Mac's View: Sunday’s game against Monaghan most important of season so far

Donegal travel to St Tiernach’s Park, Clones on Sunday and it is a very big game for both counties. Donegal have two league points while Monaghan have none and this is a chance for Donegal to open a gap. A win would give them a great chance of surviving in Division 1 with two home games still to play.

I said a few weeks ago that this game would be a relegation battle and I think it is. I’m hearing that their best player, Conor McManus, might not be playing and if that is true, it would be a big plus for us. He is a big player for them and has the capacity to take scores and give them confidence. 

Monaghan have a new manager as well with former player Vinny Corey in charge and we know that he was a great competitor when he wore the county jersey.

McShea's Say: Donegal have to win in Clones, it’s that simple

"Even when Donegal were going very well they seemed to bring the best out of Monaghan teams and Vinney Corey will have his team wired up in a big way for this outing.

We have to bring something better to Clones than we did in Healy Park, Omagh on Sunday week last. We just have to have a better attitude. We never came out of the blocks in Omagh and in the heel of the hunt that cost us. We were far too cautious from the start, especially with the wind at our backs. We have to maximise everything.

Monaghan will be tough and I have to say we do not have the greatest track record against them. The good thing about the game is that it is in Clones. They could have taken us elsewhere. We know Clones well enough.

I’m hearing that we look like we will be without our captain Patrick McBrearty and I’m sorry about that. He would have been a thorn in their side. But no matter who is playing up front, they are only as good as the ball being sent in to them.

We need to be getting a few others who have been out injured back for this game. It was good to see the young MacCumhaill’s man, Oisin Gallen, back on the field for DCU in the Sigerson Cup last week and he was on the scoreboard too. He is a good player and has the capacity to take a score. I saw him a few times playing against Bundoran and he always played well.

It would be nice to have others like Michael Langan and Eoghan Bán Gallagher back on the field as well. With Peadar Mogan returning the last day in the second half, it gave Donegal a lift. We will need all the help we can get in Clones on Sunday.

It won’t be easy and it never is in the top flight. They are fighting for their Division 1 status too and it is their second game at home; they will feel they need to be gathering points.

The table shows Roscommon on top and they are the surprise packet. They were favourites for relegation but have an 11-game unbeaten record in the National Football League, having won Division 2 last year.  They always have good forwards.

But we have enough to be thinking about without worrying about Roscommon, who we will not meet until the final round. Donegal need to take the game to Monaghan right from the start of the game on Sunday; they can’t sit back and give them confidence.

Remember Monaghan got a bad beating down in Kerry the last day and they also lost their opening game at home to Armagh.  If we can start well we can put them on the back foot.

We also need to get a good Donegal support there and they need to be vocal from the start.

We really need to get the points. We have to go and take Monaghan on from the first whistle. If they haven’t McManus then their scoring threat is greatly diminished. Conor McCarthy is their top scorer and he has a good left boot; I also like their centre-forward, Micheal Bannigan and he will have to be watched.

My only worry is that Conor McManus might appear. He is from the same club as Vinny Corey and he might answer the call.

The game has an early start at 1.45 on what is a good pitch and good venue. Donegal have plenty of good memories there and the early start will mean that supporters can get back home in daylight

I have a good feeling that we will not make the same mistakes as we did in Omagh. We have to have that hunger on Sunday. If we lose we will definitely be in a relegation battle.

We have beaten Kerry and Monaghan have been hammered by Kerry, so we should take something from that. But we should not expect anything soft. Vinny Corey was a tight campaigner when he was playing and he will be expecting the same from his players this Sunday.

BIG WIN BY HURLERS

Congratulations to Mickey McCann and his hurlers who went to London and won their second game in the Division. They seem to be improving year on year. They have another tough game on Sunday when they travel to play Meath in Navan. Meath have been playing at a higher level than Donegal for many years. This will probably be Donegal’s biggest test for a long time and they are wished well.

The news that all the coaches have pulled out of the Donegal GAA Academy after head coach, Karl Lacey, stepped away was further bad news last week. We just cannot afford this hemorrhage of quality coaches. I know the Academy might be costly to run, but we have to resolve this issue quickly. We cannot allow it to fester, we have to deal with it quickly.

Good luck to Maxi Curran and the Donegal Ladies on Sunday when they entertain Waterford. Hopefully, they can get their season up and running with a first win.