Gary McDaid was delighted in the manner of the victory that his Donegal U-20s side achieved against Cavan, but admitted that all thought is now on Derry.
Donegal registered 2-21 in sixty minutes of scintillating football and only conceded 10 points along the way but McDaid said that his side won’t be getting carried away.
Donegal U-20s manager Gary McDaid during Sunday’s game. Photo Evan Logan
“As long as our names in the hat for the next round that’s what matters.
“There’s positives and negatives, the positive is that we do have a game under our belt and have a bit of traction in the legs now.
“But Derry got to watch us in the stand and plan for next week and I would love to have that opportunity to sit up there and prepare.”
Donegal played in a matter that showed extreme fitness, pace and intelligence. They played to their strengths throughout the game and part of this was pushing up on Cavan’s kick-outs.
McDaid said that he would plan to use this tactic throughout the year due to the authority that Odhran McFadden Ferry and Jason McGee offer in the middle.
“Anytime time you hand the ball to the opponent you’re handing them the initiative.
“We don’t make it easy for any team, a lot of people would accuse me back in the day for being over defensive with the Glen.”
The ex-Glenswilly boss was often criticised for his style of play in the past few years with many critiquing him for playing too many men behind the ball. On Sunday we seen a different range of his management with Donegal playing fast, free-flowing football.
McDaid said after the game: “I have taken my coaching philosophy on as have the rest of the team.
“We played today with plenty of forwards up the pitch. We had good defensive shape but we always had forwards up the pitch.”
A lot was talked this year about the timing of the U-20s championship and how it would impact students sitting the leaving cert.
McDaid said: “We’re not too bad other than the exams really so other than that we’re ok.
“There’s 168 hours in the week and 1440 minutes in the day, it’s about how manage those minutes and hours.
“The problem with the way it was is that it ran in to the Sigerson’s and Trench cups. We would probably say that if it ran a week after the leaving cert that would be ideal,” McDaid concluded.
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