Gildea says win will take Donegal to another level

SINCE their nadir a few weeks ago, Donegal football has followed an upward trajectory. The Longford game settled frayed nerves and offered comfort.

Yesterday was the true test of their mettle. And they passed with flying colours.

John Gildea, who had one of those days where he seemed to cover every inch of grass, believes winning this match will take his team onto another level.

“We are steadily progressing,” Gildea said.

“This was a big step-up for us from the Longford game. Sligo showed how good a side they were last year, so we knew we needed to be at our best to beat them.

“Things were at an all-time low after Fermanagh and it has been a terrible year in Donegal, for a number of different reasons. But, this will bring us on.”

Although Gildea was his usual influential self, it was his partner, Stephen McDermott, who gained most attention.

Just out of under-21s, yesterday was the biggest test of his fledgling career. Again, McDermott proved his worth.

“He is an excellent prospect,” Gildea agreed. “When young lads come into the team, they have no fear.

"They will go after anything and Stephen will run and run, which is great for me when my legs are failing me a small bit. But, it is a pleasure to play alongside him. He is one for the future.”

In the victorious dressing-room, Brian McEniff is explaining how he discovered McDermott in last year’s under-21 county final and kept him in reserve, a secret weapon for the championship.

“Great potential,” he nodded before expressing a little disappointment at some aspects of the Donegal display.

“I was very pleased with how we played in the second half, but I am disappointed we didn’t score more. I think there is a lot more in this Donegal team than we saw out there.”

Still, sixteen points is a handy tally for a team which contained some under-performing forwards.

Yesterday, Donegal offered glimpses of last summer and they may be preparing the bandwagon for another journey through the back-door system. McEniff has no preferences for the next round.

“If you want to make progress, you have to take that extra step up with each game. If you are trying to compete at the highest level, then you have to play the teams at the highest level..

Outside the Sligo bus, Peter Ford was introspective “I thought we were in a good position at half-time, but Donegal just ran through us in the second half. And we were very flat.

“I haven’t discussed what I am going to do with the players. We will have to have a think about that.” And with that Sligo, boys of the past two summers, went into the championship horizon. And it not even July.

Donegal, though, are slowly building a head of steam.