Jim McGuinness declared that he was ‘happy’ with Donegal’s opening victory of the 2026 season.
Antrim were well beaten by Derry last Wednesday and Donegal travelled to Cargin as clear favourites.
However, McGuinness opted to go with a new-look side and while the pitch was wet and heavy, they still managed to come through with an 11-point victory.
“We would be happy with it.
“There were seven debutants there and then another couple off the bench.
“I think in the second half in particular they settled into the game and a lot of them did really well.
“For them to get that first start for Donegal is a big moment for anybody and it’s a long time coming I suppose when you start playing football out the back of the house.
“We’re delighted for them and everybody did well and that’s probably the big positive from it.”
Four of the debutants – Conor McCahill, Turlough Carr, Max Campbell, and Kevin Muldoon – are still eligible for the Donegal Under 20s this year.
They are players of great potential and McGuinness is trying to work out if any are ready to make an immediate impact like Finnbarr Roarty (who is also still Under 20) made in 2025.
“Young players bring freshness. They have a lot to learn but they are fearless.
“With a number of them as well, there’s a good bit of S&C to be done with them over the next year or two but they are good players.
“They are all playing senior football and they are thinking their way through championship games for their clubs so whenever they settled today they were able to do that.
“If you can find one or two at all that can add a bit of value and develop the rest for the next season, that’s what you are looking to achieve.”
Players like Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhride and Oisin Caulfield who have been on the fringes for the last two years worked hard on Sunday and will be keen to get more minutes in the coming weeks.
They have been putting in the hours in the gym and were tidy on the ball.
Some of the younger cohort rushed their play a bit in the first half and McGuinness felt they performed better in Act Two.
“I think in the first half they snatched at a few things.
“We spoke to them beforehand and said listen you don’t have to prove anything to anybody.
“Just play the way you normally play and relax into the game and I think they did that better in the second half than the first.
“But loads and loads of positives all over the pitch. A lot of fellas around the edges getting their opportunities and playing well and that gives us another game now which is ten days out from our first league game to rotate again and have a look at other players.”
There was no McKenna Cup last year when Donegal had to rely on challenge games.
This year there is competitive football to blood players, although some counties are still putting a big focus on challenge games, and Dublin took on Galway on Sunday.
“There’s a lot of teams doing both,” McGuinness smiled.
“There’s a lot of teams playing in tournaments and playing challenge games.
“But really we ae just trying to manage minutes. Since they have come back, we have been managing minutes. We did that today and we will do that again on Wednesday.
“Obviously the younger lads, and the older lads – we’re forgetting about them!
“Ultan Doherty made his debut and Kieran Gallagher made his debut and Paul O’Hare who had a good season with his club. He did very well today. A nice player, good on the ball, and he uses it well so all those fellas were positives for us and hopefully now that will push us on towards Wednesday night and introduce more senior players if you like and take it from there.”
