Gaoth Dobhair didn’t blink in spite of key absentees – Friel

Niall Friel says Gaoth Dobhair’s squad showed its strength in depth on Sunday.

The Donegal champions were rocked with the news that Odhrán Mac Niallais and Odhrán McFadden-Ferry had to miss the Ulster club quarter-final against Erin’s Own, Cargin through injuries.

The ball had just been thrown in at Corrigan Park when Kieran Gillespie landed awkwardly and had to leave the field on a stretcher.

“The boys were touch and go, but no-one blinked an eye,” Gaoth Dobhair captain Friel(pictured by Aodh Máirtin Ó Fearraigh) said after a 3-11 to 1-13 win.

“We knew the panel was there.

“That showed in the League. We won the League with those players and they stepped it up.”

Erin’s Own ate into a ten-point deficit and were within two points, but Gaoth Dobhair steadied the wobbles.

Friel said: “We always knew after the county championship that this was the hangover game. We always knew it would be hard to come up here. We’re just happy to get out the right side.

“We were up by ten points and we’ll get a chewing over that. Cargin got the goal and came at us. They used all their experience and they had momentum.”

James Boyle came in for his first Championship start of the year and nailed a superb free to get Gaoth Dobhair on track again.

Half-back Friel says Gaoth Dobhair’s tough road to a first Dr Maguire Cup in 12 years laid the foundations for a stern Ulster test.

Friel said: “James was out all year and came in to do a serious job. We’ve been used to that all year.

“The Donegal Championship set us up rightly for tight affairs. We just stuck to the game plan, the job and got the goal to settle us.

“We stood tall and got a few more scores.

“There are goals in this team. We could have had another two or three. If we’re going to progress further we’ll need the goals.”

Gaoth Dobhair will now face Crossmaglen in their semi-final.