Hugh McFadden says Donegal's newbies have 'all put their best foot forward'

Hugh McFadden says Donegal’s new faces have added to the competition on the panel for places.

Donegal manager Jim McGuinness introduced 10 debutants in the Dr McKenna Cup this month, which culminated in his side defeating Monaghan 2-17 to 0-11 in the final last Saturday at Healy Park.

Three of those new faces will start against Dublin this evening in their opening fixtures of the National Football League at Croke Park, with Shea Malone, Kieran Gallagher and Paul O’Hare starting.

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McFadden said: “Just from like the players on the panel's point of view, they've all put their best foot forward. There's been some excellent performance over the last week or two and I suppose we would have known throughout the club championship last year and throughout the underage football how good these young fellas have been.

“It's exciting to get playing with them, so it's added a competition to the squad. I'm sure Jim and the boys have sat down now and reassessed and there's competition for places and we're all under pressure.”

Donegal have treated the Dr McKenna Cup in different ways down the years and the win last week was McGuinness’s first in the competition, in his now seventh year in charge over two terms.

“We're happy enough now but the most important thing over the last week or so is just pulling towards the Dublin game and trying to get minutes in the boys' legs,” McFadden added.

“Jim and the boys will be happy with how the game went against Monaghan and a few of the performances. Shea got a couple of goals and Max Campbell was excellent. They showed a great array of skills, 

It’s as yet undecided as to whether this year’s Dr McKenna Cup will be the last and although McFadden says there are pros and cons, he feels the competition is worth keeping.

“I kind of have mixed experience if I’m being honest,” McFadden said. “You know, when you're trying to organise your personal life and other things outside of football, it used to be a stage where it started there late in December and personally, that wasn't an ideal situation.

“I don't know what the coaches and managers will say, but when it starts, maybe after the first week of January, it gives you a wee bit of time to prepare the legs and get ready for the new yea,r and it's great to play competitive games before the league as long as it doesn't start too early.

“That'd be my personal opinion. It's a lot better than playing friendlies, so I'm for it, I'm excited by it and again it gets you a chance to put on the Donegal jersey, which is a massive opportunity for all.”