SATURDAY’S victory wasn’t the perfect display for St Eunan’s but it was still a significant night in their season.
Former Fermanagh manager Kieran Donnelly has taken the reins this year and there is an anticipation that they will be pushing hard for the Dr Maguire Cup.
However, trying to knit it all together at O’Donnell Park isn’t easy with county football and hurling commitments, dual players, injuries and star names heading away to America.
It’s starting to all come together now and Niall O’Donnell made his first appearance in the championship after playing in Chicago over the summer.
O’Donnell helped to calm down his team as Dungloe ate into their lead in the second half.
Donnelly saw O’Donnell deliver some fine performances at the start of the league and is pleased to have him back in the black and amber.
“Niall has been a big player for us and it was good to get him back on the pitch.
“He had that bit of composure at the end with himself, Shane and Conor combining down the sideline.
“It’s going to take everyone to try and win this championship. It’s extremely competitive and we’re just happy to have him back on home soil.”
Ciaran Moore wasn’t used on Saturday night for St Eunan’s but could feature in the semi-final.
“Ciaran has picked up a knock but it was precautionary today. We didn’t want to risk him with the games coming so close but we will re-assess that again on Tuesday night.
“Josh (Hay) got a bang on the calf and a dead leg so hopefully that will settle.
“Tonight is the first time we have had everybody together as a squad. We had a lot of boys out with injuries but we got exposure into boys who maybe normally wouldn’t get it.
“We have grown a fairly deep squad.”
Donnelly wasn’t surprised that Dungloe came back hard at St Eunan’s on Saturday but there will be work to do on their own kick-out with a number of Shaun Patton’s restarts going astray in the second half.
“There was a few they turned over and that’s the way the game can go.
“He’s a fantastic goalkeeper and he has been for the club and for Donegal for years.
“They were able to get possession and were running down our throats in two v one situations down the middle.
“They got a couple of two-pointers to put us under pressure but there was a key period when we got a couple of scores to settle us. Some of our leaders got on the ball in that period when it looked like it might slip away from us and we can take positives from that.”