colonel Which is credit to how they play the game in terms of shutting out the vital scores that a goal is But you're going at halftime John. They were wobbling, you know They were they were a bit devoid going forward I thought and then their defense was wide open because they were getting sucked under the trap We impressed now with it with how they come out in the second half because you man Keeney there the manager You know he's invited into the senior ranks there Sorry, I'm thinking thrown at the other game there. Sorry John, but I was just saying about their Dermot McCabe. Sorry. I'm flipping between the two games here. That's that's a big day yesterday McCabe and the back room team John around how gonna come out in that second half in terms of not You know, they look like that was the start of the game again You know as a maybe you said and done a goal. It was too easy for me Connell because when going to come out in that second half You would have thought they were gonna control the game. They just went at it harder again I think it may be surprised and you've gone maybe again They're not used to it because they've had it their own way and again, but I'm saying John That's a big learning Thing as we're doing in Ulster all the time going over just kept going at it and in terms of attacking They've gone all over the pitch and you'd have to say their fitness did look, you know They were amazingly fit the running just kept coming and coming that's what resulted in the goal Which was the the big score in that second half Yeah, I think it's two-fold, you know, let's go back to the age-old debate They don't play the style of football we play in Dunnegal They don't play that kind of style of football in Kevin like if you look at the county final like it was a goal first there there are much more Washbuckling style of play in Kevin than there is in Dunnegal and because of that teams are a Afraid to go at Clint East or Nate Connell because they're Nick Honnell do what they did to go down in the first half. They'll turn the ball over. They'll strip you They'll go down the field and let's be honest Some of the scores that Nate Connell hit in the first half were exception like A.G. Gallars Where the four where the cornerback the fallback and the other cornerback Turned the ball over and broke around the length of the park for AJ to kick it over the bar so Cubs in Dunnegal are used to Nate Connell doing that and therefore there's an apprehension Ghana didn't have that baggage. They had like they knew that Nick Honnell played defensive surely They would have learned from the first half That you know if you go into contact, they'll turn over But they referred it back to the way they played in the county finally just one we'll go at it and we'll tear into it and with no fear and Ultimately, they need to go out the right side. I felt there was a lack of intensity Particularly in that middle Third of the game or the in the second half where we just couldn't get our hands on the ball every break ran away from us I also thought there was you know, and again, I'm not gonna go down that the Declan boner School of thought for you know, northern end referees, but I thought there was a couple of Decisions at crucial times that maybe could have gone away Brendan MacDyre, for example went through down the wing on the left-hand side was All back and then jumped on and the referee would play on and we things like that will turn the game And what happened is going to got momentum their tails were up. They're at home the crowd got into it They score to go all of a sudden everybody's under pressure now to flip that the other side They've conalded amazingly well then to weather the storm because the game could have ran away from them They're gonna could have kicked five scores and all of a sudden you've gone out the gate So what they did is they they went back to basics again They won a couple of balls were in the middle they kicked the score They kept themselves in the game and they left themselves in the game to give them the opportunity to steal it at the end Well, maybe a lesser side would have rolled over and ran out to get five or six points down going what happened So they deserve credit from that perspective, but I know you know, I know from All intents and purposes management and players won't be happy with that performance But that's a good way to be going into an Ulster semi-finals because you're still in the draw Yes, indeed some leave colonel fans just saying they should have freshened things up more in the second half It's big pitch big play and pitch John mentioned a couple of referees in the seasons there There's one of you going if people weren't happy, but that was the Leo McClune foil at the end Some people thought he met over carry there So I suppose it depends what way you're looking at the scenario because that was The free kick that obviously led to the the goal situation Yeah, and sure, I think it was just before the the free kick as well the sideline ball where the referee threw it up That was there's not a guy no one's shouting about that too So I think I think both sets of fans were a bit unhappy with the referee now But I don't think he didn't have a terrible game now There was there was definitely some questionable calls in the first half for Neve Connell to you thought and then I'm just saying you get the feeling the thought from the two games We're reps are trying to let it go now as much as they can and then doing that then you're in it You're in a funny area of then was that he's trying to let it play and let it develop That you're not giving away handy-freeze, but then everything has to be thought like that That's what John was talking about but the ball never player You know, he's probably let that go in the tackle previous and then he's trying to weigh it up It's a very difficult one in GA in the tackle Yeah, especially if you let things go early and like there's some teams like I mean Neve Connell can be quite quite physical and I mean, that's that's the way they play and it works well for them But if you start letting that go then you're gonna have to keep letting it go and it's just makes referees a bit inconsistent Coming towards the end of games people are questioning why why is that being let go and or why is that being given when it was let go? 20 minutes previous, but it's just the way the referees are playing the game these days, I suppose. Yeah, John You're still with us Yeah, yeah, John November 26th in venue to be confirmed against Glenn They had kind of a routine victory now against your friends there at Kerrigan Again John a team that'll keep ball. It'll be possession possession number one again very different Obstacle compared with You know Gowna but in terms of the weekend they're the only scene obviously Kalkou who many people thought were almost unbeatable at times If we could demand them and Glenn people think it was going to be Kalkou cross it isn't you know It's it's trillic Scotts down. So John listen We talk about tactics like it's still it's going to come down to smallest Emergence between yourselves and Glenn is that what the feeling is you know, and there's gonna be a lot of improvement from your guys No, absolutely, and you know people have to be aware that Kerrigan's played most of the game with 14 men They had a man set off very early and there was four points in a day I know Glenn were in control and Glenn probably do what Neve Connell do and only gone in the sense that You know, it's a four-point Honestable victory and and you know, they were never really pressed that much but again They play a different type of style of football and then going to play they'd be less washbuckling They'll be less random, you know car full-back Find themselves in weird positions and stuff like that. So there are much more structured out foot. They're very efficient They're obviously a top-class team. They're you've got beaten on a final or defend ulcer champions So you have to give them the utmost respect But I think Neve Connell be looking forward to us a heard Martin on another station saying, you know They've always wanted to test themselves against the best, you know Neve Connell have been in finals. They played big games if one big games have lost big game So it's not gonna hold any fear for them And if anything it may be the perfect game for them just to challenge themselves and get really up to it again Because as I said, I just felt they were off the pitch of the game and again I don't want to be disrespectful to Gowna. Maybe Gowna were the reason that they were off the pitch They played that well and knocked them out of stride, but listen, it's gonna be a it's gonna be a great game Neve Connell obviously going his underdogs particularly after this performance, which I think suits him perfectly and Glenn are obviously favorite Schroelster again, and they're an exceptional team with exceptional talent But you know, where is the game gonna be? I think it's gonna be at Oma. Yeah, they haven't decided yet Do you have a written confirmation? Just yeah, it could be so yeah probably being you to a venue But you know, you know always fancy the chances and I think it'll be the same type of thing Nobody's gonna run away with this game. It's gonna be a tight game And it's gonna be a tight game between two teams that are you are very comfortable in that type of situation So, you know, it's gonna be very interesting to see and you know from a tactical perspective It'll be interesting to see how Neve Connell set up. It's a great challenge for Martin and I know they're really looking forward to it Yeah, excellent stuff John They're just on that before we leave Neve Connell, you know, they're away from home as I said, you know They control the first half and in many ways there is there's a lot to be taken from that in the good leg game Sure, you come back for I think if you go through any any championship normally particularly the level of I suppose You know talent that's an oyster and sides in it It's always gonna you're going to need a wee bit of a bounce of a ball to come through And this could be the catalyst, you know, they could come out and play Uh, you know the the fall match that they did in that first half, which would make them a very very difficult prospect So in many ways there is a good good in the next game as we're saying Lou With things to find out and and reset back at training and saying that this wasn't good enough this lifted up because In any given year you can create history and you know, there's no time with the present And I'm sure then boys you're thinking listen that team now seems to be at its real peak of its powers So, you know still a huge potential for them to be clean and get on the roster final Yeah, well, I think every manager would say there's no learning when you're in comfortably Um, and obviously that was probably the perfect thing for neve connell to go through that first half They were very comfortable when you go in duster You're going to expect every team you come up against to have a purple patch against you and gonna Gunners did last a bit longer maybe in that second half But yeah, like martin reagan said that glenn won't have any sleepless nights over them But that's that'd be that's more than what martin reagan want. I'm sure going into this game He's he's not gonna be wanting to go in thinking. Oh, yeah, we've had a good game against going and we deserve to win What do we do now for glenn? He'll know what exactly they need to do to improve their game and like Against glenn. I can't see it being too high scoring now, but that'll that'll suit both teams I suppose going into it Perfect. Yeah after a match we caught up with a very relieved kevin megerigan What was the feeling like after uh Sticking the ball in the back of the net awesome. Sorry euphoria now I don't know if I can get the uh a goal and not never got one as important as that. I don't know why Yeah, it's just I was just right right place right time very lucky now Just happy to that I got snuck it in somehow. Yeah, most of them was a wall of players in front of you Ah, there's at least seven right there and it's a few male men were nearly in front of me I just actually drop kicked it somehow. I don't know. I wouldn't drop kick ever in training or not So I don't know what was that. It's just just lucky lucky, but listen It meant so much to the players and obviously to these supporters that we're standing in the middle of here Yeah, I'm just glad I could Repay the supporters for what they do for us that It gives something back to them and give them another day out at least Yeah, but listen the second half performance and we'll speak into martin Um, it wasn't happy with it You guys never got going on the second half after leading before the break No, no, we'll be looking back on that now. We'll be happy at all Now uh going out got a good big press on us there and we couldn't do that at all for some reason Usually we'd be comfortable with that and we'd get away a few passes. We'd get a wee run on it But this was the sloppy surface and that there. Maybe it was against us today But we'll look we'll look at that now in two next few weeks and we'll we'll work on it Yeah, because I said to brand kill coin and common thread and we agreed on it when you get to ulster At times it's not really about the performance. It's just getting the result. Yeah, anything can happen As you can see I think I'll cool off today as well Yeah, anything can happen all these teams. They don't really know that much about each other like and anything can happen on the day Like the matchups and everything then I think it happened. Well, listen, you've got a another day now to come That's against glennon and a fortnight's time. It's good to measure yourself against the best You're going up against the defending champions. Oh, exactly like it's there's no better place to be Up against the reigning champions like you'll you'll know from there where you're at yourselves And you'll might prove something to yourself if you get a good victory against them And we'll be we'll knuckled out now for two weeks. We'll give that one hell of a rattle. Hopefully Yeah, thanks for watching Kelly there talking to a very relieved Kevin McGilligan. He's in the semi-final There are downings the Pre the pre show in this We're going up a wee bit of hope for downings weren't too sure now. A lot of people were fans in ballet haze The game was over very quickly, you know, huge press on McLeafley and that's the only the bit of an injury getting into the game And it was really a masterclass from ballet haze, you know running out four What do you finish up four 15 to 11? There it was a tough tough watch then for downings everything about Ballet haze was operating on another level to downings, you know, were you surprised by The control and how good ballet haze were I remember I was speaking to Kevin Gallagher last week And he was talking about the physical size of ballet haze and how he knew that was going to be a problem And I think you could see that from nearly from the off in that game now The first five minutes there was two apiece Paddy McAwee two brilliant scores to be fair now And it looked like it was going to be an absolutely amazing game I think then Johnny McGranny must have free and just ballet haze just took over then And as you say, McLeafley's kicking a couple were a bit disappointing early on and then The the goal was unfortunate too. I mean if it could have bounced anywhere other than just right on top of them And he just had to palm it down and Your man, I think it was a he slip. He was called he just snuck in for the goal And you just couldn't really see like much else was going to happen after that I think there were six points in it after 20 minutes And then they got two goals and as many minutes after that and I mean it was game over before the 25th 30th minute Yeah, yeah tough tough day for for the downings and their champions. They've come an awful long way They did well in division one this year and as did ballet haze and in the cabin division one And that's why we're thinking both teams might have uh, some are similar but listen It was an absolute master class, but listen downies never give up They plugged away they plugged away and when the dust settles they're still champions A team that's still In the mix in the hurling, uh, St. Junans reached the holster junior final against Castle Blaney and uh An amazing game there. I went to pennies So we don't see football games to have them going to pennies But hurling in particular because of the the quick score and the high score nature It's unusual 21 eats at Venice and then five four on pennies unions march on by a game. Yeah, uh, swatter there was that they played That was I was an amazing game I mean Unions were I think it was 10 six up at half time and at that point I was I was down at it and I Kind of thought they were probably counting their luck that they were four points up at that point Swatter had nearly double digits and wides in that first half But swatter came back so well and I think they had four in a row to go a point up and it looked like they were going to Just push on from there But credit to unions. They just kept coming back every time Darren Maligia. I think he scored a 64th minute equalizer and then an 82nd minute point to equalize as well and to bring it to pennilies and again, then Key and Hennessy did brilliant made two saves and it was just Just a cracker and they did so well to get back in that game because I think they probably went in as underdogs as well against a Good swatter side. Yeah, and Dara had a penalty too, did he? Yeah, Dara had won and I was right in the bottom corner. It was brilliant now too Sean McVeigh was that his best boy the the the veteran and the legend that he is We Sean McVeigh always seems so young to me because of older if I call them a veteran Sean, that's what you are now Manly Marge say fair play to you unions Marge on great to see Dara, they don't know ladies in an Ulster final next week Listen exciting time for them and a club on the up and up Don't know when the ladies are flying the flag through Ulster. Yeah, and they've been brilliant I've I've seen their two Ulster games so far and Both times they've had to dig very very deep both times. They've looked like they could have been like going out of it The the quarterfinal they were a point down coming into added time And they had only scored in the first minute of that second half So it looked like they were never going to get a score But they got one kitty Wallace got a late one to Eglise and then they just pushed on an extra time. We're brilliant I think they had They had at least three players and been in that game as well over time I think they might have been down to 13 at one point and then going away to thailand last Two weeks previous now They they were just brilliant in the first 40 minutes or so They let title and get back into it, but they had the it was a much more improved and experience performance from them to see out the game that time and Going into the final now against lavis going to be hard to know Laver the intermediate champions in terry, but they're a lower grade So I think they've only been going two years as well They won the junior last year and they've won the intermediate now So they're definitely flying anyway the terry champions So it should be a brilliant game, but Tony Boyle's girls have been amazing the whole year So it should be good some pedigree there my my my hero tony who I got to play away Of course i'm doing doing sterling worked in there. That's phenomenal really looking forward to this night That would be huge for and it was for for don't know one of course They're even talking to john mcnulty last week just saying you know We need more clubs with better Improving ladies teams to pull up which will only help the county And particularly at underage and started to compete a bit more. So all that's good news Yeah, brilliant. I mean don't know of one almost everything around them this year between I think for under 14s 15 16s minors and then they got promoted and they Obviously won the junior and they won division two as well. I think it was they've just been brilliant And that's it's what the county needs I think they put in a good setup to get all these girls Playing at a young age and then they brought in a good Brilliant management department, as you say with Tony Boyle coming in there Rob Warley as well And yeah, if there was other clubs doing the same thing we'd be talking about God knows what Yeah, so you never know we might we might get one yet. We've come we've come we've come close Listen, Dara, thanks so much as ever for your contribution there at Dara boarder of the Donegal news Thank you Dara for wrapping that up And of course john galday was whether it's just previously after the break I'm going to be joined by Michael McMullen to look across austral club championship And of course talk about his book. We'll get you after these The dl debate with sister sarah's lettercanny serving food you'll love till 9 p.m. Daily in sarah's kitchen And there's free admission entertainment every weekend Armacola jewelers in lettercanny are synonymous with fine jewelry quality watches and giftware With stores at main street lettercanny and the lettercanny shopping center are online at armacola.com You can choose from their quality product range in a relaxed atmosphere And their sales staff will be happy to help you make the right choice Whatever the occasion armacola jewelers making moments magical for generations Hi take a seat and I'll be right with you Mom I can't talk right now Sorry, can you please hold Weight gain happens for many reasons in your 20s But managing stress is one of the four habits that can help learn more at gov.ie forward slash healthy weight An initiative of the government of ireland Homeowners it's time to unlock incredible savings on your energy bills efficient renewables is here to reduce your energy consumption Say goodbye to skyrock and the cost and hello to renewable energy solutions There's no vat on solar panels and the generous grants for both solar panels and heat pumps See these innovative systems and action and our state of the art showroom and newton conningham today Contact the fishing renewables on 07497 08 320 Hi, Kate appleby here. Just wanted to let you all know my exciting new autumn shoe collection is available nationwide In all good shoe stores kateappleby.com. Hope you enjoy my shoes a public interest message from dunigall county council Change is in the year when it comes to solid fuels all coal products wood products biomass products and manufactured part biomass products Are now subject to the new solid fuel regulations All solid fuels must now comply with the new standards This also means that smoky bitumas coal is no longer available from local retailers These regulations were introduced on november 1st last year to protect our health and our environment Recent epa reports have estimated that around 1300 people in ireland die prematurely each year because of poor Erequality for more information including frequently asked questions for the householder and retailers. Please go to gov.ie forward slash clean air or dunigall coco.ie dunigall county council protecting your environment How would you like to go on the holiday of a lifetime? Then why not join us for the highland radio hoolie in sunny saloon Spend seven nights in the sun with some of ireland's top entertainers including robert mazel jim divine margo claudia buckley and many more with live music all day every day Staying in the beautiful four-star sol costa gerata hotel. This is a trip not to be missed book now by calling country music tours on 20749119955 or email info at country music tours dot i will see you in sunny saloon Do you think about your legacy and what you want to leave behind? You know, I've had a great life. My childhood was filled with love and support But not every child is that fortunate many face poverty and adversity on a daily basis So I'm leaving bernardo's ireland a gift in my will to pass on the chance of a brighter future to these children Visit bernardo's dot ie forward slash pass it on to get involved and make a difference Are you a self-assessed income taxpayer use ross revenues online service to pay and file online by wednesday november 15th If you are not yet registered for ross do so today at revenue dot ie Avoid a surcharge interest penalties and a possible tax audit Don't miss the november 15th deadline pay and file on time an exciting range of highland events and trips are at your fingertips And booking a place is now easier than ever on the outlet at highland radio dot com The outlet also has highland radio merchandise ready for purchase bingo players order your books through the outlet and have them delivered to your door Currently there's a great selection of concerts and shows to choose from including brian adams michael mackentire sister act wicked and hamilton There's also package deals for our concert nights or the ticket only option and get details over the amazing country music trip to spain Next september all this and more by clicking on the outlet now at highland radio dot com The dl debate with sister sarah's ladder canny serving food you'll love till 9 p.m. Daily in sarah's kitchen And there's free admission entertainment every weekend Welcome back to the dl debate. I'm now delighted to say I'm joined by michael mcmullen. How are you michael? Not too bad brandon or is your friends call you mal so i'm gonna call you mal It's always good to have two names, isn't it? I listen i know a few boys be at that all right for various reasons, but i'll let go on then i could get label here here Mal tell me the crack now before we get into i'm fascinated about this book Game of my life, of course centered around dairies epic 1993 and in the 25 years Around that mal was looking at the book and the contributors you have in the history that's involved in it It's it's phenomenal mal before we look at the book well It was another epic weekend this also club championship. I mean I don't really pay much heed to the other Provincial clubs and maybe i'm being biased a bit, but is there anything like it? Hi, it's a very special competition. I think we only Disappointing thing about it brem is it's half over. Um, it comes very quickly. We look forward to it and You know, we're down to the last three games of all all the grades And from my own point of view I think I missed the two thinkers at the weekend the trillic and crossing the end game There's a bit of decent football in the second half and glennon jargon We were in control for for much of it, but I was listening to ashene and and the boys talking about Kevin's late goal for live connell and obviously a kylku with with a kylku in scott's town with late drama, so You just need to know where the drama is and make sure you follow Yeah, that's a difficult one. I appreciate that michael of where to go and what to do You know, there's something about scott's town that you just don't know with him They've got that in them michael any given day. They're not afraid anybody They're a bit like the monaghan county team themselves You know, there's there's games that they'll lose that you think they should one But then no matter who they play there seems to be a disregard for the fact that Listen kylku are heading for a final With possibly glennon. That's way a lot of people were looking but they had other ideas and begging You know, the very few players can do that Maybe you think about skills of people around the country who can kick The the point of begging kicked like he's some man for one man It was brilliant kick brendan, you know, like even the one that karen hues got before that then We were watching at the press box at selthick park and Whenever karen hues actually floated that one over we thought sheer extra time here And uh next minute begging was standing over the kick like it was it was brilliant You're talking there about, you know scott's town Like they They should really think a bit one and also their clubs like the load of players they have at the disposal You know adam the tradition that the club has, you know back through the years But you did mention that like a couple of weeks ago I did think the kylku were the team to beat I watched their down final and they're when they were very godly and I thought they looked as good as ever they did Um, I haven't had a chance to watch yesterday's game with scott's town apart from obviously the last five minutes, but It's obviously gone and they're they're left Scratched in their heads, but from a from a scott's town point you you're going to be buzzing and That's going to be some game of trillic Yeah, listen again the tarone winners no one knows what they expect I mean, they're going to be good but we we just wonder have the good to pedigree because of the The history is against them in terms of tarone teams in in holster compared to what you would expect from such a football Mad county that no one can dominate it so it affects them But yet you have trillic coming in there I know listen We always think across mcglenn in terms of their history too But you know they aren't at the at the power of that but still that was a game Some people were maybe looking at cross and again Were they looking at the history because trillic Weren't having any of it and uh, they're they're a team make it just Don't want to expect them to one tarone They were underdogs and in the last couple of games and then here they are now in an austere semi-final game away from a final I did fancy them to beat cross to be honest. Um, you know more me. You see your property analysis here. That's the difference You don't always get it right. So sometimes when you do you have to just say that you do But I did expect them to one, but the thing about with trillic. I think the I think the problem with trolling clubs is that They don't get out two or three years in a row. Like if somebody gets out of a county three or four years in a row And they can't one holster They can always go back and build get a player back from injury get a good that out of miners and build on it razz tarone Teams then you might not get out of trolling for four or five years and all of a sudden Maybe maybe two year best players have retired or moved away and it's dealing like back to square one That's what it seems like from the outside, you know, every so often you'll get a team comes along and wins it first time, but Still think there's a building there's a building process there to one holster because it is so difficult to one Yeah, well, I'm gonna ask you who is going to one of them. How's that? well I don't know. Give me a political answer. Go give me your gut. Give me your gut. You've got to go with glen, aren't you? You have to Make up a few weeks ago was cuckoo to be honest with you. Um, but now I'm not so sure Yeah, oh, listen, I get you because it's the answer the easy answer to be written to say glen because they want it Last year, but I know leave call will will absolutely love a crack at them Yes I'm right they show because they don't fear they've been they've called so i'm sure they'll be looking for that one Yeah, and listen, as I said, we were talking just previous this, you know, didn't play well the second half years today But you you you won a game and you haven't really played your snatch You know many ways as i'm just thinking as i'm talking to boys new conlan is so easy you can do donny go to be honest Mal And you know they did very easy in that first half and this was the first time They probably faced the team playing the way going they did so, you know I suppose you got to allow that in the respect at going there where a damn good side was really impressed With them but listen they came through and I think it'll be much more tactical fair With glen it'll be keep bottle play play the percentages It'll come down the wire. It'll be low scoring. Well, but it'll be it'll be very intriguing So we remain to see what happens. I was looking for you to tap them You see all that they've calling people will be loving that but mal tell me this I have enough trouble reading a book How do you go about writing one? Could you tell me in the middle of everything else that you've been doing? I have no idea 54 weeks of graph brandon that Fair play. I think the person who deserves the most credit is my wife Pauline. She actually She made sure I went through with it whenever the area came and I think that was always keep at it and you're nearly there with the statements that you kept giving me as it went along but You know, you do need support, but You know, if you're writing something that you're passionate about it's a big help and you know to go into You know the living rooms or cafes or wherever you met these people To 25 of the greatest players ever to play for the area um You know, it does help and it's as I suppose when you've read as many books as I might have had over the years You always sort of think we'll ever write one and thankfully the opportunity came Liam Hayes gave me a buzz and And I thought you will go for this but no, it was a very very busy, but a very very enjoyable year Yeah, it looks great. I'm just looking at the cover of it. It really stands out You know when you see that The history is there obviously downy and you know total parry braddy that's spread Was it was it a I suppose that I give you a bit of uh luxury in terms of picking 25 that you could Go through a few different eras there if you like and pick out the players because it would have been very difficult to to tighten that down note about them Very very difficult actually says to Liam at the start. I says, who do you want me to interview? And he says that's your department So I had to go and sit down and draw up 25 names out of No 50 60 years of Derry's history, which is very difficult in itself, but I tried to get it across as many years as possible And you know as different clubs and different You know just different areas and the thing about it is it wasn't intentional that it was linked With the 30th anniversary of Derry winning the lion But Liam did say to me at the time he says look You're going to be doing a book here and things are going well on Derry You know, there's there's good. There's a good feeling good factor about it And I know even from my own point of view With Derry being close at the minute to challenging for Sam From reading some of the chapters you nearly were inspired by some of it to be honest and Hopefully the hopefully the readers and we'll feel that and you know, even I've said it on a couple of interviews If even the Derry players themselves as you tick them in Cassie's chapter and get it laminated and read it every every month because I actually felt like buying the ball the next day and going out and playing You know, it's just he was talking about how close Derry were And what they had to actually do to get there and just to keep knocking at the door And it's maybe a wee bit the way things are at the moment. So You know, those things that got through through the book Brenton, but it's not all about 93 because some of the boys who played on that era, they didn't actually pick a Derry game Like Dermot Nickel picked a McCrory Cup game. You know, he was a very prominent player Tony Scullion picked one from the international rules and Cairn McKever, for example He actually found it very difficult to pick a game. He couldn't decide between Derry beating Meath in a National League final, you know, the county's first game Sorry, the county's first one at Cook Park in such a long time Before events he's settling on don't give him one in the Ulster club Something that he just, you know, he keeps thinking about every day of his life. So there's so many different stories in there But obviously the story of 93 30 years on there's a nice theme running through it and Maybe more special is there's a theme of Eamon Coleman Going through the book. I often think if Eamon Was alive and you're writing his chapter, what scheme would he have picked? But a lot of the players who would have played on them spoke so well about him and you nearly feel as if you know Yeah, and indeed listen, I remember meeting Eamon in In 98, we lost the Ulster final to yourselves We'll not go under that, but we were at Ulster All-stars then It was the first time I met him and you know for someone like me, I'd never really No, I'd never played Verdonik all before that really underage You're kind of thrust under this But to meet Eamon and all that heard about him, like he was such a different character You know, you know, you break the mold kind of thing And you could hear that from a lot of boys playing under him and it goes to me I'm not going to tell you how good you are. That's what he said to me when I met him And you know the way well, there's only certain people when they speak to you, you'll never forget it And Eamon was like that, you know, he was such his own man And you spoke there about, you know, some of the passages there No hair stand in the back of your neck stuff, motivational stuff There's some real raw leaders and it's just like in their DNA And as you're as you're taking that across there, it's affecting you there as a dairyman It is and even, you know, in terms of the fact, we've done with all the listeners on here, Rendon and Like a couple of players have spoke about, you know, the McEnuff and Coleman relationship Where they absolutely thought tooth and nail to take it over each other, you know, on Championship Day But I think those Demi and Barton had said to me that he met Brian McEnuff a couple of times and whenever Whenever a day would get passed on, he'd call it McEnuff would wholeheartedly Want to do it to one of the All-Ireland because he was a massive Ulster man And you know, there was that sort of rivalry between the managers I thought was also very special during it as well Yeah, well, listen, and not only McEnuff, let's be honest We were also born in Derry in 93, you know, I know there was a big rivalry then But it wasn't, it didn't get to the stage where you have the rivalries now Where teams probably, maybe we bit the grudging, he might admit it to people from that county But they're not, they're certainly not supporting them, but I can remember back in 93 We were all shouting 100% for Derry Yeah, right, that's the way it should be, you know, like we all supported the Ulster teams And the theme in the book is how much inspiration they took from, you know, the downed on the all here of it all Sorry, Mal, I just lost you there a second Mal, I was just looking there, thinking about what you were saying there about Ulster and McEnuff And playing there and playing, and I played with Henry Downey And a member of Gean coming in there and thinking about it, I'm just a wee lad, basically So Henry stands up and speaks in the dressing room And just like you're saying there, I remember thinking to myself, wow You know, look at that guy there, I mean, he asked me to do something, I'm doing it And I kind of got to know him a wee bit then And around the nightclubs of Derry, but he bought them I'm in the Broughwood Bay in there, Sheamus And Topfella, hey, he came down to play, I was looking after Unans in 2012 By the management team, he came down and played a friendly there, by Lavie And he had some presence about him Mal, and you'd have to say that, you know, guys, you've got to gain They just don't come around too often and it's almost, you know, it's like destiny You know that somebody comes going to lift the Sam no more than our own Anthony Melloyer, Michael Murphy It just seemed like that was going to be what was going to happen Even though it's almost a once-in-a-lifetime thing It is, like that team is full of leaders, you know, and they actually spoke about You know, just how quiet a leader Henry was, it was literally Yes, you still here, Mal? Yeah, I'm still here, yeah Sorry, sorry, Lane's just going out in a small bit for me there Mal, the book then, we can get the book all over, it's in all bookshops Have you come in and infiltrated Donegal here? We're always supporting the Derry Boys, I'm telling you, it's not really you We have this you with and I'll not tell you who it is So we'll keep it all positive here We've always, I don't know why that is Well, there's certainly certain rivalries right around Ulster And I know your own new manager, there's been a lot of furor about that there But even though they come back to the M90s This time there was a Derry Donegal thing there I thought it never got, no, maybe I'm innocent to that And even in 98 when we lost the final there was no kid animosity We lost the football match away you go The animosity seemed to creep in as when there was more championship games And there were more teams playing each other and familiarity Breeding contempt, as we say It probably is, as you say, you're going to be playing backdoor games And we'll be twice the same year, not definitely Yeah, yeah indeed, Mal We are going to almost out of time here Joe Dexas tell me to line up the music now Mal, so listen, all good books, all good bookshops Stock and Fowler, great book to be read about Game of my life, picking the top 25 Derry players From your excellent experience of the game Yeah, it's in all local shops around the county And David in the Lerner County Shopping Centre Will be stocking it as well for the people who want to read about 1993 And how the reins saved Donegal from Mahamara Yeah, that's one way to put it, Mal We all remember it in our own ways, a game that should never be made Not my words, not one of the player's words We've got a counter version you can sell, Mal, I'll tell you Listen Mal, 100% thanks for wrapping that up And good luck with the book And so we might talk to you now, as Ulster Club winds down And goes to the final Good luck on your big event in Friday, week, Brent Appreciate that, Mal, thank you very much Top man there, Michael McBullen, indeed there Of the Gillick Life, good luck on them With his book also, Joe, I want to thank you For producing the show this evening Or guess that contributor stays tuned For the excellent Monday night sessions And we are going to call the day for now Jimmy and Paul are getting ready there I'll speak to you all next week The DL Debate with Sister Sarah's Ladder Kenny