FRANK McGLYNN insists Donegal’s 13-day break between the Ulster final and their round four Qualifier win over Galway was key to getting their All-Ireland tilt back on track.
Donegal swept aside Galway last Saturday and will renew rivalries with Connacht champions Mayo in this weekend’s All-Ireland quarter-final.
In 2013, the Tír Chonaill men had only six days to prepare for their Round Four Qualifier against Laois in Carrick-on-Shannon after losing to Monaghan in the provincial decider.
Mayo subsequently hammered them in their All-Ireland quarter-final a week later [4-17 to 1-10].
“When you look back on 2013 we lost the Ulster final and we had a difficult game in Carrick-on-Shannon six days later and we were straight into it, whereas this year has been different,” said McGlynn.
“Having the 13 days break is immense. You have that second week of training under your belt and it helps to have a couple of blow-outs in between games rather than just recovering for the full week.
“[In that instance] You’re 20 minutes into the game before you’ve got it our of your system. Hopefully we’ll be better primed for the Mayo test.”
Mayo defeated Galway by four points and Sligo by a whopping 26 points to claim their fifth provincial title in a row, while Donegal will be entering their sixth Championship match of the summer at Croke Park on Saturday evening.
McGlynn added: “Mayo have been one of the top four teams over the past four seasons. We know it’s going to be a massive challenge especially the scores they’re putting up. They’ve a great inside forward line and it’s going to take all our might to keep them at bay.”
But Donegal showed their own attacking prowess in their handsome 10-point win over Galway last weekend with Michael Murphy, Colm McFadden, Ryan McHugh and Odhran MacNaillais having outstanding games.
Murphy was hugely effective in the full-forward role while McFadden was superb in a more withdrawn role.
“Croke Park lends itself to putting Michael inside whereas in Ulster – MacCumhaill Park and the Athletic Grounds, Clones even – they are tighter pitches,” said McGlynn.
“At Croke Park there is more space, more so in the second half of games, so it lends itself to putting Michael in there – and it worked well against Galway.”
“And when you’ve Colm out on the ‘45’ or ’65 yard line he’s a great left boot on him to place those passes, and with Michael in there it sucks more defenders back around him and gives you more space to place those balls into him.
“When Michael gets his hands on the ball it’s going to take a very good defender – or two – to stop him.”
On Murphy’s incredible catch and score in the 48th minute against Galway, McGlynn said: “It was a nothing ball in and he did very well to even get his hands on it.
“Then he steadied himself and hit the point - it just shows the measure of him.”
While there were negatives emerging from their Ulster final and Galway displays, McGlynn preferred to accentuate the positives in those games.
“We lost the Ulster final by one point and I’d say we hit 10 or 11 easy enough chances wide that would normally go over.
“So when you look at it that way we’re in a good enough state, and even the likes of Colm [McFadden] and big Neil [Gallagher] and Michael Murphy finished strongly and hopefully that’ll continue on to next week.”
