A cloud has been hanging over Donegal football this past while. If a weather report was to follow, it would be described as a 'nimbostratus', with heavy rain and much gloom the outcome.
Shortly after the county exited last year's championship at the hands of Armagh, the talismanic Michael Murphy called time on what was a stellar inter-county career. A 16-year sojourn in the green and gold, the highlight being that All-Ireland win in 2012.
Manager Declan Bonner also decided it was time to move on. A new era of sorts was about to begin and with Karl Lacey heading up an academy that had many admirers, Donegal folk had reasons to be optimistic about the future.
But then came the long, drawn-out process to find Bonner's successor.
Lacey, Rory Kavanagh and Jim McGuinness was a 'dream ticket' that never came to pass. The truth is the trio never went for the job.
Close to 100 days after the loss to Armagh, Paddy Carr was the chosen one. In time, Armagh's Aidan O'Rourke and Derry native Paddy Bradley would join the management set-up.
When competitive action returned, Patrick McBrearty stepped up at the death to kick the winning point against Kerry in the opening round of the league. Something to celebrate, yet the only thing to celebrate.
An Ulster title win in 2019 was the last time Donegal fans could really enjoy the thrill. A year later, despite being warm favourites, they couldn't contain Cavan's late surge and were dethroned. 2021 and '22 had fleeting moments to savour. So far in 2023, Donegal have been enmeshed in a whirlwind of negativity.
At the start of February, McBrearty got injured against Tyrone. The hope is he'll be back for the All-Ireland round-robin phase. Shane O'Donnell, Niall O’Donnell, Aaron Doherty and the injured Ryan McHugh are also not available, with the latter recently confirming that a work opportunity abroad will not see him involved at any stage of the championship.
Aside from a draw at home to Galway, performances on the pitch nosedived after the win over Kerry. And then came the news that Karl Lacey had quit his academy role after a fallout with the county board. A host of coaches subsequently standing down in solidarity with him.
A review into the running of GAA in Donegal is now being carried out by Croke Park and the Ulster Council. GAA director general Tom Ryan is overseeing it and the findings are expected to be published at the end of May. Somewhat embarrassing for all the stakeholders in Tír Chonaill.
Also uncomfortable was watching Donegal's meek submission against Mayo in the penultimate round of the league. Relegation now a near certainty. And then on the afternoon of the 22 March came the news that Paddy Carr has stepped down as manager after only five months in charge. Eoghan Bán Gallagher, Hugh McFadden and McBrearty met with Carr just before his departure.
"I want nothing more than the best for Donegal and that will never change," said the departing manager.
O'Rourke and Bradley then took over for the final league game against Roscommon and will remain in charge for now. Donegal's participation in Division 2 of the league for 2024 was confirmed after defeat to the Rossies. That was four weeks ago. And now it's the championship and a date with Down in the Ulster quarter-final this afternoon.
It's a Down team that seems to have found a new lease of life under Conor Laverty, and only narrowly missed out on promotion to Division 2 for next season. Some are expecting a shock of sorts at Páirc Esler.
Former Donegal star Brendan Devenney isn't overly focused on what the final result will be today; naturally he wants Donegal to win, but instead is keen to see what "shape and structure" will be put in place by O'Rourke and Bradley.
"After all the upheaval, all the turmoil, all the stuff with the academy, the team have had a month to prepare for the game," he told RTÉ Sport.
"We were the second-lowest scorers in the league, only Waterford were worse than us. When you look at the depletion in our forward ranks, I suppose it's no surprise that we've been toothless up front. I just want to see what shape and structure will be there against Down."
Devenney feels a certain pragmatism will have to be on view in Newry.
"I don't like defensive football; I don't like the way Derry play the game, but we were way too open for most of the games in the league," he added.
"Mayo and then Roscommon in the last round really cut us open. I don't think we have the personnel at present that can do the man-to-man defending that is required so we just have to be smarter when we have the ball.
"We really miss the likes of Neil McGee. We can't be gung-ho against Down, and they won't be either. I'm not expecting the thriller that Tyrone and Monaghan gave us, so scores could be at a premium." (Donegal averaged ten points a game across the league)
"I'm hoping that Donegal are disciplined throughout against a side that also have a few injury concerns to deal with (Caolan Mooney and Barry O’Hagan are notable absentees); a side that could have made it to Division 2 next year.
"That doesn't mean that both of us are on a par, it could be the case after Sunday, but I just hope that the month's preparation since the end of the league is enough to restore confidence levels and have us more than just being competitive against Down."
New names like Mark Curran, Caolan McColgan, Luke McGlynn, Johnny McGroddy, Joel Bradley Walsh John Ross Molloy and Kieran Tobin have seen game time over the league, a few names there that "can give sparks of life to help a forward division that has had lot of good parts taken away," says Devenney.
The absence of Oisin Gallen and Peadar Mogan on Sunday further diminishes Donegal up front. It's not a surprise that their return so far has been paltry.
Devenney, while accepting that "Donegal have reached the lowest point ever" is not without hope that things can improve.
"In time the stuff with the academy and the county board, it will be sorted out. The players have taken a stand, Paddy Carr leaving was player-driven, a good man. The group has to deliver now; they have to potential to deliver, a storm has been blowing but a win on Sunday would calm things down. It's how they go about, that's what will interest me."
For O'Rourke and Bradley, it's a test of their managerial acumen, to give supporters another thrill. Donegal will hope to be involved in at least five more championship games this year.
It's 20 years since Brian McEniff, during his last spell in charge, guided the county to an All-Ireland semi-final. In 2003, McEniff took over a team that nobody wanted to manage; a county not as beleaguered as they are now, but still shorn of confidence. With every passing game that followed after their Ulster exit, the Bundoran maestro got a tune out of them. It ended when Armagh edged them out in that memorable semi-final.
Some inspiration then for the current management to work towards in what could be an unpredictable few months ahead. Trying to banish the dark clouds starts now.
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