No sleepless nights for Caolan McColgan ahead of David Clifford assignment

Caolan McColgan put in a solid performance as he faced the daunting task of picking up Footballer of the Year David Clifford on Sunday.

The Kerry forward was limited to his time on the ball, although it was similar in the All-Ireland final, and the Fossa man still kicked nine points from play, including three two-pointers.

But with less supply and the pacey Naomh Pádraig Uisce Chaoin man doing well in dispossessing him and keeping tight to him, it allowed for a rare quiet evening for Clifford.

Clifford did finish with 1-1, although the goal came as more of a consolation than anything, with Donegal 17 points ahead with six minutes remaining when he found the net as the game ended 3-20 to 2-10.

But a modest McColgan wasn’t taking too much credit for his work.

“I did alright, the boys around me were a great help with a few good turnovers, so it was good to have that support around me.”

He admitted there weren’t any sleepless nights coming up to the game when he learned from Jim McGuinness that he would be marking the Fossa man.

And a session in marking the inform Conor O’Donnell in training was his warm-up for Sunday’s shift.

“I had a fair idea in training on Thursday, but you’re never sure until the day of the game. I was marking Conor, so he was the ‘Clifford’ on Thursday night.

“Jim had the belief in me that I could go out and put in a good performance on him, but it really was more about the boys on me.

“I was quite excited about the prospect of seeing how I would get on, and I was happy enough.”

READ NEXT: Michael Langan proud to follow ‘Big Neil’ by helping lift Corn Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh

That big lead was built by three goals in as many minutes through the aforementioned O’Donnell, Michael Murphy, and Caolán McGonagle, which killed off any Kerry fightback.

“Everything that we wanted to happen, happened out there, so we were very happy to get over the line.

“After the second goal of ours went in, their heads seemed to drop so it was a surprise but it’s going to be a long summer for them and hopefully for us too down the line.

The goals were great, Caolan (McGonagle) might have got a bit lucky with his, he’s already called it,” he joked, “but we take them all.”

It’s a second league medal for the Naomh Pádraig Uisce Chaoin man, to go along with the Division 2 medal from 2024.

“It’s a pleasure, we set out at the start of the year to blood new boys in and happily, we got to a league final and it was nice that we won it.

“We hope for the new boys coming in to get a bit of silverware under their belt, and that this can kick them on now.”

Division 1 titles don’t come often in Donegal, but they will dust themselves off over the next week and prepare for the Ulster Championship quarter-final against Down in three weeks

We love playing this Ulster Championship. Down won at the weekend as well, and they got a good performance in. They beat us in the Ulster Championship a couple of years ago, so we know they’re no bad team, but we’re looking forward to it and getting the foot down.”