MICHAEL Murphy believes he’ll be ready to face Derry in the Ulster SFC quarter-final in two weeks’ time.
Donegal captain Murphy limped off after 29 minutes of today’s preliminary round win over Down.
The Glenswilly man has been hampered by a hamstring injury since last month. Today’s was his first outing since being withdrawn five minutes into a League game against Monaghan.
The sight of Murphy with an ice pack sparked fears over his fitness just a fortnight out from the Derry game.
“Aye grand, not too bad,” Murphy shrugged afterwards.
“Hopefully it is not too bad. Just a wee bit of tightening up there.”
His manager, Declan Bonner, said that Murphy’s withdrawal was a precautionary measure.
Bonner, too, offered a hopeful outlook over the fitness of his skipper.
He said: “Michael just tightened up. I don’t think he has done any extra damage.
“He was going well over the last week or ten days in training and he started well.
“He tightened up and we just took him out as a precaution. Michael is about long enough so he knows when he has to come out. We got him out at the right time. He should be okay.”
The Championship’s condensed nature doesn’t offer much time for recovery or preparation.
Every outing now is of the do-or-die nature.
Murphy said: “It’s up and running, up and going again and it’s cliched but we are pushing on to Derry in two week’s time.
“I think we had an eye opener as to what Championship is last year in terms it comes thick and fast, week on week and we need to get the head right for two weeks.”
Tags: