Intrigue aplenty, but make no mistake, the ball will be the boss in Clones

Donegal want Sam and Armagh have unfinished Ulster business. A Clones battleground awaits.

Donegal manager Jim McGuinness with Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney. Pic: Ryan Byrne

It’s hard to make a case for anything else but a game of fine margins on Saturday evening in Ulster’s Mecca.

Forget the road to Croker. Forget Sam Maguire. What Kerry, Dublin and Galway will come with later in 2025 won’t matter. Clones is about the here and now.

“They have the cup we want and we have the one they want,” said Armagh All-Ireland final goal scorer Aaron McKay last week.

When Shaun Patton smothered Shane McPartlan’s sudden death penalty, the Anglo Celt Cup was heading for the hills.

Similarly, Joe McElroy’s All-Ireland final block was another indicator that Armagh refused to be denied.

Donegal are the epitome of efficiency. That’s why their semi-final loss to Galway hurt so much. They misfired when the stakes were highest.

On the flipside, Armagh have morphed from a team who couldn’t see out tight games to a galvanised group who can now find their second breath.

Donegal goalkeeper Shaun Patton saves a penalty by Shane McPartlan of Armagh. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Take Ross McQuillan’s tackle on Darragh Canavan in the dying embers of last month’s semi-final win. A foul and Tyrone go two up. Out the gap.

McQuillan was bang on. To the very inch and when Armagh transitioned, Stefan Campbell levelled matters before fellow impact man Conor Turbitt drew the free to book their place in Clones.

Another tight corner they stepped out of. To the untrained eye, Armagh’s turning point was their semi-final win over Kerry in HQ last summer.

And it was, but McKay digs deeper, putting it down to the build-up. In the days before, Armagh's second string “whacked” the first team by the region of 10 points.

His first thought was how the hell were they going to cope with Kerry? Then McKay got thinking. Armagh’s men around the edges brought real quality when stepping over the whitewash.

“There was no way Kerry were going to have the same impact we were going to have, in terms of boys coming on, fresh legged,” McKay said.

Campbell kicked two points. McQuillan stretched their lead to three in extra-time. Turbitt returned to the action as the insurance.

Even goal scorer Barry McCambridge had only got into the team after an injury to Ciaran Mackin at training during the group stages.

Back to Donegal. When Eoghan Bán Gallagher was forced off last year in their semi-final exit to Galway, Jim McGuinness had his hand tied behind his back.

Shane O’Donnell, their transitional animal in the middle third, was forced to plug Gallagher’s ball-carrying role from defence. A case of robbing Peter to pay Paul.

Yes, the Galway goal was fortunate. Had Oisín Gallen not pulled a routine free, it could’ve been the tipping point.

Below that, a winter of reflection told Donegal they were short a couple of jigsaw pieces.

Finnbarr Roarty has stepped into the defence. Inexperienced? Yes, but he fits the system. Odhrán McFadden Ferry has returned.

Behind their defence, much has been made of Shaun Patton’s kicking, but he’s a more imposing version in 2025.

Whatever sermon James Gallagher has been preaching, the odd spill has evaporated. Another one percenter.

“Shaun’s been phenomenal,” stresses backup ‘keeper Gavin Mulreany. “Him (Patton) and James Gallagher, they have brought me to a new level/ “Shaun's our number one. If we're going to go win things, we need Shaun on the field.” 

Hugh McFadden has trimmed down and slotted in when Langan and McGee were on the treatment table.

Then you have Michael Murphy. He sucks defenders to him and not even his own markers. It buys other forwards half a yard.

The three goal chances he made against Derry in a league in Ballyshannon were lost on McGuinness. Murphy made everything simple. He’d always take the right option. That’s what top dogs do.

Then you have Murphy the kick-out target. No sooner had Dan Higgins bagged Derry’s goal in the championship, Patton had the ball on the tee and boomed it to Murphy. 

A rocket of a kick and Conor O’Donnell’s point doused any trace of Oakleaf enthusiasm.

Rewind to Patrick McBrearty’s goal against Down. It was Patton’s overcooked kick to Murphy. While Gallen hoovered up the break to begin the precise move for the goal, Murphy was the target.

It was the one time Down didn’t have a bouncer on the door at the back of midfield. Costly. Conor Laverty said as much. Armagh will have taken note of it too.

Elsewhere, they won’t have missed how Down kept the all out of Donegal’s spider’s web in defence. Without turnovers, their transition monsters don’t maraud as often. Men like Mogan. Men like McHugh.

That’s why the kick-outs today will write most of the script. The ball is the boss.

Armagh did have the composure to see off Tyrone, but Ethan Rafferty’s kick-out variation was the reason the Red Hands were chasing.

Today could be the day for a Donegal wall across St Tiernach’s Park. Will their listed team be a smokescreen or will they hammer Armagh’s hammer?

That’s the intrigue. 

Jason McGee of Donegal in action against Aidan Forker of Armagh. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Imagine Ethan Rafferty on a kick-out, looking out at Michael Langan, Ciarán Thompson and Murphy. Maybe add Hugh McFadden and Jason McGee to that equation. Ciarán Moore and Dáire Ó Baoill are well able to compete too.

It’s hard to imagine Donegal not putting at least half their eggs in the basket of flustering Rafferty. If only the fence in Convoy could talk.

McKay is right. Donegal want Sam and Armagh have unfinished Ulster business.

While it could be a game decided on what a Jamie Brennan or a Stefan Campbell add to the part, it’s all about the ball. Possession is always King.

The Clones middle third could be a battleground. The neutrals will hope it is. For Armagh and Donegal fans, they’ll have the rosary beads out.

A game of inches. 

Penalties anyone? Either way, there will be plenty of eyes on Patton and Rafferty. Who blinks first?