McFadden stresses the mental focus of championship football

DONEGAL selector Colm McFadden is looking beyond Derry’s injury problems going into this weekend’s Ulster Championship.

The former attacking ace is part of the management team under his brother-in-law Jim McGuinness and stresses their side need to be fully zoned in when they hit Ballybofey on Sunday.

The reigning champions are favourites to make their first successful step of their Anglo Celt Cup defence this weekend, helped by their impressive record at MacCumhaill Park.

“There’s no day you’re going to an Ulster Championship match thinking it’s a foregone conclusion,” McFadden said at the recent competition launch in Armagh.

“Definitely not against Derry,” he quickly added. “I know they’ve some injury concerns throughout the league but there’s still a lot of quality players.

“No matter what 15 they put on the field, they’re strong from defence, through the middle and have quality forwards on the field.”

With that summary and his own days in the Donegal jersey, McFadden feels it gives any team a chance of winning a game. Anywhere and at any time.

The proof is in the short-term memory. This time last year, Derry were league champions. Donegal were in Division Two. The Oakleafers were mooted as a team in the Sam Maguire conversation.

Then came Donegal’s ruthless ambush in Celtic Park. Derry were swatted aside as Donegal took their first championship steps on way to a magical Ulster final day in Clones.

“Our main focus is on ourselves and making sure that the mentality going into the game is in the right place,” McFadden added of their focus since their final league game.

“If your mentality is not in the right place going into the game in Ballybofey, you can easily get turned over.”

McFadden glances back to last year. His words and body language are calculated. Like the composure he had in front of goal.

Derry were flying. Donegal were ticking along. Scores came at right time. Donegal knew where their minds were. Bang on. It was the perfect setting.

“Your head has to be in the right spot in championship football,” McFadden stressed.

“There are fine margins at the top level and I suppose you look back to that league game.”

It’s a reference to March this year in Ballyshannon. Donegal harvested four of Derry’s last five kick-outs to get a hold. Michael Murphy also made three goal chances.

Derry had led the game for 44 minutes but Shane O’Donnell’s goal broke their resolve with Brendan Rogers off the field injured.

“They played quality football and some of the scores were kicking showed what quality they have in their team, particularly in the second half,” McFadden said, pointing how Derry were coping with playing against the wind.

“They were very impressive the way they created these opportunities and made them look easy but they weren’t easy opportunities.

“We weren’t fit to even create opportunities like it in the first half and we were against the wind. Derry made it look easy in the second half.”

Donegal found a way to win, like they did in the early stages of the league with victories over Kerry, Dublin and Armagh, the last three winners of Sam Maguire.

“The main thing was to get points on the board and to stay in the division first of all,” McFadden said.

Getting players back from injuries was important.

There was also the return of Michael Murphy, Eoin McHugh and Odhrán McFadden-Ferry to the squad.

Murphy coming back was the story of the early part of the season. A former captain and legend coming back. Having playing alongside the Glenswilly attacker, McFadden is well placed to chat about Murphy’s impact.

“Even with Michael’s presence in the room or in the training field or on the football pitch on game day, it’s good for everyone,” he summed up.

“It’s good for the management. It’s nice for the supporters to see him out there.

“I’m sure with the players being alongside him, they would have looked up to him when they were young boys playing.

“They look up to him when they’re playing alongside him and still he offers that leadership, be it in the way he conducts himself around the place or the way in the field that he plays.

“He’s definitely a player we’re glad to have back in the panel this year.

“He offered a lot in those couple of league games that he played. You can see he’s still a serious amount to offer at this level so hopefully he can bring that form into the championship.”

Looking back on last season’s championship, what can Donegal hope to learn from? McFadden ponders. It’s difficult to fully tie down an answer.

He scans the Derry win. Needing extra-time to beat Tyrone. A Clones blockbuster against Armagh. They had Galway on the ropes in the All-Ireland semi-final.

“Those big moments are key and that’s where you need your big players to step up,” the St Michael’s clubman said.

“You just have to know in these games to keep hanging in there and keep hanging in.

“I think it’s going to be an exciting championship,” he added, referencing the new rule enhancements.

“Even from watching football as a supporter throughout the league, there were good spectacles.

“There were good games of football played throughout every division. I think that’s going to carry into the championship and it’s going to make for an entertaining championship for all.”