Donegal club claims they couldn’t have won county championship without Jim McGuinness

"We can’t let this night pass without mentioning him."

Naomh Conaill manager Martin Regan has credited former Donegal manager Jim McGuinness with helping his side win the Donegal senior championship. McGuinness, a former player and manager of the club, had been helping out over the past three weeks in the lead-up to their final against St Eunan's. The county legend was not able to attend the homecoming celebrations as he now lives in Creeslough, where 10 people tragically lost their lives following an explosion at a service station just two weeks ago. “Thanks to the backroom team, everyone has played their part these last few years,” Regan told Donegal Live. “There’s a man who is not with us tonight. He brought us to the next level and he’s had a tough week and that’s Jim McGuinness.

“Jim came on board with us there in the last three weeks and he was needed in Creeslough since. The level that Jim brought these lads to, we would not have won this championship without Jim in place. "We can’t let this night pass without mentioning him and what he's done with us these last few weeks.”

The 2012 All-Ireland winning manager hasn't officially been involved in Gaelic football since he stepped away from the Donegal job in 2014. Since then, he has put most of his coaching focus on the sport of soccer, but has been consistently linked with a return to the GAA. Donegal's inter-county team is still without a manager following the departure of Declan Bonner last summer, and although McGuinness' name will never be far away from the rumour mill, it's actually the man in charge of St Eunan's who is favourite to get the job. Rory Kavanagh, who was midfield for the county when they last picked up the Sam Maguire, looks set to be named as the new man in charge, with the announcement expected to be released later this week. Related links.

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