Laid-back McFadden takes Donegal win against Roscommon in his stride

If there is a more laid-back footballer after a football match, it would be hard to better big Hugh McFadden of Killybegs.

As he emerged from the Donegal dressing room as one of the designated players to give an after-match interview, he was hit with an avalanche of recorders and microphones.

"If only it was like this outside the Abbey on a Sunday night," quips McFadden.

But behind the nonchalant exterior is a footballer who has taken the responsibility of being a Donegal county footballer very seriously. That was seen during the spring when he filled in as captain in the absence of Michael Murphy and he has become one of the leaders on and off the field.

Asked for his reaction to the game, he was calm and forthright. "We're so happy to get the victory first of all. We came down here, we knew it was going to be a tough game," said McFadden, adding that Roscommon were going to be hurt after their performance against Tyrone.

"They came flying out of the blocks and they kicked some big scores. Eventually we got to grips with it a wee bit and we built up a wee lead in the first half. There were some big scores there. We held that lead throughout the second half but there would be aspec ts of that second half that was very average, and that's being very honest. But we won the game, and that's all we came here to do.

"We had intentions of getting a fast start ourselves. We knew they were probably a wee bit vulnerable after the result they had last week, and we had full intentions to put the foot down. But they are still a good side with good footballers. You have the two Murtaghs and Enda Smith and Cathal Cregg in there in the forward line and they're always going to be busy and they kicked some fine scores in the first half. But we got some good scores of our own. And I suppose as the half went on, we got some good scores too," said the Killybegs midfielder."

McFadden had plenty of praise for his teammates, not least goalkeeper, Shaun Patton, who he felt shipped unnecessary criticism the previous week after the defeat against Dublin.

"Shaun made a few big saves last week. A few people in the media were saying he wasn't very good but we didn't give him a lot of help last week in Croke Park on his own kick outs. But I thought his shot stopping last week and this week was excellent. Shaun, for his first championship season, has really stood up to the mark," said McFadden.

He felt Donegal, once they got their act together, played some good football: "They got it back to three points and they were starting to turn the screw a wee bit, but I felt we managed it well. We got our shooters and top players on the ball inside the '45' and we started taking some smart scores. I think we started forcing it a wee bit in the first half and early in the second half. I thought when we settled down and played some good football, we looked well at times."

He agreed that it was a game they just had to win. "It was obvious. If we had lost we were going and we were out of the championship. We went to Dublin last week and we wanted to win. That didn't happen and we came down here to win and it's all about MacCumhaill Park now in two weeks," said McFadden, who paid tribute to those who came off the bench and did well.

"Marty O'Reilly was back today for the first time in a while and did well; Anthony Thompson has come in; Mark McHugh has come in and then you add in the likes of Daire O Baoill, Cian Mulligan, Niall O'Donnell and these players have come in; Darach O'Connor had a wee knock today," said McFadden, who said it was all about Tyrone in MacCumhaill Park from now on.