Donegal manager Jim McGuinness lauded his team’s discipline and execution in their victory over Mayo at Dr Hyde Park.
Fergal Boland’s late score, with just 15 seconds remaining, had tied the game. A draw would have placed Donegal second and Mayo third in the group, with both teams progressing to the next stage.
However, McGuinness’s side pressed for a winning score, and Ciaran Moore delivered after the final whistle, eliminating Mayo. Donegal finished second in the group based on their head-to-head record against Tyrone.
“We discussed this morning in the hotel that we would go out, play our game, and strive for the win, and that’s precisely what we did. They adhered to the game plan, and that was crucial,” McGuinness said.
“Ciarán wasn’t necessarily thinking about the group standings or anything else; our focus was solely on winning the match.”
“Winning was our top priority because we were unsure of the outcome of the other game. We have another match next weekend, and we need to prepare for that now.”
“From our perspective, this is the first stage, the initial hurdle, and we’re pleased that we maintained composure and secured the victory in those crucial moments.”
The match was intense, marked by frequent turnovers and unforced errors resulting from pressure from both sides, according to McGuinness.
“I attribute that to the quality of both Donegal and Mayo. These games are always close, very physical, and highly attritional. Their man-to-man marking is very aggressive, so turnovers are inevitable. However, I felt we managed and controlled possession effectively for extended periods.”
“We were caught in a couple of tackles, but otherwise, I believe we managed and controlled the game well in terms of build-up play and established attacks. Mayo are a fantastic team and extremely difficult to beat. We knew it would be that kind of game.”
After establishing a lead in the first half, Donegal were pegged back by a David McBrien goal, putting Mayo ahead in the 55th minute.
However, they responded strongly, regaining the lead with scores from Dáire Ó Baoill and Michael Murphy.
“That was extremely important, absolutely vital. Every game you play, you’ll experience periods of being ahead, level, and behind, repeatedly.”
“It’s crucial not to become overly discouraged when you’re trailing and equally important not to get too euphoric when you’re ahead. We emphasise this a lot, and we hope to continue doing so in the coming weeks.”
McGuinness praises his side for “sticking to the plan” was last modified: June 15th, 2025 by
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News Source : Donegal Daily
