Doherty: Galway are still contenders

DONEGAL manager John Joe Doherty claims Galway are still one of the main threats to Tyrone’s All-Ireland crown despite the loss of their Connacht title to Mayo last weekend.

A belated run of scores from Galway left Mayo needing a dramatic Peadar Gardiner point to seal an injury-time win but few would argue with the notion that John O’Mahony’s men were worthy winners over his former side.

Galway’s weekend got even worse later on Sunday when they were drawn opposite Donegal. Though poor for most of the year, Doherty’s side showed a dramatic improvement to defeat Derry in Ballybofey last Saturday.

“When you look at it, Galway are one of the contenders for the All-Ireland title,” said Doherty yesterday. “They are a good side playing good football under Liam Sammon and it will be a great challenge for us.”

Galway will be without midfielder Gary O’Donnell, whose four-week suspension doesn’t end until midnight on Saturday while defender Niall Coyne is also a serious worry after limping off against Mayo.

Donegal have no such concerns – long-term injuries to Christy Toye and Michael Maguire aside – for what will be the first championship meeting between the counties since the Ulster county won an All-Ireland quarter-final replay in Castlebar in 2003.

Galway will be expected to reverse that result this time, in spite of last weekend’s disappointment but the odds on Donegal are a lot shorter now than this time last week.

Relegated from Division One of the National League back in April, they still had their eyes on a possible Ulster final appearance thanks to a favourable draw but were instead ambushed at home by a hungrier Antrim side in the quarter-finals.

Wins over Carlow and Clare followed in the first two qualifying rounds.

“We have been out the last three weekends in a row and that certainly helps keep momentum going,” says Doherty. “The performances against Carlow and Clare weren’t great but having a game every weekend you can’t dwell on that.

“Players like playing and when they are winning games there isn’t a lot that can get them down. It was good to get those wins under the belt after the disappointment against Antrim.”

The real turning point came last weekend when Derry came to town. Local rivalries always tend to focus the mind and Damien Cassidy’s side was making the short hop to MacCumhaill Park on the back of an impressive victory against Monaghan.

The mood in the Donegal camp changed on the first night of training after the draw was made and, although they were made to dig deep, they advanced after extra-time.

“It gave us the chance to prove that we hadn’t become a bad team overnight. We knew we had a game in us against Derry.

“We knew it could still come together for us. It was nice to go in to the game as underdogs too. All the eyes were on Derry after their great win in Clones.”

The examination is of an even higher grade this weekend. Donegal rediscovered themselves thanks in no small part to a succession of home fixtures but they will take to Sligo this time round.

“Being at home was obviously a help but, at the same time, the players were very nervous going into those games. They were conscious that they hadn’t played all that well. They knew the supporters weren’t happy either.

“There were a couple of tricky matches but we’re still there.”