FORMER DONEGAL captain Kevin Cassidy, dropped from this year’s panel by manager Jim McGuinness for comments in a book, has expressed a lack of regret ahead of his county’s All-Ireland semi-final against Cork on Sunday.
Cassidy was one of a several inter-county players who contributed to Declan Bogue’s book This is our Year, which revealed life from inside the Donegal camp.
Despite crucial contributions throughout the 2011 championship, including vital points against Tyrone and Kildare that earned Cassidy a second All Star award, McGuinness felt revealing inside information about Donegal warranted dismissal last November.
"No I don't [regret it], things happen," Cassidy told Hoganstand.com. "I made a decision to help Declan out with the book, I did it. There are bigger things in life than football at the end of the day. Whether Donegal won one All-Ireland or 10 All-Irelands you are still working on a Monday morning, there is still family on a Monday morning and that's the most important thing."
Cassidy is playing for the Donegal club in Boston this summer alongside Westmeath’s Dessie Dolan and said he was comfortable with the way his county career finished.
“I had it straight in my head before I went,” he continued. “I knew they were probably going to win an Ulster title. I had to put the question to myself – if they went the whole way, would I be comfortable with it?
“It was a decision I had to make for my family. We are out here having a great summer. I have no regrets. I hope to see Donegal in the final. I’ll be back for it hopefully.
“When I make a decision I stick by it. I’m a great believer what’s for you, won’t go past you. If Donegal go on to win an All-Ireland fair play to them they are going to do it the hard way.”
Cassidy also confirmed he would not play for Donegal again. “My [inter-county] playing days are over. There are plenty of other good players come through in Donegal who never won anything same as myself. We have to pass it on to the generation that is there. All the best to them.”
He went on to compare Donegal’s approach to Cork in that both are powerful, hard running teams.
“Jim McGuinness’s style is probably modelled a wee bit on Cork; big physical men and they are able to run, athletic as well.
“[Donegal] have a chance without a doubt, we have to give them credit to where they got to this year, back-to-back Ulster titles, beating Kerry and back in the All-Ireland semi-finals.
“Nobody is silly, Cork are favourites for the All-Ireland but we have seen favourites beaten before. It’s going to be a tough ask but, without a doubt, our boys are going to be up for it. It’s easy for me to say this here but I’d say whoever wins between Cork and Donegal is going to win the All-Ireland.”
