NATHAN MULLINS ADMITS he’s “loving” his time in a Donegal jersey and cannot wait for the Allianz League to start this weekend.
The 28-year-old was named as man of the match in Saturday’s 0-20 to 1-10 Dr McKenna Cup semi-final win over Armagh at Celtic Park in Derry, where he kicked two points.
Mullins’ appearances in a Donegal jersey thus far have been impressive and his presence will go a long way to filling the void at midfield for Declan Bonner’s new-look team.
“I’m loving it,” he said in the chill of Celtic Park on Saturday. “I love every moment of it. I’m delighted and everything is going great. Ulster football is very tough but that’s what I signed up to and I love a good challenge. I love the atmosphere and the rivalry between the counties.
“I want to play as much football as I can and train with the team as much as I can before the League. It’s going to be a lot tougher. The games are coming thick and fast but that’s what you got to do as a footballer. Just try and get as much games as I can under my belt.”
Donegal open their Allianz League Division 1 campaign with a daunting fixture against last year’s winners, Kerry, at Fitzgerald Stadium in Killaney.
It marks the latest in a whistle-stop few months for Mullins, who helped Marino club St Vincent’s to a fourth Dublin county championship in four seasons, before their surprise Leinster exit at the hands of Rathnew from Wicklow.
That was when Declan Bonner, who has been appointed for a second spell as Donegal manager, made contact. Mullins father Brian was a decorated footballer, who won four All-Ireland titles and nine provincial crowns.
The Donegal connection comes with the fact Brian was principal of Carnadonagh Community School, while Nathan’s first club was Carndonagh.
In 2010, Nathan Mullins was part of the Dublin panel that defeated Donegal at Breffni Park in Cavan to win the All-Ireland Under-21 Championship, whilst 12 months later he was part of Jim McGuinness’s Donegal side that opened their Ulster defence with victory over Antrim at MacCumhaill Park.
“I played underage with Donegal and Declan was in touch after the championship with Vincent’s, Mullins added. “There was always a bit of a connection.
“That ended sooner than I would have liked but I just kept my head down and got stuck into the next challenge.”
Mullins is one of 10 Dublin-based Donegal panellists, who are under the watchful eye of one of Bonner’s selectors, Eugene Eivers, in the capital.
A goal on his first Donegal senior appearance against Queen’s University instantly made Mullins something of a favourite among Donegal’s supporters and his good form has continued.
“I’m delighted and everything is going well,” he added. “I would’ve liked to have taken the win against Fermanagh but we can take learning from that.
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“I’m happy out and looking forward to next week. The lads have all been very welcoming and so has Declan so I’ve had no issues at all settling in.
“I’m just trying to work hard on the training ground and do my best to get in the team. It’s all about hard work and the team ethic. I’m trying to prove myself at this level.
“Everyone knows how difficult Dublin club championship can be but I’m just trying to prove myself now at this level. I can’t wait for Kerry.”
