Donegal GAA fans are furious over the scheduling of their county’s All-Ireland Senior Football Championship quarter-final this weekend.
Jim McGuinness’ men were drawn against Monaghan in the last eight and their clash will be the first quarter-final played this weekend, despite Donegal’s meeting with Louth being the last preliminary quarter-final last weekend.
The Donegal county board released a statement on Monday night highlighting that their senior footballers have played more games than any other county in this year’s Championship.
The statement read: 鈥淣o other county has played as many matches as Donegal in this year’s championship.
“To compound the physical and mental demands, those eight games have been played within an 11 week window. Match number nine comes this Saturday, less than 12 weeks after playing Derry in the Ulster Championship Preliminary round on April 6th.
“On that basis, we thought it wholly reasonable and fully justified to seek an extra day recovery time for our players this weekend.
“Coiste Chontae Dh煤n na nGall concludes that it is most regrettable, and very disappointing, that our request has been turned down. We feel the welfare of our players was not adequately considered in the decision making process.鈥
Furious fans have echoed those comments, with many taking to social media to voice their concerns.
One wrote: “So not only have Donegal had to play 8 games. (more than any team in the country because of 2 preliminary rounds) we also have to play the first Quarter final game, despite being the last game of the preliminary round.”
Another commented: “Six day turnaround for Donegal. This is so unfair. Donegal and Galway should both have been given Sunday matches.”
Someone else said: “Team with most games played gets the smallest turnaround? Where is the logic in that ??!!”
“What joke of a decision to put the Donegal game on the Saturday. Six day turnaround joke. Jim was right. It only will happen to us. There is a reason why we called the Forgotten County,” read another post.