By Michael McMullan

CIARÁN Thompson admits Kerry were the better team on All-Ireland final day, something Donegal have to make peace with and attempt to right the wrongs in 2026.

Losing the season’s biggest game was a double disappointment for the Naomh Conaill man who was forced off before half-time with a cruciate ligament injury.

With the operation behind him, recovery is the key word in Thompson’s vocabulary after having been an ever-present since coming into the Donegal squad.

“It’s been a difficult few months there,” Thompson said at Tuesday’s launch of the Dr McKenna Cup in Armagh.

“Going back into the club it takes your mind off it a bit and we won the championship there as well so that was a lift.

“Once you’re back now in pre-season it comes back again. It was a bad day at the office, but listen, 2026 brings new challenges now and I’m looking forward to the year ahead.”

It has still been a period to remember for Donegal with a return to Division One football, glory in Ulster and a run to the All-Ireland final.

It sent the county into a frenzy of excitement but from the moment Dylan Geaney kicked the Kingdom ahead in the first minute of the final, the Ulster champions were playing catch-up.

“When you’re looking back, you still have to look at it as a positive year for Donegal, winning back-to-back Ulster Championships, coming through some really tight games that we might not have come through in the last couple of years.

“I suppose on the day, Kerry were a better team and you just have to make peace with that and look forward now to next year and hopefully righting a few wrongs.”

Donegal will open their new season with a Dr McKenna Cup opener against neighbours Derry in Letterkenny’s O’Donnell Park on Sunday, January 4.

Thompson won’t be in the plans of manager Jim McGuinness until later on in the season but he is optimistic of a return.

“Only getting to play about 20 minutes in the All-Ireland final was hard to take,” he said.

“I took a few weeks after that and just got it sorted then at the end of August.

“I’m coming up to about four months. Everything’s going well, so I’m moving in the right track.

“I have a few targets to hit now over the next few months and I’ll hopefully be back around spring, summer time.

“You have small wee targets to hit maybe every couple of weeks. Small gains is all you’re looking for and that you’re on the right track.

“That’s all you can do; you have to stay dedicated to the rehab just and it’s all going well so far.”

Another player who will be missing is former skipper Patrick McBrearty after his decision to retire from inter-county action.

“He is definitely a major loss to us now,” Thompson said. “It’s so unfortunate for him having to bow out just with the injury but Patrick has been brilliant.

“He was captain there for the last couple of years and he does bring a serious leadership to the group.

“He’s just a phenomenal player, a big-match player. You can’t coach that either, he always turns up in the big moments so yeah, he’ll be a miss this year.”

“In those big moments, he doesn’t shy away from them,” Thompson added.

“He wants to get on the ball; he wants to make it happen and he has done that over the last 13 or 14 years with Donegal so it’s up to someone else now to fill those boots.

“It’s a conveyor belt there now and someone else has to step in and that’s just the challenges we’ll have ahead.”