‘I never thought it would take Donegal this long to get back’ admits Patrick McBrearty

Patrick McBrearty believes Donegal ‘massively underachieved’ in the years in between Jim McGuinness’ two stints as senior football team boss. 

Having guided Donegal to two All-Ireland finals and one semi-final in three out of his first four seasons, from 2011 to 2014, the side failed to get back to the last-four juncture after the Glenties man stepped away. 

But when McGuinness returned last term, that glass ceiling was once again punctured. But going one better on Sunday with a 3-26 to 0-15 hammering of Meath, McBrearty says Donegal are back where they belong - competing at the business end of championship. 

READ NEXT: New Donegal daddy Ryan McHugh cherishing a 'special few weeks' on and off the pitch 

“When we left here in 2014, I didn’t think it would be 2024 until we reached our next semi-final. 

“We massively, massively underachieved from ’14 to ’24 basically, in our eyes.

“When Jim came back, standards were raised back to where they were and we’re just delighted to be back here - but you know there were a barren couple of years.

“When we were winning Ulsters, people were tipping us to go on and win All-Irelands and we couldn’t do it on the big days. 

“Getting this man back obviously for that and getting back to days like this in two weeks’ time is gonna be massive.”

The Kilcar ace came steaming in off the bench near the three-quarter hour mark at the weekend and clipped four points. 

And the 31-year-old says competition for places ahead of their decider date with Kerry is red hot. 

“You have three lads who are flying there. Michael’s kicked six, Conor’s kicked 1-3 and Oisín kicked 1-2.

“We all have a role in the team and my role at the minute is just coming in off the bench and it’s to lift the energy in the lads in the last 15 minutes to blast it out. 

“I came in with 20 or 25 minutes to go and try to move the bus up forward. We all have our roles and mine is trying to get on the ball and getting shots off and just carrying the can.”

McBrearty did that and more, scoring three points and helping set up the third goal for Conor O’Donnell, but he modestly downplayed his own performance:

“It’s a big difference than starting the games. Things are tetchy out there, teams are trying to feel their way into the game.

“Obviously, there’s a lot of work done on game plans and what-not for the two weeks leading up to the game but I came in at a really, really good time today.

“We had just scored the first goal and we had a big wave of momentum and I was just coming in and trying to work hard.”