Donegal's Jamie Brennan attended the Ulster launch of the Allianz Leagues. A nine-week festival of inter-county football and hurling gets underway on January 25th. The campaign will mark the 28th year of Allianz’ partnership with the GAA as sponsor of the Allianz Leagues, making it one of the longest-running sponsorships in Irish sport.
By Cian O’Connell
On the eve of the new Allianz Football League Jamie Brennan is excited about the possibilities which exist.
Delighted to return to Division One Brennan is hopeful Donegal can enjoy another productive campaign under Declan Bonner.
That the emerging players within the Donegal camp will be involved in high profile encounters in the coming months will help Championship preparations significantly according to Brennan.
“Definitely, we have a couple of injuries now that will miss out for a lot of the League,” Brennan says. “So we have players who got exposure in the McKenna Cup the likes of Peadar Mogan and Conor O'Donnell.
“Hopefully they will be looking to step up into the League and get players as much game time so that when they are called upon in the Championship they will be able to step up to the mark.”
A demanding start awaits Donegal, who host holders Mayo in Ballybofey under the Saturday night lights.
“The League is so competitive with eight of the top teams in Ireland,” Brennan states.
“You are looking to get points on the board as early as possible. We have Mayo, Meath, and Galway in the first three. You need to be picking points up so you avoid the dogfight when it comes to the end.”
Jamie Brennan, Donegal, and Tom O'Sullivan, Kerry, during a 2019 All Ireland Quarter-Final Group Phase encounter at Croke Park.
Following two hugely impressive Ulster title winning campaigns, Donegal have failed to qualify from their All Ireland Quarter-Final group.
“Looking back on it last year the focus early on in the year was getting out of Division Two to try to get back into Division One,” Brennan replies.
“Ultimately you want to be progressing, but that is two years where we haven't got past the quarter-final. Last year it was a bitter pill to swallow, you question then are you improving and what is going on, but on the day Mayo brought a bit of an edge.
“We just couldn't match that. I suppose from a performance point of view we couldn't get a performance as Mayo didn't allow us to play. There was plenty of learning which will help motivate us for 2020.”
Declan Bonner’s vast knowledge of young talent in Donegal is helpful with Brennan delighted to embrace the approach being implemented.
“He has had a lot of us at underage,” Brennan remarks. “Over the last couple of years he definitely has been giving us the freedom to play football.
“It is something he laid down very early on, that trust in the players to play football. He knows there is football in us and he is trying to get the most out of us.
“It is something that is encouraging, to let the shackles off a bit, where you aren't confined to systems and stuff.”
Jamie Brennan enjoys working under Donegal coach Stephen Rochford and manager Declan Bonner.
Much intrigue and debate surrounded Stephen Rochford’s addition to the Donegal set-up in 2019 with Brennan adamant it aided his game significantly.
“Definitely, he is a good hands on coach,” Brennan comments. “He is there to develop the player. I really like him because he makes you think from a different point of view, that it isn't all straightforward, black and white.
“You have different ways of getting around things. He has definitely helped, you have the likes of Karl Lacey too and Gary Boyle.
“They are all bouncing stuff off one another. Things are going well, hopefully we can push on to get to that next level in 2020.”
So it is precisely the mission Brennan wants to accomplish personally too. The Realt Na Mara clubman enjoyed so many productive moments throughout the spring and summer.
“I suppose that will be the test now to see if I can maintain and play at that level,” Brennan admits. The Super 8s didn't go ideally for me, but that is some learnings I will take on for the next couple of years.
“You have to be in them situations to learn. You see the likes of Michael (Murphy) and Ryan (McHugh), they are getting plenty of attention all of the time, trying to make space for other players and getting other players involved.”
Brennan is eager to develop further.
