With just under a couple of hours to go until throw-in, a panel of Gaelic football experts have had their say on the big Super 8 game between Donegal and Tyrone.
By Chris McNulty in Ballybofey
The Ulster heavyweights meet at Sean MacCumhail Park at 3.30pm with a place in an All-Ireland semi-final against Monaghan next Sunday the prize for the winner of today’s game. A draw will suffice for Mickey Harte’s Tyrone, but Donegal are in must-win territory as they go to war before a packed house in a sold-out MacCumhaill Park.
Ahead of the game, the Donegal County Board hosted a fundraising ‘Up For The Match’ in Jackons’s Hotel with former Donegal stars Brendan Devenney and Colm McFadden joined by Tyrone greats John Lynch and Brian McGuigan and, for the value of some neutrality, ex-Armagh ace Oisin McConville.
Donegal Daily/Donegal Sport Hub’sCharlie Collins acted as compere with a couple of hundred supporters – mainly from Donegal – having their appetite whetted for the big game.
The panel was 4-2 in favour of Donegal with Molloy, McFadden, Devenney and McConville plumping for Donegal and Lynch and McGuigan tipping their native Tyrone.
Declan Bonner has returned for a second spell as Donegal manager this year. Bonner gave Brendan Devenneyhis Donegal debut in his last spell as manager in 1998 and Devenney has backed the Na Rossa man’s approach in 2018.
“Donegal were entrenched in what they were doing for the last few years,” Devenney said.
“Declan came in and showed us the future in the League game in Killarney. The tactics today are huge. Donegal will sit and it mightn’t be pretty. We are playing catchup on Tyrone and we can’t let the get a lead.
“We will have to out-goal Tyrone today.
“They’ll need to play the game of their life. The power aspect was massive last year. Have we bridged that gap?”
Donegal’s All-Ireland winning captain from 1992, Anthony Molloy, also hailed the change in Tir Chonaill since Bonner succeeded Rory Gallagher last summer.
“When you see what Tyrone done to us last year and we’ll always remember the Galway game, we wondered where we were as a force because we got annihilated.
“We were nearly back at 2010 level again.
“Declan has done a fantastic job. Declan has known these lads from underage level and has stayed with them. He’s a father-like figure for these lads now.
“But as we saw with Kerry and Eamonn Fitzmaurice last night, as a manager you’re only as good as your last game.”
Colm Anthony McFaddenplayed 173 times for Donegal before retiring in 2016 after an All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Dublin.
McFadden was a man for the big day and was top scorer during the 2012 All-Ireland-winning campaign.
“I was texting Lacey during the week saying I’d love to be out there on Sunday,” said the St Michael’s man.
“The prize is massive. Both teams would fancy the chances against Monaghan in the semi-final.
“It will be dangerous against Tyrone.”
McFadden believes Murphy is in the form of his life. His former team-mate posted nine points at full-forward against Roscommon – and McFadden says he holds the keys to the gate.
He said: “Murphy looks sharper than he has ever done. He is improving every game. If we get the likes of Odhrán Mac Niallais, Ciaran Thompson, Michael Langan scoring from distance, we’ll need that.
“You need to be very patient inside. Jamie will be making himself busy and probably not getting much ball. I wouldn’t leave Murphy inside all the game; we need to keep him fresh.”
McFadden feels Donegal can overcome the absence of cruciate victim Patrick McBrearty.
He said: “Everyone knows how big a loss he is. The last two years he has been unmarketable. He’s fast, physically strong and can kick the ball over the bar from 40-50 metres.
“He’s a big loss, but the Donegal players will have moved on.”
Brian McGuigan won three All-Ireland titles with Tyrone, in 2003, 2005 and 2008. The Ardboe man cast doubts upon the hopes of this Tyrone side earlier in the summer, but his thinking has changed since the Red Hands squeezed home against Meath in a qualifier.
“Meath had a chance to go two up and hit the post, but Tyrone got an equaliser and kicked on,” he said.
“They’ve now been the most impressive team, bar Dublin, since then. Today takes on a different mindset. It’s just over a year since Tyrone dominated Donegal in Ulster.”
Former Armagh All-Ireland winner Oisin McConville, who won Sam Maguire with the Orchard in 2002, says today’s game could be a repeat of the game in Ballybofey three years ago; a day that was made famous for Justin McMahon spending the duration in Michael Murphy’s airspace.
“It was feisty,” McConville said.
“Today will be like that and roles have reversed a little bit because Tyrone are the more defensive one now.It will be very physical.”
Donegal have not lost in Ballybofey in League or Championship football since 2010 – and McConville thinks Sean MacCumhaill Park could be worth its weight.
He said: “The record here is unbelievable. It’s only when you look back that you realise how good it is and I have an edge for Donegal.”
John Lynchbuilt up something of a reputation during the 80s and 90s and he says the discipline will be vital for the victor.
Lynch said: “There is no doubt that the team that holds their discipline will win it.
“We do have cover for the defence. Down the years we had trouble in defence, but we have strengthened that now.
“I think Donegal will go defensively today and they haven’t been good defensively because they need to tighten up big time.”