‘We’re not there just to make up the numbers’

HIS side are 8/1 outsiders to defeat Cork in Sunday’s All-Ireland SFC quarter-final at Croke Park, but Roscommon boss Fergal O’Donnell isn’t paying much attention to the bookmakers and the perceived wisdom of the country’s football experts.

He said: “There’s a lot of negative stuff being said about our chances. If Sligo had won the Connacht final, would they have a better chance against Cork? People are saying that we’ll be blown out of the water and that Cork only have to turn up.

“It is a tough draw but we’re Connacht champions and we didn’t get there by chance. The team is coming along nicely.”

He added: “You could argue that Limerick could have beaten Cork last weekend. And people would give us a chance against Limerick.”

O’Donnell, the last Roscommon captain to lift the Nestor Cup in 2001 before Peter Domican led the county to glory a fortnight ago, knows his side face a daunting task.

But the Boyle-based Garda wants to accentuate the positives.

“If you told me at the start of the year that we’d be Connacht champions and be preparing for an All-Ireland quarter-final, I would have taken that. As I said after the Connacht final, we’re in bonus territory and we’re looking forward to playing Cork. It’s a great chance for the players to test themselves against a top side. Of course it’s a major ask but we must concentrate on our own game, just as we did in the Connacht final. We’re in a no lose situation. No matter what happens on Sunday, we’ll still be Connacht champions. No one can take that away from us.’’

O’Donnell acknowledged that the Rebels were “big around the middle” and had “huge pace on the flanks”.

He added: “They’ve some seriously talented players and they’ll have a height advantage in some areas of the field. We’ll be looking for another good start to build up the confidence. We’re happy where we’re at.”

While O’Donnell would have preferred to know next weekend’s opposition earlier, he’s confident that Roscommon can give a good performance against Conor Counihan’s side. “I think we’ll get a big performance,’’ he said. “We’ve worked hard since the Connacht final and we’re not going in there just to make up the numbers.”