Johnno on the Donegal defeat

Johnno has given his thoughts in the Mayo News on the defeat by Donegal. He sounds rueful enough, stating that we could have won it, pointing to the stage just after we got that fortunate goal where he felt we missed an opportunity to inflict greater damage on them:

They were a little vulnerable after we got the goal and we didn’t expose that well enough. That is something we’re going to have to learn at the year progresses.

He also expresses his belief that this was one of the four away matches out of which we could really have got something:

League points are vital and we have four away games this year. We did feel this was a game to target to get something out of on the road. I would have been happy enough with a draw here at the end but we are disappointed because we are putting a huge effort in.

He's clearly far from happy in terms of how the forwards are shaping up so far, stating that, as yet, "we just don't have a rhythm" in that sector. Interestingly, he singles out Swinford's Aidan Campbell as someone "who will have to get a longer game to express himself". Aidan was the captain of the minor team that reached the All-Ireland final in 2005 and was on last year's victorious U-21 team. I think it's fair to assume he'll be starting against Clare on Saturday night and possibly also against Limerick the following weekend.

Overall, the Boss isn't exactly chuffed, which is precisely how it should be. It was a tough game, on a miserable wet day, against opponents who are on a bit of a roll and where the home support would have given Donegal a significant lift. But we still could have pinched it and that's why Johnno's unhappy. I think Limerick can expect a hard game from us on Sunday week.

P.S. The poll in the Mayo News asked if we can still win this year's NFL. When I checked the results, 55% thought we could. I voted "No", by the way.