‘Excellent’ Gavin Mulreany display a big plus ahead of Cork - Jim McGuinness 

Jim McGuinness said he was impressed with how Gavin Mulreany acquitted himself between the posts for Donegal in their McKenna Cup final loss to Derry on Saturday night. 

Donegal were well beaten by Mickey Harte’s Ulster champions in Omagh on a difference of 0-12 to 0-6. And their misery was compounded by the second-half dismissals of both captain Patrick McBrearty and Oisin Gallen. 

On an otherwise forgettable night at Healy Park, the display of St Naul’s clubman Mulreany was one of the few pluses. 

A hand injury has meant he was unable to participate in the previous rounds but his manager liked what he seen at the weekend. 

“Gavin did very well and he also kicked two very good scores for us,” said McGuinness. “From our own point of view, we’d be disappointed with some of our movement in front of him. We didn’t give him enough options in the short and medium ranges in particular. 

“That is something we’re definitely going to have to have a good look at. However, in terms of Gavin, overall, he did excellently for us”. 

Domhnall Mac Gilloa Bríde, at full-back, also showed signs of promise in his battle with Shane McGuigan. 

“Domhnall is another that’s stepping up. He can play full-back, centre half-back and the middle of the park. I thought he did very well. He got really tight on Shane McGuigan for long periods. 

“These are the type of games where we’re learning a lot about the younger lads in the squad”. 

On the sending offs and the McBrearty one in particular, which came at a time when Donegal were four adrift, McGuinness admitted it was disappointing that his team didn’t hold their composure. 

“Brendan Rogers had just been red carded. We’d a very stiff breeze in our backs. We’d have been in a situation where we could have really pressed up on their kickouts with that extra man. 

“In the split second, you’re thinking about that and having that for the last 20 minutes. But 20 second later it flips again. So it was a very important lesson for us. 

“It’s is what it is. It’s the McKenna Cup, it’s January. We’ll take a lot of learning from it”.