'It's great to be back . . . right in the heat of championship' - Jason McGee

Jason McGee’s return to the Donegal starting team has been such a natural fit it’s almost like he’s never left. 

The Donegal star returned to the panel during the Division 2 league final on Easter Sunday when Jim McGuinness’s side overcame Armagh by a single point in Croke Park. 

Before that, the Cloughaneely man hadn’t featured for Donegal since a Dr McKenna Cup match on January 7 – almost a three-month absence. 

But it hasn’t taken McGee long to find his feet in the starting XV, with his championship performances against Derry and Tyrone amongst the best on the day from all sides. 

“It’s been a tough few months for me on a personal level with injuries, so it’s great to get back out onto the field and back fit again,” McGee said following his team’s 0-18 to 0-16 victory over Tyrone in Celtic Park on Sunday in the Ulster semi-final.  

“It’s been a long few weeks in terms of recovery, so for me to get back into a league final and play in Croke Park last month was brilliant and to get the win was even better. 

“My first game back against Armagh was a good test, it was a really tough game. I’ve been injury free since then and long may that continue as we get into the real heat of championship now. The last eight days have been great for me and the squad . . . it’s just brilliant to be back now.” 

When times were tough, and Donegal needed leaders against Tyrone on Sunday, it was the towering midfielder who was to the fore, contributing back-to-back points at crucial stages in the second-half to keep Donegal fighting in the contest. 

For McGuinness there was never any doubt who he was going to play in midfield to partner Michael Langan in Celtic Park. 

“Considering I haven’t featured in the league at all, the last three games have been massive games to come into and play,” McGee said. “They’re matches you’re just mad to be a part of and you’ll do anything to play in and thankfully I got fit for the league final against Armagh, I got a good run out for 40 minutes and I’ve been hopefully improving ever since. 

“It was a big call from the management to call me into the starting team against Derry, I’m grateful that Jim had the confidence to play me and back me all the way that I could come in and do a job.” 

Despite Donegal being tipped to win following their convincing win over Derry last weekend, Tyrone posed a very different challenge and questioned Donegal throughout as they attempted to stop McGuinness’s team from playing on their own terms. 

“We came in with a different tag today, and we can see it was a very different game compared to the Derry game. There was a lot of control on the ball from Tyrone, they were no walkovers, and we can see they ran us right to the end. 

“Last week was about breaking on the counter at speed, while against Tyrone it was about being controlled and waiting for the right time and finding gaps to move in to. Games like that are about fine margins, you have to make sure of the scores because the good attacking opportunities are so precious, but we got there in the end.”