Ulster SFC Quarter-Final
2pm, Sunday May 25th, Celtic Park
Derry and Donegal meet in Celtic Park on Sunday. Coverage is live on Newstalk Sport from 1pm, with Dave McIntyre on commentary alongside Michael Meehan and Billy Joe Padden, with Colm Parkinson on the sideline.
Derry followed up their Division 2 title last year by appearing in this year’s Division 1 final against Dublin in April. But league form has never counted as much for Derry’s Championship hopes, they won Division 1 in 2008 and exited the Championship in Round 1 of the qualifiers, finished runners-up in 2009, and were beaten in Round 3, and won Division 2 last year before their summer ended in Round 3 again.
Donegal made sure their relegation to the second tier last year was short-lived, finishing top of Division 2, but losing to Monaghan in the league final. Jim McGuinness lost four members of his panel recently, with Kilcar man Mark McHugh being the most high-profile.
Team News
Brian McIver has named Mark Lynch at centre-back and Sean Leo McGoldrick at eleven, despite McGoldrick having a fine campaign in the half-back line, and Lynch perhaps being the best spring player in the country from centre-forward. Fergal Doherty is playing in his first Championship game since 2011, while Kevin Johnson and Thomas Mallon make their debuts.
Despite doubts surrounding his fitness, Neil Gallagher has been named at midfield, with Rory Kavanagh suspended for his red card in the league final, he’ll be partnered by Martin McIlhinney. From the 2012 All-Ireland winning fifteen, there are just four changes, Odhran McNiallais makes his Championship debut, Christy Toye and Ryan McHugh also come into the half-forward line in place of Mark McHugh and Ryan Bradley, and McIlhinney starts in midfield ahead of Kavanagh.
Derry: Thomas Mallon; Dermot McBride, Gareth McKinless, Chrissy McKaigue; Kevin Johnson, Mark Lynch, Gerard O’Kane; Fergal Doherty, Patsy Bradley; Ciarán McFaul, Sean Leo McGoldrick, Enda Lynn; Benny Heron, Emmet McGuckin, Caoilean O’Boyle.
Donegal: Paul Durcan; Eamon McGee, Neil McGee, Karl Lacey; Frank McGlynn, Leo McLoone, Anthony Thompson; Neil Gallagher, Martin McIlhinney; Christy Toye, Ryan McHugh, Odhrán McNiallais; Paddy McBrearty, Michael Murphy, Colm McFadden.
Key Statistics
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