Donegal taking no selection risks

WITH Donegal on six points from three games, they head to Galway this weekend without needing to keep one eye on their league status.

The Ulster champions open their title defence in Ballybofey against Derry in early April and manager Jim McGuinness is content with where his side is.

Hugh McFadden sat out Sunday’s win over Armagh and Donegal now have the luxury of not having to play anyone to secure league points.

“We’ll not be taking any risks with anybody moving forward,” he said. “We have points on the board, so if there’s anybody that’s carrying a knock or needs a rest, we’ll be very open to that.”

That was one of the pleasing aspects for the Donegal management last weekend.

In the new rules, with the 40-metre kick-out arc, to have beaten the All-Ireland champions without three of their biggest players in the midfield sector – McFadden, Jason McGee and Michael Langan.

“As a management team, I actually said that to the boys,” McGuinness said of the biggest tactical takeaway from Sunday.

“I said it’s great that we got so much out of it around the middle. Caolan’s (McGonagle), a half-back, coming into that area and being able to do a job.

“That definitely probably had a big impact on the result in many respects. And Caolan’s probably the most honest young fella you’ll ever come across in every aspect of his life.

“He worked very hard the other day for a man that hadn’t played in there. Also coming back from a big injury himself. He had surgery in the summer and he’s just building up his minutes himself.”

Finbarr Roarty was forced off at half-time with the “tight” hamstring with Dáire Ó Baoill coming in. There were appearances from Michael Murphy and Niall O’Donnell as the Donegal management shuffled their deck.

“Jason (McGee) is working away and he’s building again,” McGuinness said. “He had surgery in the summer as well on his hip and it’s probably taken a wee bit longer than we would have hoped up to this point.

“He’s back now and he’s in a very clear plan. We have a very clear plan for what we want to do with Jason. And Michael (Langan) had a nick in the hamstring so Michael will be a couple more weeks.”