McGee out to stop Tyrone knocking them off perch

The bubbles in Donegal’s champagne hadn’t even had the chance to go flat before the talk was about Tyrone.

Whilst Jim McGuinness made sure to let his panel enjoy the celebrations having lifted Sam Maguire for only the second time in their history, there was to be a line drawn in the Dubai sand, once they touched down from their end of season holiday.

There has, one suspects, been a circle scribbled around May 26 on McGuinness’s calendar, whether at home in Glenties or at his apartment in Glasgow, for some time.

The November day in 2010, when McGuinness first met his panel at the Rosapenna Hotel in Downings, the then new manager spoke about the importance of the Ulster championship. As a player, he had been a loser on provincial final day three times — 1993, ’98 and 2002. The second of those depressing Clones afternoons, when Joe Brolly had scored a last-minute goal for Derry in the July rain and blew kisses to the Donegal supporters, marked the end of diplomatic Ulster.

Tyrone, in June 2011, was the first real acid test of the new regime.

Donegal, initially, flailed at the challenge, as Tyrone ran into a four-point first-half lead.

Approaching the break, Stephen O’Neill shot for goal, only for Anthony Thompson, who had ran 80 yards, to make the block.

The move concluded with Kevin Cassidy scoring a galvanising Donegal point to get his side some traction in the match. If one incident represented the changing of the tide in Ulster, then this was it.

“In 2011 we were very poor in the first half and Tyrone missed a lot of chances. We performed much better in the second half and managed to get over the line with a couple of late goals,” said Neil McGee.

When they beat them again last year it copper fastened their belief that they could win the All-Ireland.

“Both those games were massive. They were Ulster semi-finals and having beaten Tyrone we were very confident going into both finals.

“If we can get a win over Tyrone it could be another huge springboard towards another long summer.

“Everyone wants what we got last year. It’ll take a lot of hard work and we’ll need a bit of luck but that’s what we’re gearing towards.”

Donegal’s emphasis on the importance of May 26 has carried almost as many column inches as their subsequent relegation from Division 1 of the Allianz League. McGuinness explained the need not to “overcook” his players in spring.

“It’s probably the biggest tie of the first round so all eyes will be on it,” McGee said. “Tyrone, along with Dublin, are probably the form team in the whole country and were unlucky to lose the league final.

“Tyrone probably owe us one. They were going for three Ulster titles in a row two years ago and now the shoe s on the other foot.

“That’s in the back of our minds. There’s probably a lot of pressure on us as All-Ireland champions but that’s where we are and it’s still a good place to be.”