Donegal manager Rory Gallagher
DONEGAL manager Rory Gallagher says his team are preparing for a ‘massive’ encounter with Galway in Round 4A of the qualifiers in Sligo this Saturday.
Rory Gallagher’s side have put in a huge amount of work this year, and a place in the All-Ireland quarter-final would be a good reward for their endeavours.
However, the Donegal manager feels that they are going to have to produce a big performance if they are to see off Galway in Markievicz Park.
“It’s a massive game for us,” said Gallagher.
“You spend an awful lot of time from January on, gearing up for the big games at this time of the year.
“These are the games that players want to be playing in, and we want to make it through to the quarter-finals.
“We’re going to have to really produce a good performance, both individually and collectively.
“We feel that it will take that to get past Galway.”
Cian Mulligan has missed Donegal’s victories over Longford and Meath, but he is expected to be back in the reckoning this weekend, and Gallagher is hopeful that he will have a fully fit squad to select from.
“We have no major injury concerns. We’ve had a couple of heavy sessions, so it’s just about getting the bodies right again.
“Cian Mulligan was back in training with us again at the weekend, and it’s so far, so good. I’d expect him to make the matchday squad on Saturday.”
Two years ago, Donegal saw off Galway in Round 4 of the qualifiers in Croke Park, but Gallagher is glad that his team are not going to GAA Headquarters this week.
The game will instead be played in Markievicz Park, and it should attract a large crowd of Donegal supporters.
“We’re very pleased that the game is not in Croke Park,” said Gallagher.
“I think if you drew a straight line on a map from Letterkenny to Galway, you’d find that Sligo isn’t too far away from the middle.
“You have counties that are spending a lot of money upgrading their grounds, and I think they deserve to get big games.
“I’m sure it will create a unique atmosphere. I’m sure we will bring a huge following as usual, and I’m really looking forward to it.”
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