By Michael McMullan
DONEGAL manager Mickey McCann is placing his focus on a performance in Saturday’s Division Three clash with Fermanagh in O’Donnell Park.
Donegal bounced back from their Conor McGurk Cup final disappointment to overcome Tyrone last weekend in Garvaghy.
McCann was happy with hitting 3-23 in the depths of winter but said it was a performance built on both the learnings and the disappointment of the Derry game.
“Derry were well in it too but we just probably should have seen it out at the end.
“We used that result to get a bounce out of the boys because it comes to a stage where you have to go and win a match.”
A win over Derry and complacency could’ve crept in but McCann used hurt to light the fire he hopes will push them back into the promotion places. That’s for another day. Saturday is about Fermanagh.
“It’s just performances you’re looking for,” he said, happy how his side pulled clear last weekend when Tyrone levelled matters.
Donegal hit two points before Ronan McDermott’s goal turned the tide.
“We were in the same place as we were with Derry,” he added. “We didn’t put them away but against Tyrone, we really pushed on in that last 15 minutes.”
McCann hailed the impact of the players coming off the bench, adding to the energy they used to turn the screw.
Ronan McDermott, Danny Cullen, Josh Cronolly McGee and Oisin Marley all added to the mix when they came on with Declan Coulter also making a return.
Newcomers Donal Farrelly and John Kealy have put up their hands since coming in. Young Seán MacCumhaill’s duo Dan Donnelly and Jacob Malone have also impressed but Malone may need an operation on a shoulder injury.
Conor Gartland went off at half-time with an ankle injury. McCann won’t risk him this weekend if he isn’t 100 per cent with the view to making the next round.
“We can’t take Fermanagh lightly,” he said. “It’s the sort of division where teams come out to stop you and really get numbers around the ball, they make it really hard. You’d be hoping that if we push on and perform like we did last week.”
