In an era of increased fine margins, the role of the goalkeeper in gaelic football is becoming increasingly important.
And Donegal’s Shaun Patton and Niall Morgan of Tyrone are two of the finest exponents in the country.
Tyrone sit just one point ahead of their neighbours in the Allianz Football League, on six points from five games, both sides suffering two defeats.
The enforced GAA shutdown has put their meeting on hold, fingers crossed, temporarily.
But when it comes off ex-Donegal great Martin McHugh believes that it could come down to the battle of the goalies as both have become so crucial to their team’s chances of victory in any game.
It will be a big change for Patton as he moves from being an admirer of Morgan to going into direct opposition in the white heat of combat.
“I met Niall years ago before I started to play gaelic football, he's an absolute gentleman.'' said Patton.
“He's a top-class keeper and you saw the exhibition he gave in those conditions against Dublin.
“Niall is well capable of that and someone you would aim to be as good as.”
So, what are his strengths?
“He's a fit goalkeeper who can join in the play and he can run with the ball,'' he stated.
“He can also kick it extremely accurately and he brings so many dimensions to the position.''
But while Patton has been influenced by the innovative Tyrone net-minder, he does not consider playing outfield like the Edendork marksman: “I don’t know, running would not be my strong point, so I think I will keep to the nets.”
Meanwhile as Morgan hits frees for Tyrone, would the laser-like accurate Patton not be tempted to take the frees for Tir Conaill.
But this is something he is not interested in, at least not for the present.
“Look, you have players like Michael Murphy and Patrick McBrearty that can kick frees from anywhere,'' he said.
“Why try to fix something that isn't broken?
“I've no interest in kicking frees when you have lads like that that are so good at it.
“It's something that I can do, but it takes a lot of practice.
''It's something I haven't really worked on; you need to be at it all the time.
“To get that kind of consistency you have to work at it. I took it on for the club and it didn't actually work out that well.
“It was a role given to me because someone felt, and fairly enough, that 'here, you can kick the ball long and accurately.' But there is much more to it than that. I find it difficult.
“The range is there, the accuracy sometimes but to get the two to go hand in hand simply takes time.”
