BY MATTHEW WILSON
Former Donegal selector and Under 20 manager Gary McDaid feels Down will be a tough challenge in the 2026 Ulster Championship but adds that home advantage will be key for Jim McGuinness’s team.
Donegal will take on Down next April with the winner set to meet Armagh, Tyrone or Fermanagh in the semi-final.
MacCumhaill Park has been closed since the summer for redevelopment and it is not yet known whether the surface at the Ballybofey ground will be ready for the provincial clash, which potentially opens the door for O’Donnell Park or Fr Tierney Park to host the contest.
McDaid was impressed with the Down team last season. Due to their Division 3 status they’re not guaranteed a spot in the Sam Maguire Cup in 2026 and the Glenswilly manager feels they could put Donegal under pressure should they come here requiring a result.
“The best thing about it is it’s a home draw. It’s still probably a tough enough draw, there’s easier draws that you could’ve got.
“You’re then looking at, is Ballybofey going to be ready, probably not from the word on the ground.
“There’s a really good winter at the minute, there’s good growth. From pictures that I’ve seen MacCumhaill Park seems to be growing nicely. Whether it will have been bedded in and knitted together, probably not.
“You’re probably looking at O’Donnell Park and that’ll be another historic occasion for Donegal GAA. It’s been a long time since we played a championship game outside of Ballybofey. It’ll be a sell-out as you’d imagine so there’ll be some scramble for tickets.
“What I liked about Down last year is that they started to kick the ball, you’d imagine that will evolve even further this year. They probably came into their own a bit last year, they won two games in their group and were relegated on the last day in the league on six points.
“They’re going to be fighting for their lives to get into the Sam Maguire. If they need to come into Donegal and win then that puts us under huge pressure because they had a decent Sam Maguire campaign last year.
“It’ll be an exciting game. Conor Laverty has brought a bit of stability. He’s as close in Down as to what we have in Jim McGuinness. He’s brought that stability and he’s brought in the Kilcoo strength and conditioning coach as well.
“With that Kilcoo connection there, he’s able to get them onside, get them playing and we know the mentality that them lads have.
“(Tony) McEntee has joined the Down backroom team this year, who would’ve worked alongside Colm McFadden in Sligo. Colm will be able to bring a good insight into the Donegal management team of what he would’ve been about in Sligo.”
