 Saturday's game, the Division 2B encounter, the Derby match with Derry, a depleted Doney Gaul and a new look. Doney Gaul in many ways, gave Derry a game, certainly in the first half it faded a bit in the second install, but a lot in the match. You're going to hear shortly a couple of interviews now, Clary, former Doney Gaul player and of course joint player manager at Satanta now and we're going to hear from Mickey McCann, Ryan Ferry caught up with him. After that we're going to hear from Chief Sportswriters of the Star, Kearn Cunningham and all the scenarios of the start of the GA football season. Of course what it's like, as opposed from the capital's perspective and sportswriters' perspective on Jim McGinnis and where Doney Gaul can go this year. Of course, Mary Coughlin's appointment as the chair and of course our wee man across the next county, Mickey Hart, what he thinks of Derry's chances of going all the way this year. Being always interesting and great to chat to Kearn. Just to be changed from what we were supposed to be doing this evening, John McNulty, the ladies boss, was to be on. John's going to come on another evening and we're going to hear from Maria Kelly known as Maria Deveney in GA Circles. She is in with Masters, the Compromise Masters. The Australian team is coming over to play in a lady's series and she is a selector and coach with that. She's going to give us an update on when that's all happening but let's say first up on the show we look across to the Hurlin and as I say Doney Gaul's defeat to Derry and Division 2B and first of all I caught up with, as I say, Niall Cleary. I'm here with Niall Cleary. Niall, Derry at home. It was build as a massive derby game. Derry, of course, coming down from 2A. It was going to be a difficult proposition, particularly with players missing the day, level at half time but Derry showing their class in the second half. Yeah, definitely. When you look at the game from the start, how many players Doney Gaul were down? Probably down seven or eight players and real big players were Doney Gaul, leaders. It was always going to be a challenge but they'll be delighted with the first half. Played really well, took some great scores. The goal just before half time or a few minutes before half time was probably a bit of a killer, a little bit of inexperience in the full back line. Just got caught under a high ball and going in at half time level instead of going in three points up against Derry is a big difference and then the second half has just been the opposite of the first half. It's just been Derry on top and which they were always going to have their purple patch but Doney Gaul are hanging in there which I suppose they'll be pleased about. 10 wades in that first half, Derry creating the chances. We say Doney Gaul holding in there and making the best of it. Just notable in the second half, the pressure that the Derry forward line putting on the Doney Gaul defence. That's huge, huge work, great cause and turnovers. I suppose that's what the modern game is about and that set the tail for Derry's dominance in the second half. Yeah, definitely Brendan. Derry probably commuted again expecting, you know, when you're favourite to come in expecting to win, maybe the forward to be slightly off it. I'm sure they got a bit of a tell off at half time. Come out in the second half, bit of a different proposition, you know, cause as you said, the ball, they were creating a lot of space in the first half. A lot of ball going in, especially into the full forward line. So that was always going to start paying off at some stage, which it has in the second half. But yeah, they started and then probably Carmichard, he was a fantastic hurler there midfield, very quiet in the first half but he's really started kind of running the game here in the second half. Yeah, yeah. Now, even with all that, you know, with Derry's dominance, you know, look wide, come out, they had that monster free with 10 minutes to go, brought about the four points, you're starting to think maybe they'll just choose the fight that's still in Derrygull. Yeah, definitely. I think they'll be happy with hanging in there, considering all the players, they're down. Like, they did have a few chances there. There was a chance, come up here around the 21, they had a chance maybe to pop it over the bar, an extra pass and Derry you go up to field and put it over the bar. It's just there, the kind of differences at this level. You have to be taking your chances. If you don't, you'll be punished up the other end. Yeah. Now, Tarone up next, there's a two week break, of course, maybe a chance to get a few of the shorter term injury players back to the derby games from your own experience. Does it put a different edge to these encounters? You know, you have Derry now and Tarone, the game coming up. Does it change in terms of the mindset against playing teams from outside the area? Yeah, it definitely does, because you know each other so well from club campaigns, but also just from playing each other. Like, we've always kind of been underdogs against Derry, so we've always been really looking forward to that game. It's always been a game you target every year to try and compete, see where you're at. Tarone had it over us for the first few years, then we had it over them and now it's back to, they've been on top, so definitely there's big rivalries there, and the proximity definitely adds into that, but yeah, really, they're really enjoyable games to play in. Yeah, and of course now you're up here, of course supporting your Santanta men and hoping Derry gonna work well as a coach now as well, and you're looking at this from a tactical perspective as well as a supporter. Yeah, definitely, you're looking at it there, you've the notebook in and you're trying to figure out little things like what are Donegal doing? Like, I see Derry are going sharp with their puck outs a lot there, how are they working it then, you know what I mean? Yeah, you definitely do start to look at things differently, not just coming to watch a game anymore. Maybe a future coach at Donegal? Ah, geez, I don't know, far too early to say that, because Mickey and Gabriel are doing such a good job there, you know, you couldn't be changing that, so no, maybe somewhere down the line, Brendan. Appreciate it now, thanks. Yeah, fair play to him. Now, Clary, they're always great to catch up, as I say after the game, Ryan Ferry of the Donegal News was doing updates for us and he caught up with Donegal boss, Mickey McCann. I'm joined here by Donegal Hurley manager, Mickey McCann. Mickey, your team have been beaten by seven points in O'Donnell Park by Derry, how did you see it out there? Ryan, we're very happy to have time, maybe not in the scoreboard, because we've put on a big shift and we went five points up and luckily we made a few on four stairs and stuff and the Derry back in and they're corner forward, maybe catch it near the square and get a soft enough goal you should be demanding the ball in that area, so we weren't happy with the goal, but overall I thought Donegal was everybody as good as Derry in the first half and if we could keep it going, but suppose we worked that hard, Ryan, in the second half we just couldn't keep that tempo up, you know, and Derry had more strength and depth, so overall we're not too bothered, it was a decent performance against a very good Derry team. Yeah, 12 points to 1-9 at half time, Derry had ten wades and obviously a bit of poor shooting from there, but a good defending from your lads putting pressure on, but you were five points up at one stage and you were playing very well, that George McGee chronally showing well at corner forward, Liam McKinney was going well, were you disappointed that you weren't fuller ahead then at the break? Yes, I suppose even your four or five up at half time, if you held on that read Ryan and give them give you a chance when they get a purple patch that maybe they've got to run on you, four or five that you'd still be well on the game level or whatever, but we just couldn't get that three-pointer on the day, Derry defensive very solid and they guarded the net, you know they got numbers on around there, so we never got inside away a lot and against teams like Derry and Hurlin you have to have them one or two goals like I did and it gives them a wee bit of day like you know two goals that they got, they've been one point game, so the fact we didn't get the three-pointer on the day was probably wasn't going to be enough to beat Derry. Yeah and you went 23 minutes in the second half without a score and just he seemed to lose away a bit and I know the likes of Carmichael Doherty in midfield for Derry started to take over and maybe just things started to go straight for you. Yeah a big momentum swing, they just kept clumping away, you know and before you know it in Hurlin your level one minute and five minutes later you're four or five down, it's not like football as such but we did, it was a bad 20 minutes to start the second half to put it first round, I think we had a point early enough, it was a point each and then after that they had five or six in the row, so you say 23 minutes without a score in Hurlin, it's not going to be enough against Derry team who's probably favours to under the division, so you can't have long spells to get in Hurlin with no scores. In fairness though there was good character showing that nobody threw in the tile, it got three points in a row then to bring it back to four-point game but Derry just started up then down the home street. Like they did and look they're super team and this is good at Derry team vaccine since I took the job maybe you know because the six very quality forwards there you know and a very strong one, Phil was Cormac and Rory Omanian who caused any team ball you know but overall we're very happy with this performance you know considering the amount of bodies we're missing and the big turnover from players from last year you know we're just counting as this 9-10 maybe seven starters like Euregard Fennel not out there so um you're asking young boys to go on there and play against Derry at no that's one of the four starts and it's going to be a big ask but it's good learning curve you know we know Derry is going to be the team debate but we'll just like our wins today and move on to the next match. Yeah so you have a you have a break now next weekend before playing Tarone is that correct yeah with Tarone Tarone away to Tarone and away to Roscommon and then home to London here on St Patrick's Day so luck if you can get a couple of couple of victories out of them three games Ryan it could put you in a position where you're in a top three spot and really really that's all we're after with it with the restructuring of the leagues this year. Yeah and are we likely to see any of those experienced men back for for the Tarone match? Well uh Sean McVeigh and Conor Grady are out of the country they'll be fully good to go training again Tuesday night and we're Rory Campbell who's carrying me niggle expect Rory to be grand come the troll match uh long term is Danny and Danny's and and Deckey's probably going to be the championship and Dara Malidia who's okay I have maybe maybe back towards the Roscommon game um I like to like uh Richie Ryan and McDonough and Jimmy Dermott wrapped it out this year so look big turnover Ryan if we get two or three back at a time and then go into the championship we should have another couple back and not to forget Ron McDermott just coming back from a crucial uh injury should be back the start of May so um we're we're down a lot of bodies I know excuse the day the team out there was well it was competing with Dara for long periods but a few a bit more strength and depth we maybe could have seen it better second half yeah thanks very much Ryan very great stuff Mickey McCann doing a brilliant job as ever Keane Cunningham is waiting to come in and we will hear from him after this break the DL debate with sister Sarah's letter candy serving food you'll love till 9 p.m. daily in Sarah's kitchen and there's free admission entertainment every weekend the world is getting a little more more but maybe more could mean something else more means more proactive green energy solutions more means more wind turbines and more recycling more means more biodiversity and more energy storage more means more hydrogen and more solar farms because more clean energy means more efficient living means more thriving communities means more energy autonomy that's why we're more than Mona learn more at more than Mona.com the community climate action fund is now open for applications from community groups in Dunnegol there are two strands of funding available strand one focuses on direct climate action building low carbon communities strand one a focuses on cross-border projects in partnership with communities and organizations in northern Ireland the closing date for applications is the 22nd of March 2024 please visit dunnegolcoco.ie for more information the online application form and details of the information sessions for any queries please email climateactionfund at dunnegolcoco.ie the DL debate with sister Sarah's letter Kenny serving food you'll love till 9 p.m. daily in Sarah's kitchen and there's free admission entertainment every weekend yes welcome back now in the latest I'm joined by a chief sportsman with the star Keir and Cunningham how are you Keir not so bad Britain thanks living well in the capital ah living keeping the head down living low I think we get like that as time goes on we're less attracted to the to the lights and more to the you know the chill out yeah and I just not able for it I was actually going to go on Thursday but it'll be a I'll stay quiet weekend yeah maybe one or two pints that'll be the height of it but to be nice and Glencombe kill now see if you old friends and catch up with a family hi and get a bit of skin in get a bit of skin if no like it is about if no like it is about yeah the big skin and that we used to joke there in the in the county squad with aftermatch pints and the crack that you know there's certain groups you needed to be in and if you weren't done them you could be getting skinned you know yeah if you're ridden the old group you're getting skinned anyway well I caught up with them recently there there was a we need to do reunion so I joined them for a wee while in sister Sarah's in Cairns place great crack I mean such a bunch of characters you know it was a it was a great couple of hours with them he's just a phenomenal memories and Cairn we love through them all had great times and in terms of those times Cairn you know that the second coming of gym of course of interest in your perspective from outside the county of course the first one you know changed the face of of football as we know it and maybe more so we actually Cairn was thinking about this today when we more so in 2014 and 2012 because they all conquer in dubs who were going to sweep everybody aside you learned that even a team as talented as them could be done by a tactical counter-attacking team and I think from then on I think that was maybe the bigger change yeah what what was your feeling the gyms first I suppose input at that time and then the change in nature tonight which is there's a lot to cover there well I remember to learn do you remember Ali Marafit used to play for me but Ali's great a great fellow like he keep you know you don't see him much around he's not somebody crops up in the media or you know once he hung up his boots he walked up in the sun said he was still playing around he's still playing in goals for his club I think around the age of 50 you know he's still kind of he's a great great great great character but I met Ali one time and I was talking to him and Ania and I was asked about me then I said like you said the foot and Dublin's throat for years like how did you get them let them get back in top and he says he says came we lost a bit of madness he says you need the bit of madness he says that you know a lot of Ulster teams at that and we and the thing is you know Dunning all had that bit of madness in a wrong way for a long time that probably held us back but I think Jim brought the right kind of madness like in 2011 it was more methodical and more organizing and being hard to score against and just get that Ulster title which was a huge deal for Dunning all because it'd be 19 years and then when the ambition when you got more ambition and worked on the transition game and the attacking game and I never for that I always hated Dunning all be described as defences after that because there weren't events of the country attacking and you saw that in the tallies that put up there were a lot up a lot of very big tallies in 2012 2014 you know because of injuries 2013 was a write-off but there was also the bit of madness like I always think if you watch Jim Gavin's Dublin a hugely successful but it's like if you take the soccer corpus because get into that because Jim has spent so much time learning from soccer but they were like wordy all as much as their city like they were just very calm and composed and just wanted out and like real people were saying they're quite kind of boring but I think Dunning all are more like clubs Liverpool and that even at Liverpool or 2-0 up with 10 minutes to go there's always a bit of jeopardy there's always there's still five or six people up pressing and a high line at the halfway line as anything can happen and I think it's brilliant to watch and I think like it knows we're only based on evidence of McKenna cup and a challenge match and two division two games but I think there's a jam or something there happening with Jim and like this year might be I might not have we lose you there Kieran we'll try and just get Kieran back on there maybe he's connections maybe he hasn't paid his bull on the Joe Dex's laugh to be maybe he hasn't paid the old bull there for the internet provider we'll just see if we can get Kieran back on there so we just lost him with sentence we don't make think we break here and sorry folks we'll try and get Kieran back on there thanks the DL debate with sister Sarah's letter Kenny serving food you'll love till 9pm daily in Sarah's kitchen and there's free entertainment every weekend do you currently have vacancies that need urgently filled have you tried various ways to find new staff but didn't succeed let Highland radio help you source and fill your current vacancies in the most cost effective way simply sign up to our new job spot and we will tell our listeners about your vacancies both on air and online every Monday Wednesday and Friday during our prime time shows we will broadcast the latest job opportunities across the Northwest and into County's Dairy and Turon all 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out more at fisheries Ireland dot ie slash careers the deal debate with sister Sarah's ladder canny serving food you'll love till 9pm daily in Sarah's kitchen and there's free admission entertainment every weekend yes welcome back folks Keirney you back on the line I didn't even realize I was gone I was talking away to myself sorry I do not try to ring you there the phone was going to answer machine we were we were queuing up a track and then funny Joe Dex is with me here and he was like what do you want to play do you want to play us but and I was thinking this track's going to represent me now and I was like no not that not that I was like what's wrong with my head and then you just landed back in Keirney good timing I'm good to get you back sir all right where was I what was I was sure asked me another question where were we I don't know where we were yeah we were we were around we were talking about Ollie Murphy and the and the badness I suppose you're on with Jim and the evolution of the team yeah how done it go we're actually a counter attacking team and you didn't like them being called defensive and and what Jim and yeah I suppose and you were saying then we're obviously very early into this tenure you know but you're seeing the seeds of of something good happening you are and I know I don't know if you heard it when I was saying that but I think I think Jim was you know Jim was obsessed with Mickey Hart and to Rowan when he came in the first time about breaking them because I think he thought if you have to you're going to have any ambition of doing something with a team Ulster team you have to break the dominant team and the dominant manager and I think he sees Derry as a dominant team now there's clearly the evidence is there that they have been the last couple of years so I think he will he will be gearing everything towards Celtic Park you know there's an argument that Ulster isn't anywhere near as important as it was because of the change in the All Island series and you know you look over the years since you like you mentioned 92 and meeting some of those boys like since Donegal we're in that no Donegal have only been in about one, two, three, four All Island semi-finals is 92 you know so you know since the same change in the system even when Donegal won quite a lot of Ulster titles they weren't backing them up with getting to the last four and like ideally for me if I was to say what ideally I'd like for this year when Donegal is getting promotion they get the All Island semi-final if they win Ulster it's a bonus but you know to expect them to win the All Island or be All Island contenders in the first year back you know with you know Jim is out a bit of a while getting to know new players them getting to know him and he live with new ideas and he wants to impose like it's so it's hard to do that it's such a short space of time that you have now like it wouldn't rule him out ending up in the final if they get to a semi-final winning Ulster but at the moment like getting promotion in the last four would be a great year. Yeah funny I asked him about promotion he's lying most of I says as a priorities as if we get promoted it is if we don't it wasn't you know I mean he actually like I talked to him a couple of times you're getting very very happy very content you know we could see you know back in the game you know that he grew up way in loves and you know you could feel that off him and such a pride and such a drive for the team and yeah and I like I heard the interview you did with him Brent like it was a very good interview and I've heard him after games a couple of times as well since he came back and he's been remarkably open compared to most county managers like he's explaining he'll explain after a game what he was trying to do and what didn't work and what did work and he's talking about plans you know that they'd like to be you know about how the game has changed and things that he other ways he thinks it might change and things he thinks he might bring it to it and it's really refreshing to hear that and you know and I I think people are kind of brushing like to me you know some people would throw it at Jim you know that he tried soccer and he failed but to me I like you look at the percentage of people to try to make it as soccer managers like there's stats there in England over 55% of them never get a second job after having a first job it's so hard to get into but what Jim will have learned is he's a 10 years of coaching at soccer and doing all the badges and coaching in different environments and in different countries and you pick up a huge amount of knowledge and I guess even something like a soccer now like Arsenal I don't know why more teams don't have it but Arsenal have a full-time set piece coach the improvement in their free kicks and corner kicks is unbelievable like the score so many goals from 11 set plays was one of the things that Jim concentrated on as a coach and I think there's room for imagination of that in Gaelic football like if you have there will always be a time in games or five minutes ago you need a goal you're going to get at that scenario some stage and you will get a free around the middle of the field at that stage you can work some kind of movement then that you create a goal chance you know that you just pull the defence out but you see it's amazing now like because soccer Gaelic football used to be sometimes compared to rugby or even rugby league but tightly it's so similar to soccer now in the emphasis on the attack and press on sweeper keepers on the goalkeeper being used as a playmaker on low no having two low blocks in defence when you don't have the ball you know I've tried trying to work turnovers as quickly as possible when you when you lose the ball there's just a lot you can gain from it and like it's really exciting when you see that attack and press when you're throwing so many bodies up and there is a risk reward thing to it and you will see that thrown at clubs Liverpool like people say that high line like one ball and the guy is in one on one but he knows that and Liverpool know that and all the coaches know that but they take the they've worked it out and they said we'll create more chances the other end by playing this way so we're sticking with it and sometimes people you know bravery brings its own rewards and I think you know you look at the 120 against Cork but getting that kind of score in January is a good sign no it's a good sign there's a lot to be positive about yeah this isn't great points Sarah Cairne and listen I think that's the case you just always I suppose even though division two has got stronger now particularly the resurgence of our man with Galway and those teams putting a squeeze on the whole division one the teams that tended to be about there remember it used to be Ross common and Kevin these teams would go up and they go back down but now certain teams are a lot of teams are getting their act together I still think there's a decent drop off to two and what Cork brought on the day predicting the second half was burned out we played well Cairne you're right and Jim himself says he's not finished with soccer yet he plans to go back to it and just imagine heart there and targeting heart and Cairne in terms of the season is it best then that we have Derry round one let's say we lose to Derry you're coming fresh at the group stages in many ways that is probably the best draw we could have got Derry first day if you beat them you're on a roll you probably you're in a great position to one Austin if you don't then you're fresh going into the group yeah you know the one thing I would say I wouldn't say like you're like it'll be a good big scale but I wouldn't say you're in a great position to what I'm not sure it's a great position to win Ulster because Tarone you know Tarona problems which you still go through the players they have they have a lot of quality nor are Ma have been very unlucky and you know a couple of penalty shoots in the last couple of years is stuck them from making big leap forwards you know they could have gone either way you know and Monaghan were very very close to making all island final last year and Kevin put it up to Dany Gull for a lot of the time last year there's a downer definitely improving under Connor Loverty so I wouldn't take anything for granted I think Dany Gull you know if it did beat Derry you know there'd be hard to beat but the hard one is interesting because I remember talking to Sean Cavanaugh about this and like I meant to check it just before coming there but Derry won the McKenna cup under Mickey there right I'm not sure how many he's won now I think it's might be 13 or 14 more he's won incredible amount of McKenna cups and it's Sean Cavanaugh was saying to me he just wants to win every game like everybody like you saw a couple like Armagh were playing a B team in the McKenna cup and they were setting their first 15 now to play challenge games against Dublin strong Dublin teams you know so they put more store and challenge against the McKenna cup but Hart always wants to win it and then he throw everything at the league as well then throw everything at Ulster but I think that could backfire on him like I think it's completely I think it's completely wrong that I know they've had a break now a few that went off to Spain I think the Glen lads the Conard glass and that but but I think going straight in to play Kerry you know a week after a lesson a week after when a club all Ireland having a year a year before that they went back to train in three days after there's no learning club find I don't think that's sustainable yes I think you do need a lot of very very lengthy break especially where the county season is now like those guys that come back they might have had a wee break now and they'll be back in this week but after that like it's bang bang bang very short break the championship the championship you're into the championship short break after the provincial champions at the All Ireland series when you ask yourself if you are like Terry and have ambitions to win the All Ireland is that is it possible to push yourself that far like I'm just feeling that could be a little bit of burnout coming with Terry yeah listen kid I totally agree I thought that was crazy and even I was at the McGillacup game where where Terry kind of showed where their level was at in the second half and it was McGillacup but the way they kind of bossed the game I know we were missing a few players but so were they but like that the heart said listen I'm leaving the door open I could not believe a way to carry to you of all things and you just mentioned there you know you highlighted the likes of me see around but that time all the Murphy and a bit of madness in that and you know Donny Gull at that time and surely then Cairn that in GA you still need that fire a bit of madness and that's there's only so much of that is in your head so if you keep going in the big game obviously Terry are targeting the league I think they could very easily won the league so those lads have to go up for that then you're in the All-Star net and the group stages of championship so when you want them at their best which is if they get back to where they were last year is a semi-final to take them into the final are they as you said I can't see how there wouldn't be some drain on them whether it be physically or mostly in terms of getting to that you know that high level you want to be at at the peak time yeah no I know it will we'll see down the road but I just think I think they're a very good team and they're a team that might well win All-Star again might well be in All-Ireland semi-final even get to a final again but I think that there are missing that bit of quality particularly in attack I think to win All-Ireland I just think there may be maybe even one quality forward more they need like if Shane McGuigan and Conor and Conor Glass had a quiet enough day or well held you know I'm not sure you'd be that confident that there's two or three others to pick up the slack yeah and I think you know I have seen comparisons made with Jim McGuigan you know Jim McGuigan is his first any goal team but I think Jim had far more an attack to work with you know and like it's telling like Jim wanted to make a Murphy back Jim wanted Ory McNeillish back like he did go to both of those and I think that you know that shows Jim wants all the best players there and you know that was a problem with Derry for for some years and under different managers not all the best players were in the squad like it hasn't really been a problem with Dunny Gull thankfully you know it last year it was an issue this year you know those both both those fellows are effectively retired so you could say it wouldn't mean a surprise if they came back but like he has got good fellas in there that I wasn't sure what buy into like even like Aaron Daugherty from my own club Aaron has never really you know he's been in and out of panels and hasn't really committed that heavily but like he's gone in with Jim and Jim can be very persuasive I think it shows that yeah certainly yeah listen I totally agree about Derry and this McGuigan is unbelievable but you're right Cairns should he pick up an injury or something he is so integral do what they knew you know that young Murphy boys come on well there you know what you said it sometimes will take them a few years to be that type of player you know lot of Murray there's a lot of boys shape son of him Derry 93 what he called the captain it's his nephew yeah they have some young guys coming through there that are good but whether they're up to that level here of where McGuigan is I think he's unbelievable by the way and he can be the difference and everyone there maxes but should he have an offday be marked out of it as the same scenario I suppose is clever and carrying it as well than Terry Gull nature did but Cairns just wonder but yeah go ahead sorry Joe yeah just a quick one that Brendan because I was looking at the players that are available to Dunny Gull like you are going to get injuries and maybe suspensions at different stages but it's you have you have forward options that you haven't always had there like you could pick out and we'd all probably have different six that you would pick and you were still looking say well there's three four five maybe even six good forwards there that'll be happy enough to put on one and often it was a case you would one or two forwards on the bench you would trust but I think there's more than that now and that's really important you know whether you know we have to obviously have to keep it up at the other end and have to be competitive in midfield which has been an issue in different games but we still come out of it but I think there's there's a positive there yeah yeah totally agree Kieran Kieran we question be I'm not keeping much long romance thank you so much for giving up of your time it's brilliantly chatty the change in there we had obviously a very traumatic last year in Dunny Gull GA and you know there was look there was a lot of people looking for a new direction particularly from our our county board our former former Thomas to Mary Coughlin I know your man knows his way around the political landscape but what did you think of of her coming in as the new chair in terms of of what she can bring to Dunny Gull to me it looks like a positive because she's hugely experienced she's a huge amount of contacts and no she's been all sort of tricky scenarios like you look at when when Mary was tarnished to like it was it was a very grim time in politics you know with the bank crashes and everything else looks as she you know she's she's used to dealing with all sorts of stuff being thrown at you and she's a very straight shooter I think I find with Mary like she she'll be very blunt and she might put some people's nose out of joint but something that no harm with that and I think she will be an asset as well in terms of fundraising and you know whether we like it or not money has become so important in an inter-county game like it's become a crazy arms race in many ways but if you want to be competitive or if you would definitely if you want to win silver where it would be the business and the championship it's going to cost a lot of money and both Jim and Mary coming in will help Donnie Gull in that regard yeah and I suppose Sinead Breen's in there as well and we've got some new some new ideas and she's very positive you see around the games and that she's she's such a love of the game and the whole setup of it and it was it was a pedig who's did her dance a few weeks back and Mary was there and you're right Karen and she's she's so adept at at handling situations I think from the back of last year it can only positive Karen the money thing just last question on that you mentioned the Premier League the side that spent the most money there I think the majority of the Premier League teams won the championship now we have the case of the highest ranking teams in the country you could put them in their place by money as well you know that impact is is massive and it's changed the whole nature of of County GA yeah and and you don't see the full picture either like we like if you look at Harling and JP McManus and let me click JP McManus gives a million Euro to every county board in the country and one of the things I was thinking about when that happened is that God I wish a hundred much he's given to Limerick over the last 10, 20 years because we don't know but like it it clearly has has helped them you know like in terms of they're incredibly well conditioned you know like they're so well looked after and you know the facilities everything they've had has been put in place for them and it's like you look where Donegal or not compared to when you're playing Brandon like you know that you know you have you know you have the center of excellence like you know it's not everybody's wearing training gear like it's not like you're you used to go to training you know you have 20 different jerseys of training like it was yeah it's just a different world now and like it all costs money it all adds up but you know there is hypocrisy in the GA as well that you know we're still amateur I don't think it's a very, very loosely amateur organization because so many people are paid you know there's a sentimentalization of the club game where a massive amount of managers are played like I sometimes find that hard to take like you'd see all the or you read these pieces or see or hear people going on about a club and what a great club it is and you know how rooted in the community and everything else and then you're looking at the manager and the coach and think they have a year ago they'd never given that club a moment's thought in their lives you know but suddenly they're all aboard of the club what attracted to this club Glen's a great example of that I suppose, Gairn in terms of you know what well, don't name any names yeah well listen it's basically at this point but it is a reality like you look at it's now it's it's I don't like that like I like manager to be from your club I honestly I think you have to and manager in your county like you see that with Jim you were talking about his pride and passion and he got it it's very real and it's very strong I've heard him speak at different events like at business events and everything and he really it gets done he got people in the palm of his hand when he's talking about it and I think the same thing happens you know an outsider never has that field for your club like it's a gig it might be another gig for them next year or the year after somewhere else even in a different county yeah yeah totally agree that's why I'm helping out we better it's in your hands yeah all for the love Gairn you're right thank you you can't escape it Gairn listen that was phenomenal talking to you sir much appreciated and keep flying the flag for us Donnie Goh boys up in the capital there sir okay no problem Brent okay take care cheers Brent thank you Gairn bye bye cheers bye cheers Gairn Cunningham our chief sports writer with the star that was brilliant and if you always great chatting to Gairn great great insights say after the break we're going to speak to Maria de Ville the DL debate with sister Sarah's letter Kenny serving food you'll love till 9pm daily in Sarah's kitchen and there's free admission entertainment every weekend hello Jedward speaking sorry Edward speaking hey bro I'm glad you picked up who is this it's me John I'm literally outside in the landing I don't know any Sean lose my number hello Edward don't hang up I'm sorry for saying a handyman could fix the gas boiler please forgive always use a registered gas installer or you could risk everything find one at orgii.ie the DL debate with sister Sarah's letter Kenny serving food you'll love till 9pm daily in Sarah's kitchen and there's free admission entertainment every weekend yes welcome back now we talk to a woman she's got two names actually she's uh Daveney and she's Kelly she's Daveney energy world so that's what we're going to call her now how are you Maria hi um brilliant present thank you very much sorry Helen about that now obviously she's hitched up to a good mayo man uh Helen Kelly uh Maria the the news broke in the family there that you were asked to join in with a new compromise rules masters ladies squad and Maria could you give us a bit of background into how how all this came apart and when it's coming up yeah brandon thank you I suppose it happened fairly quick it was like an early Christmas present today the truth that happened in December and uh the international rules masters men over 40s and over 50s is happening in march the 9th and the 16th and the Aussies are bringing two big strong teams coming over for that but they also announced that they were bringing for the first time ever and over 40s masters women's team and uh you know john patchard is over the the masters group here in Ireland it's a big task we don't have a masters women's team in any of the counties but fair play he says yeah let's do this in this short notice let's pull a management team together and uh so there is one person from each province and i'm representing Ulster we've michael moise from mail who had no bread and played for mail and managed the mail ladies played international rules as well tg collins then from a monster who's down with url ladies ga and the secretion and Samantha lampart and uh used to be past captain of tip rary and then emerald brian as well he would manage a lot of teams women's teams in uh leash so great management team and in fairness the i suppose it was a less headset for me or head pain for me is that the 23 errors were already selected by the each of the masters teams throughout the different counties so we didn't because you don't have time for trials so we were given the the list of players and some in play counties some haven't and we we've we started our training plan and we're tracking towards now the 19th and 16th march and maria just that list who was able to comp play that so they basically gave you the cream of the crop of players of that age but that would take a bit of work getting getting that all together and just figuring out because obviously you you'll want certain players to do certain roles in that so it's a huge thing to kind of pull together a squad legat and get them ready for it for a game because i suppose you're thinking what are the Aussies doing on the other side of the world are they are they are they secretly training this last good few months and got this really good team there i suppose that's a small bit of a a fear in the background yeah well you said a bread and i might go and write okay what is this Aussie teams because they you know lot of girls would have played professionally at a well and and uh and then you know i'm trying to sneak photographs of i'm training going jeez they're very tall they're really what are we up against here but yeah this is before you'll play in a year to count down know so many players throughout the the country and probably would have loved a chance to play but it was because of the time lines were very were very tight that really each of the the masters that exist in the the 23 counties they nominated i'm not too sure how that came about whether you had to still be playing or or or what the the protocol was that was but we literally were were given the the 23 names and as you said you know you're looking to be a goalkeeper do you where does people play but i think the whole point of this was was going to be enjoyable it's never been done before masters where i cannot tell you the bulls from the gears because this opportunity to play for your country we've never had that before and i'm from a masters perspective and these gears are just bulls and we've had two sessions now so far and you know the hype and the excitement and they are getting stuck in and if anything it has opened up the door to a god you know maybe we could be doing something like this because the the Aussies have this set up the last couple of years they have this masters over 40s where they play and come together and you know maybe we've done it from an interprovincial perspective because now we're in our 40s and you keep getting younger Brett and you're nearly younger than me now at this but they uh you know the ball can be so so senior county or club football and the demands and your mark and a lot of people are younger than you you know the appetite may not be there but something like this where you train or you know a couple of weeks and you play you play over a weekend could give the the over 40s or women who've played football or something to to a goal that they could achieve to because as I said the appetite is definitely there and these women are flying and their foot Dan Thomas representing or Dan McGlin married the great Frank McGlin she's representing Dunnegal and absolutely flying they're doing the running and they're just getting all geared up now for for these two test match yeah and just on that fitness really then is there I remember way back in the day they're playing the Aussies and we had to do fitness tests because the game was so physical and that and say you know at that stage I remember the first year 98 it was still knockout championship so you could have a good few months before there was a trial so I think the guys were worried maybe you wouldn't be fit enough for this you know the way in a trial you can do so much but maybe not be the fitness but we had those load of bleep tests we had to do them got a horror I hated them so you had to get the whole night measure over yeah I think you had to get the over 11 or something to even be in contention I remember doing it up and double and I don't know if you put the girls through that well if I did we wouldn't probably see anybody again put them off no we haven't you know Michael Moyes is amazing and he's kind of manager and he give them all fitness regime to follow over the 78 weeks before we meet but again the premise is that you know it's 18 minutes four quarters and five minutes subbing on and off it is the unknown we've never done this before and we don't know what they're like but you know I was really surprised some of these girls I remember marking give me nightmares breading and I'm like I would say that to them I've fallen around the punch when I was playing for Donnie Gaul but she's doing great ship and you know we kill a downy there from down could still be playing on full forward she nearly put him in and all in the back of the left there last Saturday and we're learning that I suppose that the new rules as well and the tackling and things like that but I mean they're going for it there was no standing off it was going all in they're physical you know but we're having the crack as well and that's the big part of it these people are going to be bringing their families down to these games there are a lot of them of children they're going to see their mothers play for Ireland it's incredible it's really great and you know the men's to you you know Paul Callum playing for the they were fifties and you've corner McShane here too part of my club we're in poor masters playing for the we're forties and there's so many people going down and to watch them and I just think it's incredible that you can see your mami in your forties playing for Ireland and these all the rules so they're going to be special memories and Marie tactically in terms of the Aussies it'll supposedly so mad you have the two games so the first game all you can go on is maybe if you can find some bits and pieces of of video information on the players to kind of highlight who's the danger you know who's the good forwards or who's the hard running midfielders you've got to get all that together and of course in the first game then it's bang and it's in so I'm sure there'll be such a massive jump from the preparation to game one and then into game two when you've actually seen them first hand and you can kind of get a more of a tactical plan but I suppose that's the same for both teams yeah it's the same for both teams and you know we the the big thing is the phone but at the same time as you know yourself and any of those guys walking on there's this competitiveness can be and they'll want to win no matter what obviously and I know I talk about the phone and all the rest but it is the unknown like we met the Aussie team management team on Sunday morning nine o'clock through teams and they've been training away and you know we've only had three two sessions did you lie did you lie you start lying and yeah we've we've been together from one share oh yeah yeah it's all about playing my games but yeah we're all right okay but we are you know as I said the guys are put their foot and you know tactically you're right Brett look we're just going to go out play our game you know you hear it all the time we only know what we can do we've we've seen the guys we know the positions they like to play and they're they're eager they're as I said training they're getting the fuckers up ready for these games and you know we have the sub on sub off and you know as you said like we I've been looking at photographs I've been looking at some of the the cups that the Aussies have put up and I suppose because it's a round ball we'd be more used to that so the fun at you know so the marks and things like that we hopefully move the ball up a bit quicker but you know you really don't know to that first game and then you've only the couple of days before the next game so get the bodies rested and and ready to go for the 16th hmm Henry is this LGFA affiliated who's who's organizing this who's who's backing this in terms of your setup now this would be the the Galex Masters Association of Ireland and I so they're right on their own um I wish it was all in one because it would help a lot of these guys are are fitting their own balls heading down covering costs and stuff like that because you want to play for your country but that what is the Masters thing though Maria are they backed up with the GA or is this kind of no it's all it's all run independently of the Bells yeah yeah all yeah now hopefully there's no bad coming in you've got that wrong Maria but no I I've John Pat Sheridan he's based on my oh lovely man he kind of started it and I think they've put it out a few times but it hasn't actually happened yet again I could be wrong and um put a disclaimer in next week you can correct me Brett oh listen if I am but I think they are independent yeah so um and again this women's it's it's these guys volunteering that's keeping us all together and running the show and I'm just so delighted that they didn't say oh god we never done this before we're not going with it they've decided to do it because what it's meant to these these players has been huge and uh we've been getting all great and really enjoying it and you can really see that there's an appetite there so who plays something more will come of it yeah well listen of course the LGV and the the GA taken which is I can't believe it's taking them along they kind of partner up probably I think the likes of the masters not should all come on to the the one umbrella because Maria Oligers is playing have given their life to their club in their county and if there's something in this that they're again willing to progress and put on and uh I think they deserve all the support they can get yeah I think they have that mothers and others that the ladies the LGFA have and it's it works for it and I would have done it for my knee just won't let me play anymore if players would only run in straight lines I could play style but unfortunately the twists and turns so that's me out but uh you know but that's non-competitive and you know there's as I said when you go out to that pitch it's a natural and us because as you said you played for 20 years club county you can't drop that competitors now the mother and others fantastic played a great crack and it's it's trying to embrace and be inclusive of everybody but you know there's definitely no more like there's an appetite for the men now we've been over 50s which is amazing an international team as well there is definitely from what I've seen and from girls giving me calls going geez how do we get on this rare and I was at the team selected because of the time frame but they would love to the opportunity so I imagine I'm hoping that this will start that you know the platform that we see it move on and see it progress to more counties or even in the in the different provincials and of course we have the last question to you we're down the last couple of minutes the way trip everybody's thinking if it goes well let's go to Australia that's the shout what do you think take I'll come with you if you need a kit man I'll come off the phone and I'll come on with you and I said to my husband going oh my god I'll just you know this opportunity come up but that's the first thing he said it's a return trip just yeah I got it but uh we'll see I mean it'd have to be a huge sponsorship because as I said there's nobody only ourselves that's it's covering the cost I mean the Aussies are covering they've got some sponsorship but a lot of them are coming over with their families and they're fitting a lot of the bulk of themselves you know so um hopefully uh we don't mess up totally and uh there would be an opportunity I would be on that plane and gone of course but uh yeah so fingers crossed as I said you know um it's thank god our um well Alan anyway because I'm gone that much that he's he loves the GA and he's like yes do it uh and I'm sure he's thinking there might be a drop on here for me after it's yes there's a long plan Alan it'll all come good for you then Maria of Magic as ever thanks for joining us this evening on The Day of the Bacon good luck we'll we'll get a wee bit update for me after the first game brilliant thank you so much Brendan thank you very much it's Maria the Vinny there fair play the horror folks well that is a wrap uh the two that are called Jules Hollins are uh waiting to come in Rudy's there as well they're kind of telling me to get off time's up Brendan listen folks thanks for what you're doing this evening thanks Joe Dex for producing get a sport I shall kill you I'll speak to you all next week