It's in our own hands now - Na Rossa manager Cormac McHugh

After a classic Junior A encounter between Na Rossa and Letterkenny Gaels at Madavagh on Saturday, the home side’s boss, Cormac McHugh, was happy enough with the draw, which gives his side a sporting chance to make the quarter-finals.

They had to get a result and the 1-11 to 0-14 final scoreline means they are back in contention and travel to Moville this weekend knowing that the final place in the group to make the quarter-finals is between the Inishowen side and themselves.

"We're happy with the draw, I suppose,” said McHugh, who saw his side come from behind twice in added time. “We're looking at the Moville game, we still have to go up and win. It was either win the game today or get a draw. It's in our own hands now, going up to Moville, so we're happy with the draw at the end of the day. It was a battle out there."

The difficult strong crossfield wind made the players work really hard for the scores but both sides came up with the goods at various times.

"There was a wind going across the field and it probably was the same for the two teams,” McHugh added. “It was a kind of game of two halves, really. You had to kinda work the ball over to the left hand side when you were shooting down towards the Chapel and it was the same going up the field, you had to move it to the right hand side.

"I think the two teams copped that on even before the throw-up, that's where the scoring area was. It was end to end. That was real championship that you wouldn't really see in Division 1 football there today. Everybody left everything on the pitch, both teams, and it's a credit to all the players out there today."

The Na Rossa boss sent Christian Bonner back into action early in the second half. Bonner had picked up an ankle injury in the Division 3 promotion play-off with Naomh Muire and at first it was thought that he had a broken bone, but a second scan revealed torn ligaments.

"He still did well and he was only motoring on one cylinder really. I just felt that he was starting to tire a wee bit and I thought to bring on John Paul McCready and in fairness John Paul got a point when he came on, so it worked out well for us.

"We could have nearly snatched it at the end. Matthew Smith fired it just over the bar. But in the grand scheme of things I think a draw was a fair result. Even the neutrals watching there today would agree that both teams should be happy with a draw.

"We have the tails up now going to Moville. It's a tough game up there, never easy going to Inishowen any day. But the boys will be ready.  We'll be back at it on Tuesday night and we'll give it our all and hopefully get the result we need."