IT’S HARD to believe that’s it’s just over four years since Donegal went daft in the dizzying buzz of the All-Ireland win in 2012 – but how the landscape has changed since.
The above picture shows Donegal celebrating with Sam Maguire on the pitch at Croke Park after their win over Mayo in the final.
A total of 40 men, players and backroom team members, are pictured.
Of that number, only eleven of them will be involved with the Donegal senior football panel in 2017.
[adrotate group=”46″]Yesterday’s confirmation that Rory Kavanagh, Christy Toye and David Walsh see another three All-Ireland winners depart the stage.
Donegal will also be without Leo McLoone, Odhrán Mac Niallas and Anthony Thompson this year, while Colm McFadden and Eamon McGee had already retired in the wake of last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final loss to Dublin.
From the 19 players that featured for Donegal in the 2-11 to 0-13 win over Mayo in the 2012 final, less than half remain in the current panel.
Paul Durcan and Ryan Bradley have not played for the county since 2015 and 2013 respectively and both live in the Middle East.
[adrotate group=”53″]Eamon McGee, Rory Kavanagh, Colm McFadden and substitutes Christy Toye and David Walsh have retired since August.
Paddy McGrath, Neil McGee, Karl Lacey, Frank McGlynn, Neil Gallagher, Mark McHugh, Michael Murphy, Patrick McBrearty and Martin McElhinney are still available for selection.
The other two pictured who are part of the panel for 2017 are Michael Boyle and Martin O’Reilly.
Players Peter Witherow, Kevin Rafferty, Barry Dunnion, Marty Boyle, Antoin McFadden, Gary McFadden, Thomas McKinley, Peter McGee, Adrian Hanlon, Declan Walsh, Daniel McLaughlin, Stephen Griffin and Dermot Molloy have since departed, while backroom members Eugene Eivers, Pat Shovelin, Adam Speer, Dr Charlie McManus, Joe McCloskey, JD McGrenra and Dermot Simpson have also been and gone.
