Murphy wants Donegal club games shelved until after final

Donegal captain Michael Murphy has called for the local county championship to be postponed so Jim McGuinness’s squad can concentrate fully on next month’s Ulster final against either Cavan or Monaghan.

The reigning provincial and All-Ireland champions reached Ulster’s decider for the third consecutive year thanks to Sunday’s edgy three-point defeat of Down in Cavan and Murphy admitted the prospect of club action between now and July 21 is far from ideal.

Donegal faced Down without the services of All Star pair Karl Lacey and Neil Gallagher, lost Ryan Bradley and Frank McGlynn to concussion in the first-half and needed 66 minutes from Patrick McBrearty, who was on painkillers for a tooth abscess.