Winners of Donegal-Tyrone clash will top group - Dermot 'Brick' Molloy

Any game between Donegal and Tyrone in championship is important but Saturday’s opening round of the All-Ireland series in MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey (7.15 pm) is a crucial one, according to former Donegal player, Dermot ‘Brick’ Molloy.

The Naomh Conaill man has plenty of history with Tyrone as he scored the late goal in the Ulster semi-final in Clones in 2011 and it set Jim McGuinness and his team on the road to their first Ulster success.

Now, 13 years later, with McGuinness back in charge, the Donegal-Tyrone rivalry has already been renewed with Donegal coming out on top in the Ulster semi-final this year after extra-time in Celtic Park, Derry. History was also repeated as Donegal went on to  win the Ulster title, defeating Armagh, but there is a big difference in the format now with Donegal and Tyrone set to meet in the first of three group games.

After this weekend, Donegal will travel to Cork to take on the Rebels and two weeks later they will play the final group game against Clare at a neutral venue.

Looking at the opening game, Molloy says it will be a crucial tie for both teams. “Tyrone did have the upper hand on us in Ballybofey in the recent past. Saturday’s game is a tricky game and it’s going to be a real dogfight.

“Looking at it, and no disrespect to Cork or Clare, realistically you would be thinking whoever wins this game on Saturday night will top the group and that would give them a week’s break before the quarter-finals.

“I think it’s a massive game. We saw last year that the teams that had the week off got a massive break. I don’t think there will be much caginess on Saturday evening. Both teams will go for it.

“I just fancy Donegal. The confidence from winning the Ulster championship will give them a big kick, but I don’t expect there will be any more than a point in it at the end,” said Molloy, who has been really impressed with the grit and determination shown by Donegal this year in their wins over Derry, Tyrone and Armagh.

“That’s the thing about Jim McGuinness’s teams down the years, whether it be club or county. You are always in the fight. Jim instils that in the team anyway. It’s very easy to throw in the towel the last day in Clones; Armagh are four up, passes are going astray, boys are slipping. But you could just see the mindset of the players. It was just, ‘we are going at this and it’s going to come good’. And that’s exactly what happened.

“Looking back now, Derry was just the perfect draw. It was set up for the ambush,” said Molloy, who said the defeat has been a big setback for Derry as seen in Salthill last weekend.

“Obviously, the Tyrone game was a very tough battle, but you expect that from Tyrone anyway. They always go to the edge. I knew it was a tough game after the Derry win but I felt it was a matter of getting over the line,” said Molloy who felt that Donegal made their own luck in the final against Armagh, coming from four down.

“It was great to see that and it will be a huge boost down the line.

Looking at the new-look Donegal team, Molloy has been impressed by a number of players.

“I was very impressed with Ciaran Moore in the first two games. His first Ulster final was a difficult day for him, but he’s a good young footballer with pace and power and he definitely caught the eye.

“It is great to see Jason McGee back playing well and with a great fitness level. Obviously the experienced players like Ryan (McHugh) and Ciaran (Thompson) are still doing well. 

“I was very impressed with Niall O’Donnell in the Ulster final. I was at the game and I thought he had a great second half but when I went home and watched it again, he had a brilliant first half as well.

“I also thought Odhran Doherty showed what he is capable of when his big moment came along. It was  a crunch moment and I knew when Shaun (Patton) hit the ball over to him he would go for it. He does it for us all the time,” said Molloy.

However, the standout player for the Naomh Conaill stalwart has to be full-forward Oisin Gallen. “He is the kind of player you love watching, he makes the hair stand out; a clinical finisher and he knows what he’s at. It is nice to have players like that again after (Michael) Murphy.  He is still young and you can only imagine what he can do in the next few years.”