Paddy McGrath has been an integral part of Donegal’s golden generation – but believes the current squad is the strongest he’s been on.
The tough Ardara corner-back scored his first Donegal goal in Sunday’s 16-point hammering of Antrim in Ballybofey. Until then, he’d scored just two points in his eight years on the Tir Chonaill panel – one of those coming in this year’s League win over Tyrone.
“These things can happen but I would say that the odds were high for me to get a goal,” McGrath said.
“It was good to get into the back of the net; I know it was the prettiest one you will see. I was trying to glue on the brakes to make sure I didn’t run over the line.”
McGrath converted from close range after a tidy move from Donegal involving Michael Murphy, Martin McElhinney and Ryan McHugh.
It helped Donegal to annihilate Antrim and book a place in the Ulster semi-final.
Donegal gave out six Championship debuts on Sunday with seven players starting a Championship game for the first time.
McGrath’s own bow came in the 2010 Championship, his full debuting ending when he was hooked after an early roasting as Donegal were hammered by Armagh in a qualifier at Crossmaglen.
[adrotate group=”91″]He played for his club, Ardara, the following day and never looked back.
Even though the Donegal panel bid adieu to nine players from the 2016 panel, McGrath never feared a return to dark days like he experienced in 2010. Sentiment went out the window, too, and he has a cold outlook on things.
He said: “No harm to the boys who have gone their separate ways and retired, but youth is what the game is all about now.
“Thankfully Donegal have a strong underage now and we are starting to breed one or two inter-county players every year which is great and that is what we need to continue in order to compete with the best teams in Ireland.
“We knew the younger fellows were coming and what they were capable of. Their attitude as well; it is just a whole different ball game.
“It is like Karl Lacey not giving up, he knew what they could bring. Hopefully now they don’t wait a few years to blossom and we can push on this year.
“When we were starting off we had those older players to bring us along as well. It’s just a new generation and now we are there with the wee bit of experience to bring those fellows on and that is just the way that life goes on. You do need that bit of experience as well and hopefully those young fellows get plenty of game time now.
“There are younger players just chomping at your heel to get your place and that drives you on as well. They are competing with you all the time, even in the sprints you are trying to stay ahead of them. There will probably come a day when you will not be fit to be ahead of them but you will keep driving them on for the future.”
[adrotate group=”46″]McGrath is built from tough stuff. He defied medics to play in the 2010 All-Ireland Under-21 final despite suffering a broken jaw in the semi-final win over Tipperary.
He was one of only four players from the 2012 All-Ireland final win – along with Neil McGee, Frank McGlynn and Michael Murphy – to start Sunday’s game, although the likes of Patrick McBrearty, Karl Lacey, Mark McHugh and Martin McElhinney were taken in from the bench.
McGrath said: “This is definitely the strongest panel and it’s essential now that you have a strong panel.
“If you look at the teams that have won it, it is teams who have players who are of such a calibre that they can finish off games.
“We had those boys to come on and they did make a difference. You could see that. It is great to have that in the locker. We didn’t have that in years gone by. The young fellas have really freshened it up this year which is great to see.”
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