Sean Cavanagh Wonders If 'Strange' Donegal Statement Might Backfire On Jim McGuinness

The phrase "siege mentality" is at this stage almost synonymous with Jim McGuinness' Donegal.

Already this year, the Donegal manager was fiercely frustrated with the decision to play their All-Ireland round-robin game against Mayo in Roscommon. Now, the fixtures for the All-Ireland quarter-finals have brought a formal statement from the county board.

Having dispatched of Louth in the later game on Sunday, Donegal will take to the Croke Park pitch at 4pm on Saturday for their last-eight tie against Monaghan, just six days after their preliminary quarter-final.

Confirming they had formally requested a Sunday game, a Donegal spokesperson said late on Monday evening:

No other county has played as many matches as Donegal in this year's championship. To compound the physical and mental demands, those eight games have been played within an 11 week window. Match number nine comes this Saturday, less than 12 weeks after playing Derry in the Ulster Championship Preliminary round on April 6th.

On that basis, We thought it wholly reasonable and fully justified to seek an extra day recovery time for our players this weekend.

Coiste Chontae Dhún na nGall concludes that it is most regrettable, and very disappointing, that our request has been turned down. We feel the welfare of our players was not adequately considered in the decision making process.

It has brought a polarising reaction from the GAA world, and Tyrone legend Sean Cavanagh does not have much sympathy for Donegal's plight.

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Speaking exclusively to Balls.ie in Croke Park on Wednesday morning, Sean Cavanagh questioned the wisdom of Donegal's "strange" statement on the All-Ireland quarter-final fixtures.

Donegal have played eight games in 12 weeks since their championship campaign began on April 6th.

Cavanagh made a comparison with Tyrone's 2005 campaign, when they had to tackle three replays, which led to them playing seven games over the same 12-week timespan, before the All-Ireland final three weeks later. Tyrone went on to win Sam Maguire that year.

"It's probably valid...it's not something as a player or even as a supporter that you ever had that much input or control over," Cavanagh said.

It's a strange enough statement, in that sense whereby...I played plenty of games where we had a six-day or seven-day turnaround.

I think in 2005, because we had replayed games against Dublin and against Armagh in the Ulster final that year, we played five weekends in a row or six weekends in a row - and I loved it!

It all depends what way you look at it. I always had it in my head that I'd rather do the hard work on a matchday. As a player back then I loved that feeling.

Given Donegal's history of stirring the pot, it was expected that they would be less than happy with their Saturday fixture.

However, Cavanagh even wonders if the narrative around player fatigue could creep into the minds of the Donegal squad ahead of this Saturday's crunch game.

Jim's good at the psychology, he wants to create that little bit of mentality, I get that. There is a valid point in the travel, amateur players, all the rest.

But I don't think it'll have a huge baring, if I'm honest. I don't think it will change a lot.

If anything - and, look, Jim's better at psychology than I am - but, if I was managing a team, I certainly wouldn't want to be putting it in the players' heads that they're tired!

Watching Eoghan Bán Gallagher and Peadar Mogan at the weekend, they didn't look tired, anyway!

Look, it will be interesting to see what comes of it.

Donegal face Monaghan in the All-Ireland quarter-finals this Saturday, with throw-in at Croke Park at 4pm. The game is live on GAA+.

Sean Cavanagh was speaking at an Electric Ireland event in Croke Park to promote the Electric Ireland All-Ireland minor football final, which takes place on July 6th between Kerry and Tyrone.