Trying to gauge exactly how far Donegal have come so far this season isn’t the easiest of tasks.

But trying to do so immediately after such a one-sided affair on Sunday afternoon was a particularly difficult conundrum.

An impressive McKenna Cup campaign has been followed by two fairly subdued encounters against Westmeath and Laois. Though Donegal’s relegation from football’s top tier last season has certainly afforded them more scope as they look to unearth new talent and new ideas.

They have cantered through to maximum points so far albeit against poor opposition. And with bigger fish to fry in the form of Kildare, Down and Meath- most qualified opinion is satisfied enough.

John Joe Doherty admits that the aim is to hit top gear at just the right time. And following a stressful league campaign last time out- being afforded the opportunity to quietly go about their business this term must be an advantage.

“We’re happy to have four points,” was the manager’s immediate reaction. “That’s what we hoped to have at the start of the League. From that point of view, it’s fairly satisfying.

“Funnily enough we wouldn’t be entirely happy with how we played, but we got away on Laois just midway through the second-half and ended up racking up the big score.”

Having sprung four from the bench in Mullingar, Doherty again spread out the workload with five changes made in the second half in Ballyshannon. And one thing that is for certain is that come May Donegal’s blue-chip players will, for the first time in many seasons, be at full throttle.

“We are trying fellas out, but I don’t think the jury would be out as regards our squad being stronger or not. That will be decided when the better opposition comes along,” Doherty assessed.

“At the same time there is a good unity in the squad and we’re trying to get a bit of competition for places. That’s what we have at the minute, but there are bigger games to come.”