CHRIS MCNULTY
IN CARRICK-ON-SHANNON
MAYO. It just had to be Mayo, didn’t it?
Donegal are back in Croke Park in an All-Ireland quarter-final and will face off with Mayo on Sunday (4pm) in a repeat of the 2012 All-Ireland final.
Champions Donegal successfully navigated Saturday evening’s All-Ireland qualifier with Laois in Carrick-On-Shannon, pulling away at the end to win by six points, 0-14 to 0-8.
The engine has been chugging of late and the Ulster title was relinquished last weekend, but the rematch with Mayo will surely have been enough to concentrate the minds of the Donegal squad.
Donegal fans outnumbered Laois by ten to one in Pairc Sean MacDiarmada – and it wasn’t lost on the players.
“We were disappointed for the thousands of Donegal fans who travelled to Clones, but they stuck with us and came here in absolutely huge numbers. We’re delighted to get the win for them,” said captain, Michael Murphy.
“We’re delighted to win for each and every person who travelled from Donegal.”
Colm McFadden hit six points as Donegal begun to recapture their mojo. Now, back to the big house again. Donegal have the headline act on Sunday.
Murphy said: “We’re there and we have ourselves in the frame again.”
Donegal play at 4m, after Kerry v Cavan at 2. On Saturday Monaghan face Tyrone before Dublin take on Cork.
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