Newcomer Nathan delighted to be part of Tyrone set-up

DESPITE being embroiled in a relegation battle with Tyrone right now, Nathan Donnelly is relishing being part of the All-Ireland champions set-up.

The Killyclogher wing-forward was drafted into the senior county fold this off-season and has impressed with a series of assured and mature performances, even if results haven’t tended to go the way of the team.

Tyrone suffered a further setback and blow to their prospects of avoiding the drop out of Division One when going down by four points (2-10 to 0-12) against neighbours Donegal on Saturday night in Ballybofey.

While the outcome wasn’t the result that Donnelly or his Tyrone team-mates wanted, given that difficult assignments remain against big hitters Dublin, Mayo and Kerry, Nathan is thrilled nonetheless be mixing in such lofty company.

“I’m delighted that Feargal and Brian gave me a chance. It’s as professional a set-up as you will get. When those two lads came in as managers to the team people said it would be a rebuild process. But they have rebuilt fast and built a mighty team as last year showed. But on that journey you are going to have good days and bad days, and tonight was one of those bad days.

“It’s a big step up, a different style of game altogether. I’m just learning every day out there – in training and in matches. They are all great lads to learn from. There is a great atmosphere about the camp, a great backroom team too. I have been massively impressed.”

The visitors could have eased well clear against an out-of-sorts Donegal in the first half at Pairc MacCumhaill on Saturday but conceded a late goal which boosted the hosts and they were made ultimately to pay a heavy prove for failing to turn their dominance into tangible reward on the scoreboard. Donnelly admitted that it was one which got away.

“We were massively disappointed with that second half. There was a fierce wind, and we had it at our backs in the second half but we didn’t make the most of it. We thought we could kick on but unfortunately we didn’t and Donegal responded.

“I did feel we were in control of the game for most of the first half. Unfortunately when Donegal were in control and had their spells they made the most of them. We were disappointed to come out of it with nothing.

“Goals win games at the end of the day and we were very disappointed in that. We will have to go out the next day and look to get two points against Dublin.”

Donnelly was all too aware of Tyrone’s poor track record in Ballybofey and was part of an underage team which also emerged on the losing side some years earlier at the same venue.

“Everybody knows that Donegal are hard to beat on their own patch. I came down here to Ballybofey a few years ago (2017) with the Under-21s and we came out on the wrong side too.

“This game was vitally important to try and get the two points. As you can see with every game in Division One they are very tight.

“We will have to go back to the drawing board on Tuesday night in training and see if we can get our heads together for Dublin next week. We need to look at ourselves and work on things. We did a lot right in fairness, but we still have to improve.”

The 25-year-old discounts the notion that Tyrone are still playing catch up on other top teams in terms of fitness right now.

“I wouldn’t saw fitness is one of our main problems. We might have a problem with decision-making at times but it is probably a combination of things. We will look at it again on Tuesday night at training and look to improve.

“Things like breaking ball can go your way one day and not the next day. There are many things to work on. The next day we will try and redeem ourselves and look to get the result to stay in Division One.”