Patrick McBrearty is the golden thread running through the Jim McGuinness era

Donegal Captain was instrumental in persuading the manager to come back after 10 years, effectively ‘doorstepping’ him, he says

Donegal's Patrick McBrearty in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship semi-final between Meath and Donegal at Croke Park on July 13th. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho
Donegal's Patrick McBrearty in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship semi-final between Meath and Donegal at Croke Park on July 13th. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho

From the first championship match in May 2011, coming on as a second-half replacement the day after he had scored 1-3 for the minors, up to the All-Ireland semi-final the week before last when, again off the bench, he kicked 0-3 from play against Meath, Donegal captain Patrick McBrearty has been the one constant thread running through the Jim McGuinness era.

“He’s 17 years of age but he’s very strong – 14 stone and six foot one and very, very fast. So, from the point of view of the physical stakes we weren’t taking a chance with him. He’s a lot stronger than some of the players we have at the moment,” was the manager’s verdict on his teenaged debutant.

It was the right time to be breaking through on to the county team and a year later McBrearty was marching behind the band before the 2012 All-Ireland final, which ended with a medal for him and his team-mates.

Aside from social media, which he believes is now so pervasive it needs to be avoided in the lead-up to a big match, the main difference is that he now captains the side.

“You have to know everything involved with the game plan whereas as a 19-year-old or as one of the young lads in the squad you were just focusing on your own role.

“Now you are thinking, ‘What is the goalkeeper doing? Why is he doing that? Why are the defenders doing this and that?’ It is probably just experience. It is probably the same in every squad - the–older players probably think about things far more than they should.”

Captaincy was conferred after the subdued championship of 2022 at the end of which Michael Murphy, the All-Ireland winning captain now returned to the fold, walked away. It was recognition of McBrearty’s seniority but no time to be getting made captain.

Donegal's Patrick McBrearty and Michael Murphy celebrate with the Ulster trophy on May 10th. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho
Donegal's Patrick McBrearty and Michael Murphy celebrate with the Ulster trophy on May 10th. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho

After 2023 had turned out worse, he and a couple of other senior players took an initiative that directly led to him becoming Donegal’s most decorated player, with an All-Ireland and seven Ulster medals.

They effectively doorstepped McGuinness in Creeslough with a view to enticing him back into management, 10 years after he had left to pursue a coaching career in professional soccer.

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“[We] didn’t really know what to expect, to be honest. We knew Jim was either going to welcome us with two arms or there was going to be another response. When you doorstep someone ... if it was me, I probably would have told him to clear.

“We hadn’t seen each other in a long time. We had a good chat about things, obviously where Donegal football was at and stuff but he never said ‘no’, basically, which kept the thing alive.

“Obviously if he said no, that would have been fine. It wasn’t just one conversation, there was a few conversations obviously and kept the pressure on. Thankfully he did come back, because God knows where the whole thing would be at, at the minute, if he didn’t decide to come back.”

The earnestness of the approach triggered something in McGuinness, as he later explained.

“That did pull at the heartstrings. There was a desire to change things and climb the ladder again and make things different. That emotional part was important. Then a few days later there was contact with the whole squad so that was a big part of it. At the end of the day, it’s your own county.”

So, here we are. McBrearty has captained a second Ulster-winning team and they are now look forward to an All-Ireland final. He has noticed changes in the management, reflecting McGuinness’s varied experiences in the past 10 years.

Donegal manager Jim McGuinness. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho
Donegal manager Jim McGuinness. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho

“When you have so many Uefa coaching badges under your belt, obviously that’s going to be very, very valuable out in the pitch every night ...

“The amount of analysis we go through, both yourself and the opposition, but you’re going to be in the best physical shape you can be. There’s no cutting corners with him. He’s lifted standards across the board within the whole county, so it’s great to have him back.”

Having started all of the matches in Ulster, McBrearty has had to be satisfied with a place on the bench for all of the All-Ireland matches, except the one against Cavan. He is the captain, though, and keen to see the rationale behind it all.

“I think every player wants to start but obviously you’ve got to see the bigger picture. Worked well for Armagh last year [with] Stefan Campbell. There’s massive, massive competition for places. I’m up against Oisín [Gallen], Michael [Murphy] and Conor O’Donnell. It’s tough for positions there at the minute. I know my role. I have my role when I come in.”

The spectator’s vantage point isn’t entirely pointless.

“I don’t probably warm up as much as I should because I’m worried about what Shaun [Patton] might be doing in the kick-outs or what way we’re pressing the opposition’s kick-outs or why is their defensive shape this way.

“You’re trying as a forward to see if we can switch the play this way, are we going to get in the far side or what’s working? Obviously, studying the game like that can reap benefits as well.”

Like all good forwards, nothing goes to waste.

Seán Moran

Seán Moran

Seán Moran is GAA Correspondent of The Irish Times