Donie Smith dominated the headlines last Sunday as Roscommon hammered Louth in Drogheda to flip the Division Two league table upside down and raise hopes of an immediate return to Division One.
Donie started from the substitutes’ bench in sunny Drogheda despite his recent scoring form as some supporters took to social media to express their surprise.
As we now know, the Boyle forward didn’t sit quietly in the dug-out for long and contributed 0-7 from frees and play when called upon, including a couple of long-range crackers.
Many supporters have raised the ‘Where’s Donie?’ question already this season, and while it might be frustrating for Smith to play the super-sub role at times, the management team must be trusted to shuffle the pack in order to get the best out of the entire panel. It is only March after all and it’s far more important to have a talented player like Donie Smith fit, fresh and focussed for big tests later on this year.
Never mind seven points off the bench against Louth during a facile victory in March and imagine a couple of game-changing scores when it matters most in a Connacht final.
There is a lot of club and inter-county football to be played over the next few months so let’s not panic until the summer!
