Frank McGlynn is expected back in the Donegal panel this weekend.
BY CHRIS MCNULTY
JIM McGuinness expects to have Frank McGlynn and Paddy McGrath available to bolster his defence on Sunday when he takes Donegal to Omagh for round three of the National Football League.
The League resumes after taking a three-week break this weekend with McGuinness expressing his content that there is positive news once more to report on the injury front.
McGlynn played only the first half of the League opener against Kildare at Croke Park before having to be withdrawn with a hamstring injury, while a quad injury has prevented McGrath from taking any part thus far in 2013.
“Frank has trained this week with the group for the first time, so we’ll see how he is during the week. He is getting there in terms of re-integrating,” McGuinness – who was presented with the 2012 Donegal Person of the Year award on Saturday night in Dublin – told the Donegal News.
McGlynn and McGrath trained for a half an hour with the team in Castlefin on Thursday night before taking a full part in Saturday’s session. McGrath played the second half for his club, Ardara, yesterday against Belcoo in the Ulster League at Pearse Park.
The same is true for Colm McFadden, who McGuinness said had been suffering from a hamstring injury too, but who has also returned to training.
“If we can get a full squad back along with the few new players we’ll really be able to look forward,” McGuinness said.
David Walsh, the manager said, has still got ‘a bit to do’ and Sunday’s game looks like it will come too soon for the Ballintra man.
Christy Toye and Karl Lacey continue to be out long term.
“Christy Toye has a delicate sort of virus, but fingers crossed that will resolve itself in time,” McGuinness said, before adding of Lacey: “Karl just has to stick to the letter of the law with his rehab, but he’s hoping to be back jogging on it next week. We just want Karl to be as fit as possible as soon as possible.
“We have to be very careful with him and try to get him right, making sure that he is 100 per cent when he gets integrated again.”
Sunday’s game starts a run of five games in six weeks for Donegal and, of course, this game is billed as a prelude to the May meeting of these counties in the Ulster championship.
Those thoughts aren’t on the manager’s mind. He said: “For us it is a game of football in the National Football League – nothing more. We have to go out and try to win the game.
“It’s the same for Tyrone so it’s not a big deal really. It’s about going out and trying to be true to ourselves in terms of the goals that we want to get out of the League.”
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