BY DÁIRE BONNAR

IT’S a quick turnaround for Donegal this weekend as they prepare for Down and the focus turned straight away on getting ready for that game for county star Peadar Mogan as he looks for an improved performance.

With the increased running in the game, especially for a speedy middle eight player like the St Naul’s man, recovery is huge and there isn’t much time to get the body right ahead of the final four clash with the Mourne county.

“It’s tough, we were the same as last year after the Derry game so we just have to recover and get the bodies right and do the analysis and debrief on the Monaghan game,” Mogan said after Sunday’s 0-23 to 0-21 win over Monaghan.

“We will have to be improved next week because Down are a hugely athletic team, very similar to Monaghan, they have huge legs and pace and a couple of top players so we will have to be on it from the word go.

“The running load is higher than last year so we have to be a bit careful on that, it really is about just freshening the mind and the bodies, they both go hand in hand and that’s the main thing.”

Donegal looked like winners in waiting as the second half began but Monaghan battled back and wouldn’t go away, and Mogan was impressed with how their opponents never gave up.

“It was really tough, it’s funny how momentum can swing in games now and it’s never really finished, we’ve seen it in all the games this year that no matter how much of a lead you have in games that it’s never finished so it’s really important to see it out until the end.

“I thought their energy and intensity was really good from all over the field even from the start, they were good on our kick outs and got to grips with ours in the second half and they’ve got shooters and scorers coming from everywhere.

“That’s their first championship game and their home crowd and venue, they’re a very dangerous team and they’ll be hard to beat down the line.”

Hitting 0-4 from wing back, Mogan received Man of the Match at full time, finding pockets of space down the left for three first half points before a crucial score when Donegal were on the back foot after the restart.

Operating as one of the three back on some occasions, Mogan feels the importance of communication has grown to make sure no errors are made in giving away easy frees.

“I just happened to be in the right place at the right time and the way the game has gone it has opened up more now and there are more opportunities for everyone to score and every team has been getting more of a spread compared to other years.

“It depends on how the play flows, sometimes you can be out attacking and there are two boys already back so it is very flexible.

“There is a lot of communication involved as well on whether can you step over the line, you’re only allowed that four metres so it’s really up to the goalkeeper and the two full backs to keep a lot of boys in line because it is a really cheap score to give away if you break that line, especially with teams able to kick two pointers so easily that it’s almost a two point swing if you break that.”

And the two-pointers were something that caused a Monaghan surge in the match as they got back into the game.

Donegal had the orange flag raised just twice, both in the first half, while Monaghan did so five times, but Mogan says they aren’t going to overdo it in going for them if the easier score is on.

“Two two-pointers and a team is back in it and that’s how it went (on Sunday), if you lose a kick out and the other team hits another two-pointer, it’s something we definitely need to sharpen up on, intercounty players are so good at kicking the ball now that they are going to kick two-pointers and it’s about trying to limit that as best as we can.

“It’s hard to know, you just have to play it as you see it. It’s if it suits you, sometimes you can force it and it doesn’t work so it’s more if it sets up for you, it presented a lot for them.”