BY MATTHEW WILSON

Jim McGuinness and his Donegal side are gearing up towards a tough test against Ulster rivals Monaghan in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship quarter-final this weekend.

The meeting with the Farney men is scheduled for this Saturday at Croke Park with a 4pm throw-in time.

It’s been a hectic schedule for Donegal. This is due to be the Ulster Champions third outing in 13 days having faced Mayo and Louth over the last two weekends.

McGuinness’s side have now been dealt a tough hand, facing a six-day turnaround from their last-12 clash with the wee county to prepare for this Saturday’s meeting with Monaghan.

Donegal GAA issued a statement on Monday voicing their disappointment with the decision to schedule the match for Saturday as their request to play on Sunday was turned down.

Former Donegal player and 2012 All-Ireland winner Martin McElhinney lined out under Jim McGuinness during his first stint in charge.

He knows what it’s like to be in the set-up and he doesn’t think the heavy media coverage of the situation will seep through to the group.

McElhinney believes the squad will be recovered and ready for what lies ahead this weekend.

“I know Jim, it’s not him or the team that’s complaining about the turnaround, it’s other people.

“Jim gave out about the distance they had to travel to go to Roscommon but since then he’s been quiet, he was very positive after the Louth game.

“They’ll be well recovered now. If it was six or seven days they wouldn’t have been doing much this week anyway. They’re going to be heading down to Croke Park confident of getting a victory, that’s all they’ll be worrying about. They will be recovered.”

The St Michael’s clubman added that if anything the decision to put Donegal down to play in the first of the four quarter-finals may in fact galvanise the side heading up to GAA Headquarters this weekend.

“In a way it might drive them on a bit more, feeling they’ve been disrespected or not being allowed the same as other teams, it might galvanise them a bit more.”

Saturday’s match will not be shown on terrestrial television but will be streamed live on GAA+.