Football

Michael Murphy: 'I'll be fit for Donegal' clash. Bonner delight with Donegal win

Michael Murphy is confident he will be for the July 11 clash with Derry. Pic Philip Walsh
Michael Murphy is confident he will be for the July 11 clash with Derry. Pic Philip Walsh Michael Murphy is confident he will be for the July 11 clash with Derry. Pic Philip Walsh

MICHAEL Murphy insisted yesterday that he will be fit for Donegal's Ulster Championship quarter-final against Derry in a fortnight's time.

The Glenswilly clubman had scored two points before he was taken off after 25 minutes of Donegal’s commanding 16-point win over Down at Pairc Esler. Murphy had missed the second half of Donegal’s League campaign but insisted after his county laid down an early Anglo-Celt marker that his substitution was precautionary.

“Please God I’ll be out there in two weeks’ time, fingers crossed I’ll be good to go against Derry; I’ll give it a rattle,” he said.

“The hamstring tightened up a bit but the boys did brilliant and we’re up and running. The way the League went for us it was bang-bang-bang and there’s always that fear of not knowing where you’re at but we got there and we’ll push on for two weeks’ time and the big battle against Derry.

“If you’re out in the middle of the pitch there was plenty of fight (from Down) out there but we put up a decent score in the first half and we probably managed the game a wee bit in the second half. Down came at us at the start of the second half but we managed to keep tipping away and Paddy (McBrearty) hit a good goal.”

Rory Gallagher’s Derry are up next on July 11. The Oak Leafers posted some impressive scoring totals en route to clinching promotion from Division Three this year and Murphy expects a sustained challenge from his neighbours in the north-west.

“Derry, Tyrone, Armagh, Monaghan… You tend to build up huge relationships with them all,” said Murphy.

“I’ll look forward to the Derry game, it’ll be a massive battle, they have been absolutely flying. We’ve known each other down through the years and obviously we know Rory so it’s going to be a big one.

“He has done a massive job with Derry and I didn’t expect anything less from him. He did a massive job for Donegal in his time and a massive job in Fermanagh and I didn’t expect anything different in Derry. It’s about us getting right for it now.”

Before yesterday’s game Donegal manager Declan Bonner said he’d settle for a one-point win. Victory was never in doubt, it was only the margin of it that created debate.

“Any day you come out of an away venue in Ulster with a victory you’re happy,” said Bonner.

“All we’re looking at is Derry in two weeks’ time and those preparations start immediately for us. It will be a formidable task against a Derry side that has done extremely well in the National League.”

Bonner was confident that Murphy hadn’t done “any extra damage” to his hamstring yesterday and expects Odhran MacNiallais, Daire O’Baoill and Oisin Langan (all of whom missed the trip to Newry) to be back at training tomorrow evening.

“Derry have been extremely impressive,” said Bonner, who had 10 scorers in Newry including Paddy McBrearty who led the way with 1-6.

“They have been racking up big scores and they’re a big, strong, physical side with a lot of good forwards. It will be a real Ulster Championship match and a real test for us.

“We came down the road today and to get out of Pairc Esler with a victory was all we were looking for but the lads performed really well. They went about their business in a really professional manner and you could see the hunger and desire in training over the last number of weeks. We are looking forward to the next challenge and we had a good array of scores and some really good scores.

“There will be tougher days ahead and our focus turns immediately to Derry now.”