Declan Bonner and Peter Keane relieved after 'epic battle' between Kerry and Donegal
Sunday 21 July 2019 19:43, UK
Declan Bonner and Peter Keane carried a similar message after Donegal and Kerry played out a 1-20 to 1-20 draw in the Super 8s.
Both sides led in injury-time, but ultimately they couldn't be separated in what was the game of the Super 8s thus far.
"Relieved or disappointed? A bit of both I suppose," reflected Keane at full-time.
"I thought we fought like hell towards the end. I thought there was a never say die attitude by us. There were a couple of frees that went against us that were bordering on not being frees. I think every time we were getting ahead they were getting back into it in some way or another. I thought we fought, and fought well."
Opposite number Declan Bonner echoed the sentiment:
"A draw was probably a fair result at the end of the day. We had opportunities to kill the match.
"I thought it was a great game of football, the lads showed real character. Both teams went at it and it was an epic battle."
However, unlike Kerry who travel to Navan knowing it would take an unlikely set of results to see them eliminated, Donegal face Mayo in what is a de facto All-Ireland quarter-final.
"We have it all to do now in two weeks in Castlebar," said Bonner.
"It is a winner take all, it is an All-Ireland quarter-final with a semi-final place at stake back here in three weeks' time.
"That is the challenge. That is the goal."
Donegal were missing key players, as Paddy McGrath and Neil McGee were withdrawn from the side. Bonner expects them to recover from injury in time for their trip to MacHale Park.
"We'd hope so," he said. "The only certainty is that Eoghan Ban [Gallagher] won't be back. That's a huge loss to us to be quite honest, he picked up a bad injury during the week at training and he'll miss the rest of the season.
"But yeah, the rest of them should [return].
"We'll need all the experience we have going to Castlebar, so hopefully the lads will all be ok."
The Ulster champions looked to their leaders when the game was in the melting pot, and Michael Murphy and Ryan McHugh came up trumps.
"They have been outstanding," added Bonner. "They are leaders on and off the park and they bring everyone with them. For me it was about the whole group and they really stuck in there. It may not have happened but for one or two players and the guys coming off the bench again. They all did their job today."
