The Donegal Senior Panel: Pic Geraldine Diver
Donegal start their Ulster SFC campaign with a tricky home tie against Fermanagh today, as they begin their bid to reach their sixth successive Ulster final.
Donegal won the Anglo Celt trophy in 2011 and 2012 with wins over Derry and Down respectively.
They were stunned as All-Ireland champions in 2013, as Monaghan bridged a 25-year gap to land their first Ulster title since 1988.
Donegal got revenge in the decider in 2014, a year in which they went all the way to the All-Ireland final, but last year Monaghan won again on a day Rory Gallagher’s men should have taken the title.
Today Donegal host Pete McGrath’s Fermanagh side buoyed by a positive result and performance over Antrim in the preliminary round.
However, there is an air of optimism around the county, and despite a shaky finish to the league, everybody knows championship football is where it is at. Simple.
If Donegal overcome Fermanagh they’ll face old foes Monaghan in the Ulster SFC semi-final this time around, but Rory Gallagher will know that his native county under the tutelage of former All-Ireland winning manager Pete McGrath pose a dangerous threat.
Mark-Anthony McGinley has been given the No.1 jersey ahead of Peter Boyle, it’s the first championship game Donegal will start without Paul Durcan in goals since 2009.
Neil Gallagher will miss out through injury, and Hugh McFadden is expected to start at midfield – as he continues to make a name for himself after an impressive league campaign.
Other stars unearthed this season like Eoin McHugh, Stephen McBrearty, Ciaran Gillespie and Eoghan Ban Gallagher will have to bide their time before they make their way into Gallagher’s starting 15.
Talisman and captain Michael Murphy will be the key man again.
He “can’t wait” to get into today’s game.
There have been doubts over his fitness in recent weeks, but he has been named to start today and will lead the side out.
So how do you think Donegal will get on? Will they overcome Fermanagh with ease? Will they win the Ulster title? Has Rory Gallagher picked the right men for the job?
This just could be a very good summer….
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