Bonner ready to upset the odds again

Bonner arched over the 18th point in Donegal's 0-18 to 0-14 win over Dublin 22 years ago. Bonner was sprawled out on the floor when referee Tommy Sugrue called for the ball and quickly swarmed by the delirious masses.

Like then, Donegal are the underdogs against Dublin in Sunday's minor and senior semi-finals, but Bonner doesn't entertain the possibility of losing. It was the way in '92.

"We were given no hope, but the word 'defeat' was never mentioned in our group," he says.

"The consensus was that all Dublin had to do was turn up. We never entertained the possibility that we might lose. Brian (McEniff) never let any negative vibes creep under our door. When we won, it was what we expected.

"People say that going to play Dublin in Croke Park means we're at a disadvantage. To me, that's an excuse. There won't be any excuses for us."

Bar the hamstrung Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Bonner will shuffle a full deck on Sunday. Stephen McBrearty and Conor Doherty have overcome hamstring and ankle injuries while the manager's son, Christian, will be in the squad despite a recent bout of tonsillitis.

From rural Lettermacaward, Bonner returned to county management when he took hold of the Donegal Under-16s. They won the Buncrana Cup (Ulster Under-16) and success followed in the Jim McGuigan Cup (Ulster Under-17) last year.

They are unbeaten in three years of Championship action and have already won an Ulster Minor League and Championship double.

This has been a long-term project, one he says started 'by accident' one night in 2011 he went to help Paddy Hegarty oversee a south Donegal development squad.

"Anyone could get the job of managing the Donegal minors, but I felt that it needed to build from early on," he says. "I looked at the time what Dessie Farrell was doing in Dublin, the continuity he had, and it was something we needed in Donegal.

"All I was listening to was excuses. People were coming up saying 'the colleges in Donegal aren't good enough', 'Derry and Tyrone are so far ahead of us', 'we just don't have the resources'. If you keep putting excuses in the way then you won't have success."

He recalls his first trial game being 'disjointed' in the winter of 2011, but now he stands on the threshold of history. Appointed on his 32nd birthday, Bonner had three years as the Donegal senior manager (1997-99) and was inches from delivering an Ulster title in 1998.

Spells as manager of Gaoth Dobhair, Dungloe and his own Na Rossa followed. He delivered wherever he went. He remains as the Na Rossa manager now and is the club chairman.

He says: "It's just there and it's in the damn blood. Being half mad helps along the way.

"I've really enjoyed working this group. It has been very gratifying seeing the lads grow into men and develop as footballers. Every one of them has improved and will be ready to make the next step."