BY MATTHEW WILSON

Donegal goalkeeper Shaun Patton is looking forward to getting back out at Croke Park as we enter the business end of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.

Donegal overcame the challenge of Louth last Sunday at MacCumhaill Park with a superb second stanza display but now face another tough test this Saturday when they go head-to-head with Gabriel Bannigan’s Monaghan at GAA HQ in the quarter-final.

It’s a last eight line-up brimming with quality. You have to go all the way back to 2010 to find the last All-Ireland winning side not to have made it to the quarter-final stage of this year’s competition, making it such a difficult championship to call for so many.

Inevitably, with so many contenders remaining, some strong teams will see their 2025 campaign come to an end this weekend.

Patton discussed that this is what you expect at this stage of the championship and mentioned that there are no easy games anymore.

“There is yeah, I suppose that’s what happens when you get to the business end of the season. Louth put it up to us in the first half, there’s no such thing as an easy game anymore really. The scoreline might not reflect the intensity of the game, especially that first half, but getting back to Croke Park is huge. We have a lot of work to do if we want to keep going so we’ll get to that and keep going hopefully.”

It’s challenge after challenge from here on in for Jim McGuinness’s side with the Farney county providing the latest obstacle this Saturday.

The St Eunan’s clubman is anticipating a difficult contest this weekend but expressed that they’re eager to get the opportunity to take to the field at Croke Park again.

“It’s not going to be an easy game. There’s a few big hitters left, there’s no easy games left in the champi onship no matter what stage you’re at now. We’re not going to look past any game. We get the opportunity to get to Croke Park but we’re going to have to get the work in and we’ll look forward to getting the opportunity to get out there again.”