Michael Murphy will be looking to repeat this today. Pic Geraldine Diver
IT’S Ulster Finals day for Donegal – and it’s just as special as the rest.
Our county minors take on Derry in Clones at noon, with the seniors taking on Tyrone at 2pm….so it’s an early start for Donegal fans.
And already every single national newspaper columnist and pundit has already handed the Anglo-Celt to Mickey Harte and his men.
Most have written off Donegal, saying – once again – that our players are too old!
Kerry great Tomás Ó Sé did say: “Thank God for Ulster football.”
And he described the Connacht final this: “It was a contest with all the cut and ambition of an embroidery class. Just endless knitting of lateral passes over and back, over and back. Line-dancing with a football.”
But on today’s game he insisted: “I think Harte will have it in Tyrone players’ heads that they’re the younger, fresher team and he’ll want them to hit the ground running.
“It’s a game that’s so hard to call for the very reason that both sides are absolutely comfortable with what they’re being asked to do.
“So, to me, this is by far the biggest contest of the year so far. A genuine shoot-out between heavyweights. And it’s absolutely right and proper that they resisted all suggestions of bringing it to Croke Park. This is Ulster’s baby. This is their day. The rest of us should just feel thankful that we can, at least, tune into it.
“Still, bottom line, only four of this Tyrone panel have senior Ulster medals to their name and I think that’ll instil a manic hunger in them. I can’t wait to see it. Because this is championship, no bluff, no mimicking, no empty imitation. This will be two real heavyweights slugging it out to the bell. A pity we had to wait until the middle of July to see it.”
There’s almost a queue of pundits tipping Tyrone.
Ray Silke, the former Galway player, said: “I suspect that the Tyrone players should have the greater raw hunger, conviction and desire to get one over on Donegal that can make a huge difference in the final ten or 15 minutes of the game – the period of time that often decides tight championship games.
“The fact that as a panel of players Tyrone need to finally prove to themselves, and to Donegal, that they can beat them allied to their tireless support running can see them crowned Ulster champions on Sunday around 3.40pm.”
But Dara Ó Cinnéide stood out from the crowd…..
He says: “In beating Fermanagh with 14 men, beating Ulster champions and Division 1 diehards Monaghan and in doing more than any other team to break the Tyrone team of old, I believe that Donegal have the wherewithal to hold off the latest Red Hand rising.
“Tyrone’s need might be greater and they might ultimately go further in this year’s championship. But I don’t believe Donegal are ready to cede power in Ulster just yet.”
#Believe #Donegal
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