“On our day we believe that we can match anybody"

The bright lights, the noise, the expansive surrounds of Croke Park have been the downfall of many.

However, Donegal corner-back Niamh Carr doesn’t believe there was any feeling that they were rabbits caught in headlights in Sunday’s Lidl NFL Division 1 loss to Meath.

Donegal came from seven points behind to lead for a spell only for the reigning All-Ireland champions to find a winning method in the closing stages.

“The mood was good and no-one was over-anxious about coming here,” Carr told Donegal Live.

“The first 15 minutes just didn’t go for us, but that’s a learning curve. We’ve had a chance to play at Croke Park now and we want to get back here.

“We went toe-to-toe with the All-Ireland champions. As a group, we know we have a lot to work on.

“It was a brilliant game of football for the full 60 minutes and we’re just so disappointed not to get over the line.”

Kelsey Nesbitt’s goal helped put Meath 1-6 to 0-2 in front and Donegal were in danger at that point.

Aided by a Niamh McLaughlin penalty, Donegal surged right back into the game and they were ahead when Geraldine McLaughlin bent over early in the second-half.

A second goal, by Niamh O’Sullivan, gave Meath the edge.

For Donegal, it was an afternoon at headquarters that showed Maxi Curran’s side they’re within touching distance of the top sides in the country.

“For 45 minutes, we played brilliant, the way we know we can,” Cranford woman Carr said.

“For 15 minutes, maybe it was nerves or maybe it was getting settled in, we left ourselves with too much to do. There was seven points in it and Meath probably thought it was plain sailing.

“We put in a huge shift to get back into it. We were in a great position at half-time. We knew that we could push on and we did push on. You can’t be giving the All-Ireland champions a seven-point lead, but we’re happy how we were able to dig in and get it back.

“On our day we believe that we can match anybody. To match the top teams is what we want to do and where we want to be. There was just two points in it and no-one gave us a chance going into the game.

“Certainly, no-one would have given us a chance 15 minutes in. We’ll reflect back and see things to work on, but we’ll take belief too.”

On May 1, Donegal welcome Cavan for their opening Ulster Championship clash.

They enter that off the back of a promising League campaign that saw a semi-final win over Dublin book a place in the final.

Carr said: “It was a great occasion. You sort of forget where you are and you just play another game of football. It is just another League game and it’s one of the steps towards the Championship.

“It’s been a good League. We had two good group wins and got over Dublin too. Getting over Dublin was big because the’ve been the king pins. We could have won the final if a few things had come off differently. But, absolutely, we’ll take a lot of this. We’re going into the Championship with a good buzz.”