Mervyn O’Donnell believes his Gaoth Dobhair side needed to overcome the ‘hangover’ of 2019 and the lengthy break mightn’t have been the worst thing that happened.

The team from Magheragallon were both Donegal and Ulster champions in 2018 and had a fine season last year, only to lose their domestic crown to Naomh Conaill in the SFC final second replay on a 0-8 to 0-7 scoreline.

That loss left the team from the west of the county weary but the lengthy break because of the CoVid-19 pandemic means they only got back into action this evening – nine months later.

A 4-15 to 0-7 win over Cloughaneely was a fine start and here’s what the Gaoth Dobhair manager made of it .