Stephen McDermott explained

His inter-county debut with Donegal came in 2003.

He played in the 2003 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship quarter-final draw with Galway but was substituted at half-time because of a problem with his toe.^[1] He returned to play in the semi-final against Armagh.^[2]

He often played alongside John Gildea in midfield but could also play as a forward.^[3]

He nearly scored a goal against Armagh in the 2006 Ulster Senior Football Championship final that would have levelled the game; Donegal lost, he never won an Ulster Senior Football Championship.^{[3] [4]}

Notes and References

1. News: Gavin. Cummiskey. McDermott back at centre of things for Donegal. The Irish Times. 27 August 2003. McDermott was replaced at half-time in the drawn match with Galway after he failed to recover from a stubbed toe..
2. News: Armagh's double still alive. Irish Independent. 1 September 2003.
3. News: McNulty. Chris. 22 July 2011. 1992–2011: The best XV not to win Ulster… . . https://web.archive.org/web/20200723010148/https://donegalnews.com/2011/07/1992-2011-the-best-xv-not-to-win-ulster/. 2020-07-23. dead.
4. News: Donegal 0–09 1–09 Armagh. BBC Sport. 9 July 2006. Right at the end Donegal substitute [sic] had a chance to score an equalising goal but keeper Paul Hearty pulled off a vital stop.. The BBC report omits his name but lists him as a substitute. The 2011 Donegal News piece lists him as the player who almost scored.