Donegal's Paddy McBrearty battling to return for League

Donegal manager Declan Bonner has indicated that star forward Paddy McBrearty is likely to return in March.

Donegal's summer ran out of steam in 2018, after an Ulster title which promised so much. The Tír Chonaill men fell to Dublin and Tyrone in the Super 8s after a provincial campaign in which they won four matches by a combined 39 points.

However, injury to McBrearty poured cold water on any hype ahead of the Super 8s. The Kilcar man suffered an ACL injury which ruled him out for the season, and his recovery is ongoing.

"Paddy McBrearty is going to come back into the fold," said Donegal manager Declan Bonner looking ahead to next season. "It will probably be March before he is back on the pitch.

"Ciaran Gillespie, one of the Gweedore lads. Ciaran is back playing, a very, very good player, he will come back into it, he missed a whole season through injury.

"There are a number of other lads probably to come into it."

Bonner is anticipating that they can be an even stronger force in 2019.

"We haven't met with the players yet. We are meeting them now in the next couple of weeks and sitting down and have a look at the plans for the season ahead and where we are at and were we need to get to. There is a lot of stuff that needs to be done.

"There will be maybe a couple of younger lads coming into the squad. Looking to keep those senior players there. I think there will be. There is plenty to work on.

"We know we need improvements to get to that next level now."

The 1992 All-Ireland winner is under no illusions what level they need to get to in order to challenge for Sam Maguire - a title they last won in 2012.

"Dublin have not lost in the championship since 2014 - you might get them on the day, but it's probably difficult to see Dublin being beaten twice in 2019," said Bonner. "But in saying that, it's up to us.

"It's up to the rest of the counties that's in that bracket to go and try and close that gap, try and bridge that gap.

"Yeah, I think it can be done, but it's going to take a huge effort on everyone's part."