Éamonn Fitzmaurice: Declan Bonner’s faith in Patrick McBrearty pays off in spades for Donegal

Donegal’s Patrick McBrearty celebrates his winning point alongside Odhran Mac Niallais. Picture: INPHO/James Crombie

Donegal’s championship credentials were well and truly tested in Ballybofey, in what was the best game of the football championship to date.

They came through a serious test which is fantastic preparation for next Sunday’s showdown with Tyrone in Enniskillen. They will have to improve though.

I feel that this Donegal squad’s progress stalled during the Super 8s in 2019. They drew with Kerry in Croke Park in a game they possibly should have won and then Mayo bullied them out of it in Castlebar a week later, ending their season and stunting their development.

There was psychological scarring and they seem to have been figuring themselves out since then. That baggage grey heavier after last year’s Ulster final defeat.

Winning a battle like this encounter is proof positive that they are where they need to be again.

I was not surprised with Derry, as they impressed again. They are a team on the up and Rory Gallagher has spoken about a five-year plan. They will learn from this, particularly with regard to the importance of converting goal chances when opportunities present themselves, which has been a pattern for them throughout the season. They will also learn the significance of managing the clock and understanding that they had to get a shot off as the clock approached zero to force extra time.

Gallagher needs to retain all of his players and should he, I think we will see them in Division 1 soon.

For Donegal, Niall O’Donnell and Michael Langan’s points in the second half were crucial in keeping them in the game. Michael Murphy’s introduction steadied the ship and he kicked two tough pressure frees as if they were chip overs. For me the moment that sums up what Murphy is all about is the way he flung himself in front of Shane McGuigan’s late goal chance. That action may well have saved his team’s season as McGuigan blazed wide.

Declan Bonner and his management team deserve huge credit for leaving Patrick McBrearty on the field. He was having a bad day with Chrissy McCaigue totally on top in their battle and it would have been understandable and easy to replace him. They knew he was capable of something special though, they persisted and he rewarded that trust. The match-winning score was outrageous, particularly in the context of his own performance. Donegal will need to elevate their performance level for next weekend but this win will fill them with confidence, belief and resilience.