'It doesn’t matter who puts the ball in' - Malone loving life with Donegal seniors

Shea Malone says an arm around the shoulder and a few pointers has helped him hit the ground running with Donegal.

Malone’s showing in the quagmire of Cargin, where he scored four points on his debut against Antrim, made a few take notice and the former Sligo Rovers player showed an eye for goal at Healy Park, netting both goals as part of 2-1 in all against Monaghan in a 2-17 to 0-11 to seal the Dr McKenna Cup.

Twenty-year-old Malone was left to round off a fluent move on seven minutes to put Donegal 1-0 to 0-1 up. It began with his Naomh Conaill teammate Kieran Gallagher’s fetch in the middle of the field and saw Shane O’Donnell and Paul O’Hare scamper forward to work the opening.

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Then, six minutes from time, with Donegal 1-13 to 0-9 to the good, Malone took on a Peadar Mogan pass and rifled past Monaghan’s substitute goalkeeper Kian Mulligan.

“I don't know about me being a goal machine," Malone laughed as he spoke to Kevin Cassidy on TG4. "It’s not about who finishes, it’s about the scoreboard at the end of the day. It sounds clichéd but it doesn’t matter who puts the ball in the net. Look, it’s a step-up but when you're with boys on those levels, you can only improve.

“What I found best about them is that they’re there to put the arm around your shoulder if you need it and on the flipside, they’re there to push you on as well, if that’s needed. They have that know-how that helps the young players. I find it good.”

With no decision on whether or not this year will be the last of the competition, nobody is too sure whether Malone has written a climactic chapter. One thing is for sure, Malone will be right in the centre of the thoughts of Donegal manager Jim McGuinness, ahead of their National Football League opener against Dublin at Croke Park this coming Saturday.

"Hopefully we'll have a few of the stonger boys back as it'll be a big test up in Croker," Malone said. "We can look forward to that. It'll be a huge challenge."