Paddy McGrath hails ‘big improvement’ in Donegal’s performance level

written by Chris McNulty July 9, 2017

DONEGAL ARE TAKING something of an incremental route on their return to form, according to Paddy McGrath.

The corner-back was part of the Donegal team that was dumped out of Ulster by Tyrone in the provincial semi-final last month and as Rory Gallagher’s team got back to winning ways with a somewhat uninspiring 0-12 to 0-7 victory over Longford in Round 2A of the qualifiers.

Photo caption: Donegal captain Paddy McGrath breaks the tackle of Meath’s Donal Keogan during Saturday’s Round 3A qualifier in Navan. Photo Evan Logan

Donegal, McGrath admits, still have a bit to go but there was certainly further improvement last evening in Navan, when Patrick McBrearty struck a dramatic injury-time winning point in a 1-15 to 1-14 success against Meath.

“There was a big step up and a big improvement from our performance from last week,” McGrath said. “It was a good, hard game – a good championship game and I’m sure the crowd enjoyed it. I’m very pleased with how the boys reacted.

“Credit to Patrick, what a great score. Fair play to him for putting it over the bar. He took it on and got his rewards. It’s good we have them options up front. Credit to them up front because it’s not easy for inside forwards nowadays.

Teams set up so defensive so forwards have to wait their turn and hold their shape.

“Getting into winning ways is what we wanted. That’s two good results after a bad defeat. We’re going to try and build on that in the next couple of weeks before we prepare and get the legs right.”

There was never more than two points between Donegal and Meath for the first hour until Ryan McHugh finally put daylight between the teams with a 61st minute goal. However, Meath got right back into the match almost instantly when Cillian O’Sullivan netted at the other end.

McGrath added: “It was scandalous that we conceded a goal right after getting a goal. That gave Meath a ticket right back into the game. The goal had just given us a wee bit of breathing space but conceding shouldn’t have happened. We’re just going to have to take the learning from that to the next game.”

With so many experienced faces in the Donegal camp having departed the scene over the winter, matches like the one in Navan will bring on the young crop, McGrath believes.

“The character of the young fellas, to keep up that pace, especially in that heat,£ he added. “The boys that came off the bench today again did the business and we needed that at that time. They raised the performance levels as well.”

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Chris McNulty

Author of 'Boxing In Donegal: A History (2021)' - the definitive history of the sport in County Donegal - and 'Relentless: A Race Through Time', the 2019 memoir of former Irish Athletics Team Manager Patsy McGonagle. From St Johnston and now based in Letterkenny, Chris was a nominee for NUJ Sports Journalist of the Year in 2010. Honoured by the Donegal Boxing Board in 2016 for his coverage on the sport.

Paddy McGrath hails ‘big improvement’ in Donegal’s performance level

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