Lacey says Donegal going on offensive

The stats may do little to back up his assertion but Karl Lacey is adamant that Donegal are committed to a more offensive brand of football this year.

On Saturday, they will host Derry in the Ulster football championship, a repeat of last year’s final.

That game nearly 12 months ago ended in a Donegal win but was more memorable for ending their provincial famine than the manner of the victory.

Between them, the sides kicked just 1-19 on a decent summer’s day with defensive Donegal infamously going on to share just 0-14 points in their All-Ireland semi-final with Dublin.

Manager Jim McGuinness refused to offer any apologies for the strategy on the back of years of underachievement.

But while he has since talked about his commitment to a greater attacking element in their play it was ironic that they scored the least of all the teams in Division 1 and 2 of the Allianz League, averaging just 12½ points per game.

Of course, they kicked 1-16 in their Championship opener with Cavan but that was against a side in flux.

“We are working on a few things,” admitted experienced defender Lacey. “We’ve been trying to work on our offensive style of play because teams were beginning to counteract us. Scoring 1-16 against Cavan was positive in that regard.

“That’s definitely one thing we had to work on from last year. Jim’s had to tweak a few things there and I think we definitely need to kick a few more scores than what we did last year.

“But, as I say, I think we brought that into the game against Cavan. I think a lot of the defenders did get up to kick points and help out which was good to see.”

Asked if he could ever envisage Donegal going back to the 14-behind-the-ball tactics that they employed against Dublin last year, Lacey shrugs and notes that McGuinness is the boss.

And he notes pointedly that while Donegal were criticised to high heaven last year, a team of another code won a major championship by defending for all they were worth and received great praise – Champions League winners Chelsea.

“It just shows that the best teams don’t always win the trophies,” continued the All Star. “Chelsea are definitely not the best team in Europe but it was pure hard work and togetherness that pulled them boys through.

“It’s similar to Dublin, they were criticised too and they stuck together and got the All-Ireland last year. That’s what we’re going to try and do as well.”

First things first though. Donegal haven’t won nearly enough Ulster titles to be taking anything for granted closer to home and they will face a different Derry side to the one of 12 months ago. Principally, Derry will have the two Bradleys in action, Paddy and Eoin, who missed out through injury last year. Between them, they increased the team’s potency tenfold and Lacey has the scars to prove it.

“I’ve marked both of them and it’s horrible,” he smiled. “I don’t know what it is about them, they create loads of space for themselves and they have this wee dummy as well that can fool you. They have pace and they can stick it over from any angle at all. Sure Paddy’s nickname is Paddy ‘angles’ because he can stick it over from anywhere.”