"If I Don't Say It, Who's Going To Say It": Jim McGuinness Lashes Out At GAA For 'Unfair' Decision

Jim McGuinness' Donegal booked their place in the Sam Maguire knockout stages on Sunday afternoon, beating Mayo by the bare minimum to cement a second-place spot in Group 1.

While their 0-19 to 1-15 defeat of Mayo means Donegal will now enjoy a home preliminary quarterfinal back in Ballybofey next weekend, McGuinness was less than pleased with the journey to Roscommon, his side and fans were asked to undertake for Sunday's Round Robin clash.

Ultimately, it was an annoyance that had little bearing on the final result. Donegal were by far the quicker of the two sides to start, and against a strong gale carried a strong three-point lead down the Dr. Hyde Park tunnel at the interval.

They were forced to endure a much better second half from their Connacht opponents, which culminated in a 69th-minute leveller that would have saved their season. Resolute as ever, however, Donegal, only needing the draw and boasting the ball after the hooter, fearlessly returned to the other end and kicked a final winning point.

What drama! Donegal break Mayo hearts after the hooter - Cavan come third, the Green and Red are finished for 2025

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Speaking to the media after Sunday's game, however, Donegal boss McGuinness was livid with the disparity in travel his side had to undertake compared to Mayo, claiming no other county would be subjected to it.

"We don't believe we should've been here today either. We think it was very unfair to bring us here, it was the equivalent of bringing Mayo to Omagh," bemoaned McGuinness.

We also put in an email to the CCCC to say we couldn't get a hotel in the area so we had to stay in Athlone. It was the equivalent of Mayo going to play us in Omagh and staying in Derry.

I don't believe that would happen, I think that would only happen because it was us. We made a case, and we made the case early, but it was on deaf ears.

Launching a defence of the Donegal faithful, McGuinness explained that his team had put in objections a month ago, yet nothing was changed - changes he claims 'happen for all the other teams'.

I don't like the fact that are supporters are always been taken advantage of. Breffni was an option, they're gonna say it wasn't. I know that Clones was offered, and that was rescinded.

All you're looking for is fairness, and the middle is fair.

Everybody had a fair shake this weekend, and if you look at the two counties and you look at the geographical position, all the games were fair. This wasn't a fair one.

You're 38 minutes from Mayo's training ground, we're three and a half hours from Inishowen. It's not fair and if I don't say it, who's going to say it.

McGuinness's men will now at least have a single game at home, with his men set to welcome either Cork, Galway, or Louth to the North West of Ulster for a preliminary quarter-final next Saturday or Sunday.

Their opponent will be confirmed when the draw takes place after Monday morning's 8:30 am news on RTÉ Radio 1.