McHugh to start for Donegal

2012 All-Star Mark McHugh will line out for Donegal in Sunday's Ulster SFC semi-final showdown with Down at Kingspan Breffni Park (throw-in 2pm).

McHugh, a late withdrawal before the quarter-final win over Tyrone, comes back into the side at left half-forward in the only change in personnel.

Neil Gallagher is suffering from a groin injury so Ryan Bradley moves to midfield to pair up with Rory Kavanagh, with McHugh resuming on the left flank of the All-Ireland champions' attack.

Reigning Footballer of the Year Karl Lacey remains absent from the team following his knee surgery two weeks ago. Declan Walsh continues to deputise for him in the half-back line.

Eamonn McGee's selection in defence is actually the only change to the Donegal side that beat Down 2-18 to 0-13 in last year's Ulster final.

Donegal are heavy favourites to reach their third successive provincial decider - 1/6 in most places - but manager Jim McGuinness has dismissed the bookmakers' view of the game.

"We've been extreme underdogs and won and we've been hot favourites and won - so what other people are thinking is irrelevant," he said.

"We don't expect to win, just that we perform really well and to the best of our ability. It's about us executing our game-plan against a very good team.

"We don't do complacency and we respect every team we play against. We analyse them and look at their strengths and weaknesses and when that process is finished it's about us trying to get our game-plan right.

"This is the most important thing of all, it is 75% of our preparation and we'll be trying to execute it."

Meanwhile, opponents Down have selected an unchanged starting line-up for the clash with the Anglo Celt Cup holders.

Manager James McCartan has kept faith with the players who started the impressive 2-17 to 1-15 victory over Derry in the last round, with recent Championship debutants Ryan Boyle, Keith Quinn and Niall Madine all retained.

Madine scored three points from play against Derry and is one of five changes to the Down team that lost out to Donegal in last July's Ulster final. Boyle, Quinn, Declan Rooney and Peter Turley are the other new inclusions.

DONEGAL (SFC v Down): Paul Durcan; Paddy McGrath, Neil McGee, Eamonn McGee; Declan Walsh, Frank McGlynn, Anthony Thompson; Ryan Bradley, Rory Kavanagh; David Walsh, Leo McLoone, Mark McHugh; Patrick McBrearty, Michael Murphy, Colm McFadden.

DOWN: Brendan McVeigh; Daniel McCartan, Brendan McArdle, Keith Quinn; Declan Rooney, Peter Turley, Ryan Boyle; Kalum King, Kevin McKernan; Ambrose Rogers, Mark Poland, Niall Madine; Conor Laverty, Brendan Coulter, Donal O'Hare.