SATURDAY FELT LIKE the sort of day when Paddy McBrearty finally delivered on his enormous promise. The kind of game where he came of age.
The Kilcar forward doesn’t turn 23 until this Friday, but already he’s racking up the sort of numbers that a seasoned veteran in most other counties would be proud of.
The All-Ireland qualifier Round 4 win over Cork, which sealed Donegal’s passage into the quarter-finals, was McBrearty’s 75th appearance for Donegal and his 35th in the championship.
He produced one of he great Croke Park displays and his tally of 11 points was the biggest score a Donegal player has ever managed at Croke Park. He racked up that tally, including seven from play, from just 12 shots. It was an occasion where McBrearty just couldn’t miss.
“I keep making the same runs,” McBrearty explained after the game. “Luckily today the ball found me when I made those runs. The boys had their heads up more today than other days. I haven’t changed from my own game. I just making the same runs and the ball found me.”
Incredibly for a club with just 900 inhabitants, Kilcar contributed 16 points to Donegal’s 0-21 total. Cousins Ryan (three) and Eoin McHugh (two) chipped in with important scores, but Saturday was all about McBrearty.
McBrearty’s capacity to swing around a Donegal attack on the loop and shoot on sight was highly impressive. It’s something we often see from Bernard Brogan and James O’Donoghue, but McBrearty has perfected the art too.
“[He was] very sharp today, I thought he was excellent, his accuracy, his hunger,” his manager Rory Gallagher said. “It was probably a relief to get out of Ulster to express himself. But he is obviously a talented player. I know him extremely well with club and county this last number of years, he is capable of them things.”
“He wouldn’t have gone to that level, that was exceptional. His ball-winning, his decision-making, his finishing was top class.”
Donegal face a quick turnaround as they’ll take on the reigning All-Ireland champions Dublin in the last eight on Saturday. McBrearty knows the challenge that lies ahead.
“We’ve a day off tomorrow and we’ll get the head back down on Monday. It’s going to be a massive game. Dublin are one of the best teams of all time. We know the challenge that is there. Nobody is going to be giving us a hope so it’s all about our attitude on the day and over the next six days that will count.”
Of all teams, Donegal won’t fear Dublin. They’ve had a few seismic encounters with the Sky Blues in the last five years. The stunning 2014 All-Ireland semi-final win sent shock waves throughout the sport.
“[In 2014] we just kept our head down, didn’t listen to the outside voices and we had really good tunnel vision. We exploited what we felt were their weaknesses. I think Dublin will be more switched on the next day and won’t allow us to do certain things. But we’re looking forward to it. Big game against Dublin in Croke Park, probably a sell-out.”
McBrearty is developing into one of the leaders in this Donegal team. This weekend, he’ll play in his sixth All-Ireland quarter-final. It’s a journey that started back in 2011 when he played in five senior championship games as a minor.
Saturday’s showdown with the Dubs is just another chapter for one of the most talented young athletes on these shores.
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