Donegal manager Declan Bonner
Donegal manager, Declan Bonner, was relieved as much as anything at the end of the game on Sunday after watching his side struggle over the line against Kildare.
"We were playing into a stiff breeze in the first half and it was making it difficult to get ball in. We had to work hard for anything we got. Kildare had a stranglehold for huge periods of that first half.
"But listen, we went in just a point down, and we would have been happy with that, if not with the performance in the first half. But listen, there are plenty of room to improve, and we have to now ahead of Tyrone next Saturday night.
He agreed that the good start to the second half was a positive for his side.
"We have done that in a lot of games so far; the second half has been fairly good for us and we will be looking to do that on a more consistent level. And, listen, we will look at a lot of stuff that's going on in terms of how the goals came and we have to be stronger in that area. But listen, it's a work in progress and it's good to get two points today and that's what we came for," he said.
The game saw the return of Michael Murphy to the starting line-up and Bonner is hopeful that others will be back soon.
"It's about the group and it's good to get players back. We had Neil McGee back in there too and there are a few more of the other lads to come back in. It's taking time to get them back in but today was about getting through and getting the two points. It sets up for Tyrone next week and that is going to be a real humdinger of a match I can only imagine," said Bonner.
However, the one area which improvement is needed is the concession of goals. "After conceding goals like that we will have to look at it," said Bonner, who said they wouldn't be happy with the way Kildare got through down the middle so easily.
"We have to get stronger in situations like that. A couple of times we looked we were going to win the match but all of a sudden they come back and get a goal. It takes us another ten minutes to get back up again and then we're tagged back. But the lads, in fairness, showed great resolve to come back and get the scores and that's the pleasing thing about today," said Bonner, who said he couldn't fault debut 'keeper, Shaun Patton, for any of the goals.
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