BY FRANK CRAIG

Brendan McCole has been given the opportunity to stake a claim at one of the loneliest outposts in Donegal football – full-back.

No other position has the potential to hang a wet rookie out to dry quite like being stationed in front of your own square. Factor in that you’re effectively auditioning for a part currently played by Tir Chonaill legend Neil McGee only adds extra weight to what is an already heavy No.3 jersey.

Snarling, uncompromising and physically without equal for the best part of a decade and a half in his senior county colours, McGee will still be one of the first names on Declan Bonner’s team sheet come summer.

However, with the three-time All-Star currently occupied with Gaoth Dobhair’s drive for All-Ireland club glory, Bonner has been given the chance to look for a capable understudy and, even, an eventual successor to one of Donegal football’s greatest ever.

Like McGee, McCole is also an impressive physical specimen. He’s softly spoken but it shouldn’t be mistaken for anything other than a simple by-product of linguistic geography. A native of Mountcharles, he has that easy going and obliging south Donegal way about him away from the pitch.

But inside those white lines, McCole is already displaying that similar unshakeable requisite needed to stand guard at the centre of the Tir Chonaill defence.

He said: “It can be a lonely place at times. There was a lot of space in Ballybofey and down in Ennis last week was similar again. But the lads around me are making it tight and helping me settle into the games.

“The way the lads ahead of me are pressing high up the pitch, the ‘keepers behind you, all of that works together. It allows me to concentrate on watching my man and trying to cut out any ball that comes in.

“Even if you just get a hand alone on it you know there’ll be a Donegal man waiting to pick up the loose ball.”

Reflecting back on last weekend’s with over Meath, the player added: “Any game we go out in, the main thing is the two points. There were probably some mistakes again but the main thing as we go on is to learn from them. We’ll look over them and try to bring the learning into the Tipperary game.

“We’re always looking for a good performance. You’re finding your feet at this level and you hope that’ll come as the league goes on. The good thing is that we’re picking up wins, even if there are plenty of things to work on.”

Even though Donegal have a youthful and unfamiliar look to them so far this term, they are still looking to make it three wins from three on Sunday in Thurles. For supporters and indeed this bias reporter, that has been the most positive thing to date.

The Donegal management are looking at their options. But it isn’t coming at the expense of NFL points.

McCole added: “The aim for Declan I’m sure is to take fringe players in and see can they make a difference. It’s about building a good panel. When summer comes about you need as many options as possible. Competition is key to doing well and making sure we achieve as much as we can.”

There was a poise and a self-assurance to the way McCole and so many of his young teammates carried themselves as they emptied out of the MacCumhaill Park dressing rooms last weekend. It’s certainly not arrogance.

A lot of it probably has to do with the many medals they have already accumulated back at home from Under 21 and minor grade. That breeds confidence. Some of it also has to do with the years of strength and conditioning they’ve already benefited from under the meticulous eye of Paul Fisher.

“Everyone in the group, they’ve played county at some level and they’ve had success,” McCole said. “That’s a great starting block. You’ve the established lads but you have the young fellas coming in too that have some medals in their pocket.

“Declan would have had a big hand in that and helped bring so many of us onto the senior set-up. It’s valuable and it hopefully can mean that we hit the ground that little bit faster. It’s not even just the medals really.

“It’s the work you’ve done to get them. You have a base that prepares you to take that next step because it is physical. The gym work we’ve done, Paul Fisher has been there for four or five years with us now. Aaron Kyles has come in and he’s adding to the thing.

“You can’t buy that. It’s great to have medals but it’s that work we’ve done to get them that’ll be the most important thing for all us lads now looking to take that next step.”

Without prompting, McCole suddenly switches attention towards his hometown club St Naul’s. With Peadar Mogan also part of the senior set-up, he wants to express his gratitude to anyone there that’s ever had an influence on the pair.

“It’s good for the club to have myself and Peadar involved. So many people have put work in with us that it’s great for them to come to games and have Naul’s interest. Even the Donegal ladies in Croke Park the last night; young Niamh Boyle started in the middle of the field and was excellent. That’s massive for our club. It was an unbelievable result for them too.”

Form might well be temporary but class is permanent. And it’s very evident that McCole is already a class act off the field of play.