Messages

Very tough draw for Donegal. I just can't see how the injuries and knocks we are carrying will be cleared up by 4pm next Sunday. In fact I know they won't be. Unless Mayo have a serious off day, I'd expect a 4-5 point win for them.

Laois lacked belief that they could beat us - and they certainly could have. While our performance was better than that against Monaghan, we are a long, long way off the level of play that we showed last year. Our defence was solid enough but up front we lacked any kind of edge. Our attacks broke down on Laois' 45 repeatedly and while we demonstrated patience, the late runners and men coming onto the ball at speed that was such a feature of last year were completely absent.

Pairc Sean is a fine place (the stand is excellent) and there was a brilliant turn-out of Donegal people, making up about 80% of the crowd I'd say.

It's disappointing that one of the national papers is claiming that big Jim had a go at McNulty on the side-line. It happened right in front of me. Jim was trying to talk to the linesman (to highlight a bad tackle which the ref subsequently awarded a yellow for) and McNulty pushed him back several times (McNulty said after that he was telling him to get back to his own side). Fair play to Jim who held his cool. Sideline handbags was all, but not instigated by the Glenties man.

In short, this year we are good enough to get to the QF but not good enough to beat Mayo.