Donegal set to give keeper championship debut

Eleven years have passed since Donegal gave a goalkeeper a debut in the championship.

In Ballybofey on Sunday when Fermanagh roll into town, Rory Gallagher will hand to number one jersey to a first-timer: Either Mark Anthony McGinley or Peter Boyle.

McGinley kept goal for UCD in the League of Ireland and made his first inter-county appearance against Dublin in March on his 26th birthday, while Boyle — who featured in Jim McGuinnness’s first league match against Sligo in 2011 — wasn’t even in the panel for the Dr McKenna Cup, but was first choice by the time the league started.

Paul Durcan will stay in Dubai for the summer and his reserve in recent years Michael Boyle is just off full fitness following a cruciate injury suffered last year.

“Michael Boyle has got the all-clear,” said manager Gallagher. “In another couple of weeks, he’ll be fine. He’s doing kick-outs and hasn’t joined in for any of the contact stuff. It’ll be Peter or Mark Anthony in one guaranteed debutant against Fermanagh.”

Michael Boyle debuted as a 17-year-old in 2005 against Armagh in a 0-12 to 0-12 draw in Clones and his only other year as first choice concluded in 2009 when Cork hammered John Joe Doherty’s team 1-27 to 2-10 in the All-Ireland quarter-final.

Durcan made his debut in 2004 in a 1-15 to 1-9 win over Four Masters and hasn’t missed a championship outing since 2010, amounting to a run of 32 successive games.