RORY Gallagher doesn’t care that his team will go into Sunday’s Ulster final as underdogs – and believes Donegal’s more experienced players have proved they are far from over the hill.
Some were quick to write off the men from Tir Chonaill following last year’s Championship exit to Mayo and a disappointing showing in their National League semi-final defeat to All-Ireland champions Dublin.
They have hit back in impressive fashion, seeing off Fermanagh before needing two games to get past Monaghan, the county who had beaten Donegal in two of the previous three Ulster finals.
Tyrone’s destruction of Cavan in their own replayed semi-final has led the bookies to give the Red Hands a slight edge going into Sunday’s provincial decider, but Gallagher is too long in the tooth to pay any heed.
He said: “I’m not overly interested in the bookies, never have been.
“When you look back, there were a lot of big games Donegal haven’t been favourites for. We just concern ourselves with what’s in front of us; what we see is Tyrone.
“We are confident that if we play well and produce the right levels of intensity and energy that we have the players capable of beating anybody”.
As for Donegal being a spent force, Gallagher is equally emphatic.
Loyal footsoldiers like Eamon McGee, Frank McGlynn, Rory Kavanagh and Anthony Thompson have played key roles as Donegal have negotiated an at times turbulent path to Sunday’s final, and their manager says they have blended well with the younger members of the panel.
“We’re not overly concerned with what people say about us,” said Gallagher.
“We know we have a lot of lads that have played a lot of football. We know we have lads over 30 years of age but we also know the quality that is in them.
“The team has been energised with new lads, who haven’t played a lot of Championship football.
“You have Patrick [McBrearty] at 22 playing in his sixth Ulster final in-a-row, you have Odhrán [Mac Niallais] going into his third or fourth, you have Ryan [McHugh] in his third, you have Eoin [McHugh] and Marty O’Reilly possibly starting their first ones. You really only have Mark Anthony [McGinley] who hasn’t experienced a lot from the point of view of playing.
“We have a very good group of players who are capable of beating anyone.”
And Gallagher is quick to scotch the suggestion that he will have extra motivation to do well as he goes in search of a first Ulster Championship as manager of Donegal.
Tyrone will be driven on by the desire to finally get one over on this Tir Chonaill outfit, having lost their previous four meetings in Ulster
Gallagher added: “I would disagree that I haven’t won an Ulster final. I have won two Ulster Championships, which I was very honoured to be part of it. The boys have won three.
“As regards Tyrone not having beaten us, they have been very competitive games, none more so than last year’s. There are very fine margins and we would expect something similar.
“Tyrone are obviously on a tremendous run. Since we beat them last year, they have lost only one competitive game in God knows how many.
“They are coming into it on a lot of form, but we would be pleased with where we’re at also.”
