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Kevin Cassidy questions Donegal's approach to Ulster championship
Former Donegal footballer Kevin Cassidy has questioned if the county could have approached the Ulster championship differently ahead of the All-Ireland semi-final this weekend.
Sunday's game against Meath will be Donegal's 10th in the championship, which included a highly competitive Ulster championship, which they won after extra time against Armagh.
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Combined with a schedule that Jim McGuinness has not held back to criticise, it has been a long season for the Ulster champions.
Looing back on the season so far, Cassidy says Monaghan will have regrets of how the quarter-final eneded against Donegal, and how the toll of Ulster could now be showing.
"Donegal played very well in the second half, but Monaghan will look probably look back on that video, and there is definitely some chances they left behind.
"If they were to take one or two of those, then it is a different story. I think of the Beggan free-kick in particular, if that goes in it is a different story.
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"We can't take away from the taxing Ulster campaign that we have had. Jim makes no bones about it, he really goes after the Ulster championship.
"It is a double-edged sword. It is great to win the Ulster championship, but there is another competition that starts directly after it.
"To get the boys up to such a level that they reach in Ulster, and then to keep doing that is difficult. That is where you see the drop off.
"In the Tyrone game, Tyrone were very good, but I don't think we were as good as we can be. The Monaghan game, the first half was disappointing, the first half against Louth is disappointing."
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Having won the Ulster championship last season in McGuinness' first season back in charge of the county, Donegal were defeated in the All-Ireland semi-finals to Galway.
Having come so close to an All-Ireland last season, Cassidy says Sam Maguire would have been his priority this season over Ulster.
"Personally for me, having won Ulster last year, I would not have put as much emphasis on winning it this year.
"Ultimately for Donegal this year, the end goal is the All-Ireland, I think that is clear for everybody to see.
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"There is two sides to it. Perosnally, I would have probably put more emphasis on the All-Ireland series, but Donegal have won their second Ulster back-to-back, and I think that's something Jim goes after from day one."
One of the main players for Donegal this season has been a former teammate of Cassidy in Michael Murphy, who made his return after retiring from inter-county football in 2022.
Under the new rules and back with McGuinness, Murphy has flourished at the age of 35, which has been no surprise to Cassidy.
"Long before the announcement was made, Michael was back training with his personal trainer on a one-to-onw, to make sure he could give whatever was left in his body.
"Perosnally, I thought Donegal would gain a lot more from Michael coming off the bench 10 minutes into the second half, but I think his performances through the season turned Jim's head.
"That is testament to the work Michael has done and the shape he has got himself into."
