GAA disciplinary officials are awaiting the referee’s report from Saturday’s Ulster SFC final but it is expected video evidence will be examined following the brawl at the end of the provincial showdown in Clones.
In the immediate aftermath of the hooter at St Tiernach’s Park, members of the Armagh bench appeared to be annoyed by some of the Donegal celebrations and reacted by racing on to the pitch.
As several players and backroom team members dashed towards the flashpoint, the situation was exacerbated by the presence of fans pouring down from the stand and terraces.
Given the video clips that circulated online over the weekend, disciplinary measures would seem likely.
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When asked about his perspective on the row at the end of the game, Donegal manager Jim McGuinness said: “I don’t have a perspective on that, it’s not nice to see. It shouldn’t happen. I was giving my daughter a hug at the time. I didn’t see what happened, but no, it shouldn’t be in the game.”
Kieran McGeeney could be able to call upon Rian O’Neill for their Sam Maguire defence after the All Star arrived to St Tiernach’s Park on the Armagh team bus at the weekend.
O’Neill has not featured all year and it seemed the Crossmaglen player would not feature at all for Armagh in 2025, but he has now returned to the set-up.
“He’s joined us today so we’ll see how the next couple of weeks go,” declared McGeeney.
Armagh led for the first time last Saturday in the early stages of extra-time but McGuinness believes Donegal’s resilience to turn the game around again came from preparation.
“For me, that’s where your training comes in,” he stated. “That’s every night, it’s everything you do. It’s everything you do away from the training. All of those moments are going to come to the surface at some stage.
“‘We’ve a lot of work done, lads. We can’t let this slip because we’ve been so dedicated to this thing for the last number of months.’ I’m sure Armagh were saying exactly the same thing but these are the conversations you have to find with yourself because you have to find something.”
The upshot of it all is that Donegal will compete in a group alongside Mayo, Tyrone, and Cavan.
Armagh will again be in a group with Galway, while Dublin and Derry ensure the reigning All-Ireland champions must compete in the Group of Death.
“As far as I know, we’ve been in the Group of Death for the last three years, so what’s new?” stated McGeeney.
“It’s a tough one, Derry are playing well by all accounts in challenge games. And Dublin are Dublin. Galway are probably one of the best teams in the country at the minute, but there’s no easy ones left.”
The focus moves to the Sam Maguire now for both Donegal and Armagh.
“It’s always tough when you get beat, so what do you do?” asked McGeeney afterwards.
“That’s part and parcel of sport, you just have to keep going.”
