An accredited reporter was asked to leave Donegal's post-match briefing. GAVIN CUMMISKEYgets the views of the GAA's communications department

THE GAA communications department yesterday explained why an accredited reporter was asked to leave Donegal’s post-match press conference last Sunday.

Donegal’s All-Ireland-winning manager Jim McGuinness refused to speak on the record until Belfast Telegraph journalist Declan Bogue left the room.

After being informed of this by a GAA official, Bogue departed.

“Jim McGuinness, like all the other people involved in our games, are amateur sports people,” said GAA communications manager Alan Milton. “They are not under contract or obliged to speak to anyone they do not wish to speak to.”

Asked if this has set a precedent, Milton replied: “We’ll look into what happened but the basic principle of the matter remains the same regardless of what stance or protocol we take.

“We are facilitators on the day between professional journalists and non-professional sports people. We are grateful for both players and managers for their utmost co-operation on 99 per cent of occasions – win, lose or draw. Yesterday was a very rare event post-match where a stance was taken by an individual. While it wasn’t ideal from our perspective he is entirely entitled to take the stance he took.”

McGuinness’ issue with Bogue dates back to the journalist’s 2011 book, This Is Our Year, and specifically the section with former Donegal captain and All Star Kevin Cassidy.

Cassidy’s comments subsequently led to his removal from the panel by McGuinness. Cassidy recently stated that McGuinness offered him an opportunity to return before the championship commenced but he declined, instead playing football in America this summer.

The Donegal manager was unwilling to speak with Bogue present on Sunday but no issue was made about his presence at previous championship matches this season. McGuinness added yesterday: “It’s done and dusted. I made my points at the press conference and that’s all I’m going to say about it.”

He stated Sunday that the “untruths” in the book led to an “all-out attack for a couple of months on my character”. He also alluded to another journalist writing an “absolutely vile” piece based on these “falsehoods”.

McGuinness did not reveal anything specific about these “falsehoods” or “untruths”.

On the dropping of Cassidy, McGuinness did add: “The bottom line was we had a squad and group ethics, everybody was conforming to that. You have to manage situations as you see them and that was the way it unfolded. The boys are very focused, everybody knew the ground rules, everybody worked towards them and everybody knew the situation when it unfolded. The boys themselves hadn’t got a problem with it because they knew themselves. We had talked about things, discussed things and worked through things.

“When it happened it was very, very disappointing. But these things happen. Something might happen again next year, that’s all part of the process. It’s never straightforward, there are backward steps and forward steps. You just have to manage it and deal with it and stay true to your own values. Everything that went on around that was based on team goals, team ethic and the unit.

“The team is number one, nothing, including the manager, can get in the way of the team. That is very important and when you lose that then the whole thing can disintegrate very quickly.”

McGuinness was also asked if he ever doubted his decision? “No, myself as manager and the players themselves as well knew the ground rules.”