Irish Daily Star - Inside Sport
McENIFF: IT TOOK A BIT OUT OF ME
This was always going to be a hugely significant year in the life of Brian McEniff. It would mark 50 years since he was playermanager as Donegal won their first ever Ulster title. He also became an All Star in that 1972 season. It would mark 30 years since McEniff led Donegal to Sam Maguire for the first time. And, for good measure, he would turn 80 in December. But, as things turned out, he feels blessed to have made it to 2022 at all.
Table
“Shortly before Christmas, I had a heart attack at home in Bundoran. Went to Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry, was put on a table and stented straightaway,’’ said McEniff. “The following day, I was moved to Sligo Hospital. Didn’t mind Sligo as I have two daughters there. I was lucky. “Mentally, it took a bit out of me. Physically, I feel alright now.” Even though he’s starting his 80th year, McEniff is still very much involved in GAA. He writes a weekly column on football for the Donegal Democrat, and is immersed in his club — talking about the impact of declining numbers and emigration. Emigration was always a huge part of the Donegal football story. If players like Tommy McDermott, Michael Hegarty and Leslie McGettigan hadn’t left, the big breakthrough might have come in the 1980s, rather than the ’90s. Former Mayo player Padraig Brogan had come into the Donegal squad but never gelled and McEniff was looking for another midfield solution. He knew how good Barry Cunningham was from his days with Killybegs and made it his mission to get him back from New York. Cunningham ended up coming on in the second half in the All-Ireland final against Dublin and made a significant impact. So the fact that the likes of Cunningham’s cousin, John, and John-Joe Doherty were in Paris didn’t mean McEniff had forgotten about them. “I would always have kept them in mind, always kept in touch,’’ he said.
Abroad
“Things often crop up and you try and find a way. Barry came home. Tommy Ryan came back too. He was working abroad and I phoned him and got him to agree to return. “I’d great admiration for John. He’d have made a great captain. He lacked one thing — pace. With John-Joe, I had gone to Glenties to watch Glen play Dungloe in the championship. He was outstanding. “So we decided to put him in against Dublin, out of position at righthalf-back, but John-Joe could play anywhere.”