BY RYAN FERRY
Donegal goalkeeper Patton says competition from Gavin Mulreany should bring out the best of him this season.
Patton has been the established number one for Donegal for six seasons now.
However, Mulreany came into the season off the back of a very strong club championship campaign with St Naul’s.
And after picking up a red card at the death against Tyrone in the Championship last June, Patton was suspended for the first league match with Cork.
That opened the door for Inver man Mulreany and he played against both Derry in the McKenna Cup Final and Cork.
Patton was restored for Round 2 against Cavan but he admits he would have had no complaints if he had been left on the bench.
Patton, Mulreany, and third-choice netminder Daithi Roberts are working hard in Convoy with Goalkeeping Coach, James Gallagher, and they all want to be given the number one jersey.
“That’s the cut-throat business of intercounty football,” said Patton.
“Gavin is pushing me to the hilt every week.
“My own stupidity last year cost me the start against Cork. Gavin came in and did well and we won the game.
“There was no guarantee that I was going to get back in, and I couldn’t argue that.
“If he’s coming in and performing then that’s life. All I could have said is that I’d have to put my head down and work hard to get back in there.
“Thankfully I was given the game the following week and I haven’t really looked back.
“There’s hard work going on behind the scenes with me and Gavin.
“Gavin is pushing me all the way in every session, and hopefully that will bring out the best in me throughout the year.”
It has been an intense four months for Donegal as Jim McGuinness has put his players through their paces, but Patton says the hard yards are needed to make a mark.
“It’s been enjoyable.
“It’s not really much different to what we are used to.
“We’re used to working hard and it’s part and parcel of the game.
“Every other team is doing a lot of hard work as well. Of course they are – that’s just the standard of intercounty football, that’s the way it is.
“Everybody has to work hard if you want to be anywhere near the top table.
“Everybody has to work hard. Division 2 is not an easy division. It’s tough and thankfully we got results.
“Maybe performances haven’t gone our way but some of the results we dug out and got over the line.”
For the second game in-a-row last week, Patton’s kick-outs weren’t contested as Kildare dropped off in the first half.
They were probably wary of pushing up and being caught over the top.
The ploy of dropping off grants Donegal possession but means they can’t play at a fast tempo.
Patton is one of the top goalkeepers when it comes to long kick-outs but he says he doesn’t mind if he just has to chip the ball out to the side.
“No there’s no frustration there. I’m just trying to get the ball away. That’s part and parcel of the game.
“You just try to face every game as it is. Every team is going to try and do what they are going to try and do.
“If they are going to concede the kick-out, then I’ll be happy enough to chip it away.
“I don’t really (take it as a compliment). I don’t really care.
“I just want to go out and play as well as I can in every game. I don’t really worry about what other teams are going to do.
“You can talk about what teams will do – they are going to press this or press that, or they are going to concede or drop but it is what it is. Whatever they do on the day, is what they decide to do.”
Donegal will spend Easter Sunday in Croke Park when they will face Armagh in the Division 2 final.
It will be a good opportunity for the younger players in the panel who have not played at Headquarters before.
“Any day you get a chance to play in Croke Park is fantastic – it’s exciting.
“All I can say is that we will put the head down and keep working.
“We’re playing Meath next and that’s where our focus is and we are working towards that.”
Meath are safe in Division 2 and can’t be promoted.
Donegal have already met their target as well so there isn’t the same pressure on either team on Saturday.
That might mean that the game doesn’t carry the same edge, but Patton doesn’t feel it will be difficult for his team to get motivated.
“The standard of intercounty football is so high regardless of who you are playing, so you will have to work hard to be good.
“We will take it as a normal week, and we will put the head down and work hard and we will hopefully perform against Meath.
“We don’t really want to be losing any games throughout the league and that’s just the way it is.”
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