Y RYAN FERRY
DONEGAL senior football manager Jim McGuinness says there’s ‘no conflict of interest’ for his team this weekend so they will go hard to win the Division 1 Final.
Donegal started the League brilliantly in 2025 but then tapered off late in the campaign as their eyes switched to a big Ulster Preliminary Round tie with Derry.
If they had reached the league final last year, they would only have had one week to prepare for Derry.
The situation is different this season as McGuinness’s men have gone straight through to the quarter-finals, and the last eight tie with Down isn’t until April 26.
That gives four weeks to get the house in order for the Mourne men and the panell are due to head out on a warm weather training camp in Portugal next week.
Kerry will be formidable opponents and Donegal won’t be holding back.
“We will have to have a go at the game now that we are in the final.
“We’re against the top team in the country, there’s no doubt about that.
“It’s going to be a very tough challenge for us but there’s no conflict of interest with the game and the championship match.
“We will look at that now and prepare as best as we can and get ready for next week.”
Donegal were gutted to lose to Kerry in the All-Ireland Final last July.
They were tipped in many quarters to win the match but the Kingdom got off to a strong start and while Donegal got back to within four, that was as good as it got.
It was a long winter but Donegal have bounced back impressively this year.
They have already beaten Kerry in the league but will remember that Mayo saw off Jack O’Connor’s men last year in Castlebar and then were well beaten in the league final.
Donegal will be keen to avoid history repeating itself but they will want key personnel back fit.
Ciaran Moore, Michael Murphy, Daire Ó Baoill, Kieran Gallagher, and Oisin Gallen all played in the 1-22 to 1-18 win in Fr Tierney Park but didn’t feature against Monaghan last week.
Conor McCahill is also on the treatment table but Eoin McHugh did make a welcome return while Finnbarr Roarty’s minutes are being managed.
“We will count the bodies on the back (of Monaghan) and work out what direction we go with the team next weekend.
“It’s a great game and you’re back in headquarters and you’re playing the All-Ireland champions and we know what happened the last time we played them.
“We’re going to have to be ready for that challenge.”
McGuinness confirmed last week that Michael Langan and Shane O’Donnell will be joint-captains this season.
Langan’s appointment is understandable as he deputised when Patrick McBrearty didn’t start last year.
However, O’Donnell’s role is a surprise as he has not held many captaincy positions at club or county before.
That hasn’t deterred McGuinness from going for the St Eunan’s man who is one of the first names on the team sheet.
“He’s a very consistent player for us and a very important cog in the wheel.
“He has a very good relationship with whatever camp – younger or older – he gets on really well (with everyone) as does Michael and that was a big part of it obviously.
“The fellas need to be very comfortable with the players that are going to lead them.
“The two of them are comfortable with the dynamic as well and that’s the most important thing so that’s what it stemmed from really.”
Sunday should be a good day out for GAA fans as Cork and Meath meet in the curtain-raiser in the Division 2 Final.
With a ticket scramble expected for the Donegal v Down championship match, this week’s game presents an opportunity for families to make the trip in support of the team.
McGuinness said: “100% and I think that is the good thing about the league that you do get situations like that.
“I saw a bus load of kids up from Donegal at the Monaghan game and it gives people an opportunity to get to the game sometimes who struggle to get tickets.
“The league final will be the same.
“They will be at a premium come Letterkenny so it definitely is a fixture that will be a box ticker for some families.