Ahead of Sunday's All-Ireland final between Donegal and Kerry, we're looking back at our favourite players from both counties and the Donegal man we've chosen is Jim McGuinness...
Jim McGuinness is one of the most iconic figures in modern day GAA thanks to his exploits as Donegal manager, but he was also a hell of a player. The scraggy-haired man from the Glenties was a midfield dynamo who had a huge presence in the Donegal side in the '90s and early 2000s.
Jim won one Ulster title and one All-Ireland as a player, is a cult hero in the county and we're big fans as well so here's a look at six reasons we love Jim McGuinness.
As a young man, he looked like Jesus...
He won Sigerson Cup twice with IT Tralee in '98 and '99 but did a Van Wilder and went back to college in UUJ in 2001 where he won the competition again.
He was part of the Donegal squad that won the county's first ever All-Ireland title. He started on the bench against Dublin in 1992 but came on in the second half. It was one of the most exciting and emotional finals in living memory...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcNTpMsFeO0
He took over an underachieving Donegal side and turned them into All-Ireland champions, it was a hell of a turn around...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25U2CSmozMo
McGuinness is never shy to defend his players and will call out people in the media who he feels are making unfair comments about his side. Ask Pat Spillane...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WoiWa1mXl8
He is the inspiration for arguably the greatest GAA song of all time, we never tire of hearing this classic...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAjQrnImT_k
McGuinness is the inspiration behind that team and he'll need to be at his motivational best on Sunday when they take on Kerry at Croke Park, it should be a very interesting encounter.
Ahead of the big game, and because we love Donegal and Kerry equally, make sure to check out our
six reasons JOE loves Kerry football legend Maurice Fitzgerald too.
