GAA – DONEGAL GAA
BY RYAN FERRY
DONEGAL are expected to be without an in-form player for Sunday’s top-of-the-table Division 1 clash with Mayo on Sunday.
It’s set to be quite the occasion at O’Donnell Park. The capacity at the Letterkenny venue was increased to 8,900 this week after a review and it was declared a sell-out on Tuesday afternoon.
Mayo fans have been enthused by Andy Moran’s early reign as manager and they have won their opening two league matches.
Donegal have done likewise but something will have to give this week.
One man who is not expected to feature is wing-forward Daire Ó Baoill.
The Gaoth Dobhair man who starred against both Dublin and Kerry in recent weeks is said to have injured his wrist and his left hand has been in a cast.
Former county star Brendan Devenney is eagerly awaiting Sunday’s clash and feels it will be an intriguing encounter.
“I think it’s going to be a savage interesting game because you have two contrasting styles.
“I think Andy Moran is trying to get the old Mayo spirit back with a high intensity press which suits them and they want to move the ball.
“There’s a good buzz there after they beat Galway and Dublin.
“Now Dublin hit the bar and just missed with a two-pointer and then they had a man sent off, and Mayo got a goal just after that so it was a huge swing.
“I think it probably puts Mayo on a bit of a pedestal coming up here.
“Tactically I feel we will probably be good at negating some of that long ball in.
“I think they will want to get up the field and put pressure on but if Donegal get past that, then there’s going to be loads of space left in behind.
“I would expect that the Donegal defence might just be a wee bit tighter than theirs and that will probably be the winning of the game, plus you have the likes of Murphy and Gallen to come on if it’s tight down the stretch.”
