The hype has stopped. The talking is over. Today is the day when Donegal’s senior footballers will show if they have what it takes to be Ulster Champions.
Opinions differ. Martin McHugh claims Derry have too much as a team. But Paddy Campbell’s reckons it will be the Tirconaill men by a country mile.
Whatever the outcome, Donegal certainly won’t lose the game because of a lack of support.
More than 15,000 fans will travel to Clones today to shout on Jim McGuinness and his side for a throw-in time of 4pm.
Injury doubts still surround Kevin Rafferty and Rory Kavanagh but the pair are expected to figure.
The last time the sides met in the Ulster final was in 1998, a game Derry won by 1-7 to 0-8.
However today’s game is a very different kettle of fish with Donegal having the unenviable tag of favourites.
Donegal’s captain Michael Murphy was still in primary school as were many of the other breed of new player including Mark McHugh and Dermot Molloy.
On statistics Donegal are due an Ulster Final win having failed on their last five occasions – the last being in 2006 when they were beaten by Armagh.
Jim McGuinness has tried his best to keep his players feet on the ground and away from the media spotlight.
Demand for tickets for today’s game has been very strong with Supervalu in Ballybofey selling more than 1,000 by Friday.
If you haven’t got a ticket then there will be some available after 12 noon from a ticket van outside the Creighton Hotel.
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