Donegal manager Rory Gallagher says his side are a match for anybody in the country ahead of their trip to Croke Park this weekend.
Gallagher’s charges face Cork in an All-Ireland qualifier on Saturday evening – with a place in the last eight up for grabs.
Donegal lost their second Ulster SFC final in-a-row earlier this month after a titanic struggle with Tyrone – in what was a dour defensive affair.
Tyrone nicked a narrow win late on with a succession of points in injury-time.
Gallagher has come in for criticism since that defeat, but is confident they can bounce back this weekend, and regroup for a tilt at the All-Ireland title.
Gallagher told The Irish Examiner, “When you’ve won the All-Ireland as recently as we have in 2012, we feel we’re a match for anybody in the country.
“If Tyrone were seen as the benchmark, there was very little between the two teams. We’re looking forward and at the minute the full focus is on Cork.”
“It’s something that’s never spoken, but we’re realistic enough and we know where lads are at in their lives and their careers.
“That’s fairly clear with the longevity and the age profile of some of our lads. There’s also the huge challenge of trying to get the most out of the last period of your career.”
He concluded: “There’s no doubt about it, we have a great affinity with Croke Park over the last five or six years.
“Both the experienced and the young members of our squad want to be back there and enjoy it. For some of them, it might be the last game or few games they’re ever going to have in it it.”
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