http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUDZJC29l5c
Donegal manager Jim McGuinness and captain Michael Murphy refused to talk to TG4 after their victory over Cork on Sunday afternoon and we’ve a pretty good idea why.
McGuinness and Murphy were approached by the Irish language broadcaster to give post-match interviews after the four-point victory in Ballybofey but both declined, with reports suggesting it was because of a farcical interview conducted with McGuinness live on the station ahead of a NFL clash with Laois earlier in the season.
On that occasion, McGuinness was asked by presenter Micheál O Domhnaill to talk about Kevin Cassidy, who was dismissed from the panel in controversial circumstances late last year and had said on ‘Seo Spóirt’ on TG4 that he would not be returning to the Donegal squad.
On the surface, you wouldn’t think there was anything untoward going on – plenty of Donegal people and football folk in general would want to know whether there was any chance of Cassidy returning to the fold and it seemed a fair question on O Domhnaill’s part.
When you consider, however, that Cassidy was standing only a few feet away from McGuinness while the interview was being conducted – he was working as an analyst for TG4 on the day – you can understand why the Donegal boss felt a little awkward.
Fair play to O Domhnaill, he persisted with the line of questioning even though you could see Cassidy nervously shuffling his feet and looking at the ground during the course of the interview and McGuinness also grasped the ridiculousness of the whole situation when he raised a chuckle halfway through the conversation.
You might have guessed by now that Jim McGuinness is a man of principle, so unless there’s an apology of some sorts on TG4’s behalf, it could be a while before any Donegal representative willing to break the vow of silence with the station.
In any case, it’s worth having another look at the interview again in the video above, it really is cover your eyes with your hands material.
