Donegal will face Kerry in the All-Ireland Senior Football Final next Sunday, 27th of July, at 3:30pm in Croke Park.
For Jim McGuinness, it will be his third time taking charge of his county in an All-Ireland Senior decider as his side brought Sam Maguire to the hills in 2012 after defeating Mayo and were beaten by Kerry in the 2014 final.
Indeed, McGuinness has his fingerprints on every occasion Donegal have ever stepped out on All-Ireland Final Day – he was involved as a player back when the county won a maiden title in 1992.
The Glenties man, a teenager at the time, watched from the side-lines as Brian McEniff’s team defeated Dublin 0-18 to 0-14.
While he didn’t play a part in the final, McGuinness was part of the panel and featured in earlier games that year so there may be no better man to grasp the importance of the occasion for the people of Tir Chonaill.
Speaking to Highland’s Oisin Kelly in the lead up to the big game, Jim said “we’re very conscious that the people of Donegal are with us”…
