Eamon McGee: ‘It’s not going to be a nice few weeks’

SELDOM HAS THERE been such a downbeat sense in being one of the top four sides in the country in the month of April.

But with Donegal losing yesterday afternoon 1-10 to 1-9 against a Monaghan side they led by seven points at a stage, it was a fourth reversal on the bounce for the team managed by Rory Gallagher.

Donegal defender Eamon McGee in the pre-match warm-up before their Allianz League Division 1 fixture against Monaghan in Castleblayney yesterday afternoon. Photo: Geraldine Diver

But a superior scoring difference over both Monaghan and Mayo, as well as a relegated Cork means Donegal at least have an Allianz League Division 1 semi-final this coming weekend against Dublin.

“The one positive to come out of it is that we have a semi-final to look forward to next week,” Eamon McGee admitted afterwards.

Those problems the Gaoth Dobhair defender refereed to were primarily centered on Donegal not making full use of the vast amount of possession they enjoyed – certainly in the first half – at St Mary’s Park in Castleblayney.

“There’s a lot of stuff to look at. We had some much possession, but they punished us a lot on the break, and we didn’t punish them enough with the amount of possession we had,” he continued.

“We were in total control in the first half and for large parts of the second half, but we would be very disappointed looking back at their goal. It was high intensity stuff out there, and we were putting the ball over and back, and over and back, and we coughed up a lot of ball.

“They just ran through the middle and that’s something that we’re not too happy about. Look, we’ll just have to listen and see where we are going wrong, because we had so much possession but we just didn’t punish them enough at the other end.”

With Donegal not entering the Ulster SFC until June 12, the building of fitness isn’t of the complete level of immediacy it was, say even last year with Tyrone visiting Ballybofey on May 17.

So despite the disappointment of the one-point reversal, McGee still was content enough with the league overall – after all Donegal still came fourth in the standings – ahead of a busy few weeks.

“We will knuckle down and it’s not going to be a nice few weeks, especially for the bigger lads, but we have a game against Dublin next week,” McGee added. “We’ll recover and start on Thursday and get it going again.

“Maybe the bodies were a bit tired, and the mind followed then. Maybe that’s the case, but we have plenty of time to get it right for the championship.

“We would probably have liked to have got a few more points on the table, but championship is where it is at. We are in a very good position. I wouldn’t be too worried about will this affect our summer or anything like that.

“If you were to pick it, it’s where we want to be. Stutter along through the league, maintain your position, and then press the button for championship. We’re happy enough.”