As the debate around the venue for the Dublin and Donegal Super 8s match rages in the background, Donegal captain Michael Murphy spoke to Will O’Callaghan moments before teeing off in this year's Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Pro-am in Ballyliffin.
The 2012 All Ireland winner discussed his team’s involvement in the Super 8s, having won the Ulster Championship by beating Fermanagh in the provincial decider.
"It has been quite positive after the disappointment of the National league," he said.
"I suppose getting relegated, we’ve really picked things up and it’s fantastic for the young lads to experience an Ulster Championship. And for all the other lads to feel it after a number of years out, looking forward to getting into the Super 8s now and getting stuck into it.
"It’s a new concept. It’s a new tournament the Super 8s. I suppose there’s going to be things ironed out over the year and the coming years. Like anything that’s new, there’s always improvements that can be made to it. As I saw the way the hurling one ran off, it was fantastic. There were really close games and big crowds there.
"So I think the Super 8s in football can really run off just as well and we’re looking forward as a team to be one of the Super 8s competing in it.
On the venue issue which was raised by Donegal manager Declan Bonner in an interview with Off The Ball last week, Murphy offered his view.
"The first group of games as far as I’m aware are Croke Park games, so that’s set in stone. That’s been passed," he said.
"I think it’s just the games thereafter which I suppose everyone is trying to wonder and get their head around. I think as the weeks pass, it will iron out and as the year passes they’ll look at ways of improving and tweaking it.
"But at the moment, as a group of players were delighted to get stuck into it and that’s what we’ll do. We have one game in Dublin and depending on how the results go this weekend we’ll know thereafter."
Stephen Kierans
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