'We know what's ahead of us, our task is finding a way to stop Derry' - McGuinness

Donegal manager Jim McGuinness believes Derry’s Division 1 final win over Dublin last weekend will add further pressure to his Donegal side, with the Oak Leaf County carrying the momentum from their league campaign into their clash at Celtic Park later this month. 

Speaking at a media night in Convoy, the Donegal boss has referred to his side’s Ulster battle with Derry as the ‘most important game of the year’ for his side, with the Division 1 champions and the Division 2 winners ready to lock horns. 

And while it was always going to be interesting to see how Mickey Harte was going to handle his new job as Derry manager, McGuinness has nothing but praise for his Ulster neighbours and the journey they have taken from the basement league to being crowned Division 1 champions. 

“Derry are on their own journey going from Division 4 to Division 1 and now they are league champions which is amazing from their point of view,” McGuinness said. “I suppose with the Mickey Harte factor a lot has been said over that period of time and a lot has been focused on him taking the Derry job and what that was going to look like. 

“It was always going to be interesting how the team was going to unfold and develop under his leadership, but from a Derry point of view it looks positive, and they continue to climb the ladder.” 

And while McGuinness would only like to play down the importance of the match, it’s hard to hide the task that’s ahead of him and his squad with a number of players still absent through injuries. 

“For us, we know where we’re at, we know where we want to get to, and we know what’s ahead of us. Derry’s objective last weekend was to prove to everyone that there’s not just two teams in the country that can challenge for the top prize, and I think they managed to do that.  

“Derry had a different agenda to Dublin, they wanted that title so they could front up to Kerry and Dublin. 

“For us, it makes Derry a more difficult opponent because it’s one thing knowing you have that skillset and that belief in the group, but once you get that validation of a national title without much changing in the squad except now you have that confidence shot in the arm, so that’s a dynamic we’re going to have to deal with.” 

And while it’s not exactly do-or-die for Donegal with the team having already made the All-Ireland series, McGuinness says that doesn’t make the game any easier, with their main objective being to win in Celtic Park. 

“When you’re two weeks out from an Ulster championship match and you’re going in against a team that’s going for three in-a-row and who are the current league champions there’s always going to be added pressure,” said the Naomh Conaill man.  

“Everybody in Ulster feels they can win that trophy, from our point of view, we want to tick as many boxes as we can and go into that game and deliver the best account of ourselves as we can.  

“It would be dodging a bullet saying there’s no pressure and it’s a free shot, there’s always pressure in this championship and we’re in a situation where we’re going to find a way of stopping a team that’s trying to win three Ulster titles in-a-row.” 

And while McGuinness can take solace having already won the Division 2 title, his side has been plagued with injuries since the start of the year, with the Donegal boss unable to field a full-strength team so far.  

But he remains optimistic that the likes of Brendan McCole, Patrick McBrearty, Ryan McHugh, and Eoghan Bán Gallagher will be back for their opening match in the Ulster championship. 

“We can only work with the players that are available, if you’re managing a team that has been in a final for example, you know who can do what and you know who you can rely on.  

“We’re the flip of that, we don’t know what our full team looks like because of injury, that’s frustrating but it’s also exciting because when we do get them back, that’ll be the starting point of where we’re at, it’s just unfortunate we don’t have that for the biggest game of the year.”