SUNDAY’S win over Meath in Navan saw Donegal improve on their poor away record in Division 1.
The comfortable 3-9 to 0-7 win was only Donegal’s sixth win in their last 30 away fixtures in the top flight, stretching back to 2008.
Picture: Michael Langan sets his sights for goal during Sunday’s game. Picture by Evan Logan
Since winning Division 1 under Brian McIver in 2007, Donegal have now played 30 regulation Division 1 games away from home, winning only six.
Eamon McGee netted a dramatic goal to beat Mayo in Castlebar in 2008 and a year later John Joe Doherty’s Donegal overcame Westmeath in Mullingar.
Donegal had to wait until the opening day of the 2016 campaign for their next on-the-road success in Division 1 – and a 3-15 to 0-7 hammering of Down in Newry.
Away wins at Roscommon and Cavan followed in 2017 before relegation in 2018 ended their stay on the top rung.
Back in Division 1 this year, Donegal’s goals proved key last weekend as Odhrán McFadden-Ferry, Michael Murphy and Michael Langan netted.
“We moved the ball very well and we should have had more goals,” Donegal manager Declan Bonner said.
“We opened their defence well. Any day you pick up two points away from home in Division 1 is a good day.
“We should have had more scores on the board and that’s a disappointing factor. We kicked 3-9 so we’re happy to come out of Navan with two points.”
This week, 2019 All-Star nominee Jamie Brennan said Donegal have to find better consistency in Division 1.
Donegal have been in Division 1 for nine of the last 13 campaigns, but Brennan wants Donegal to avoid relegation battles and establish themselves as a regular Division 1 side.
“It has probably been like a yo-yo experience for the last few years and one of the aims at the start of the year was to just try and stay consistent in Division 1,” Brennan said ahead of the visit of Galway to Letterkenny this Sunday.
“You have to be playing top teams and that is the way you have to be playing year on year. You are playing against a higher calibre of player, week-in, week-out. You can’t really take any steps back.
“It is really important to stay consistent and try and push on this week to lay a platform to really attack this Sunday.”
