KERRY native Kieran Donaghy questioned his sanity on numerous occasions driving up and down to Armagh over the last four years – but insisted he always believed the Orchard men could win an All-Ireland title.
It could be mission accomplished for the four-times All-Ireland winner as the Kerry-Armagh commute has been arguably his greatest challenge since joining Geezer from the start of the 2021 season.
Asked if he was mad for embarking on the journey four years ago, ‘Star’ said: “There have been moments, some tough training sessions and pulling out of Callanbridge after a team meeting that went on to quarter-past-10 and I’m driving to Kerry, you ask yourself questions and doing this for four years.
“But they are an unbelievable group. There’s a really strong bond there between the management group and the players.
“It’s down to the culture that Kieran has created. It’s not easy. We fall out. We make up. Kieran loves a challenge. He loves a challenge culture.”
Donaghy added: “It is weird, especially after the Kerry game. It’s hard to take it on board when you have done the driving that I’ve done, but I’m so happy for the management team and the players. I’ve had my days in the sun, and I’m just delighted these boys have had theirs.”
While Armagh were suffering penalty shoot-out heartaches and were being written off as also-rans for the Sam Maguire, Donaghy felt that they just needed a bit of good fortune and for all the pieces of the jigsaw to fall into place.
On Sunday, Armagh realised their All-Ireland dream with captain Aidan Forker lifting the Sam Maguire on the steps of Hogan.
“I said four years ago there’s an All-Ireland in them if we could get all the pieces working,” said the Kerry man.
“We were poor against Monaghan last year – that was an awful sickener. But I knew we were good enough. I knew we’d the players – the likes of [Rory] Grugan, [Andy] Murnin, Rian O’Neill and Paddy Burns and [Aaron] McKay and Connaire Mackin comes in and hadn’t played much at all. Jarly Og came in as well… When you’re around groups for as long as I have I knew the players were there.”
