DONEGAL are the hottest of favourites to beat Louth in the All-Ireland SFC quarter-final in Croke Park on Sunday.
But it is a mantle that does not sit comfortably with Jim McGuinness’s men in a game that has the potential to be a bit of a ‘banana skin” according to ex-manager Declan Bonner.
There are few who know this squad better than Bonner. He took many of them from U16 to minor to U20 right through to two Ulster senior titles on the trot in 2018 and 2019, also managing the senior side from 2017 to 2022.
And while Bonner believes that Donegal have enough resources to overcome Louth, he envisages a taut encounter where you might have echoes of Donegal’s defensive screen of 2011 against an opponent who will sit deep and be a mirror image of the Tír Chonaill men.
“It is the draw that Donegal wanted and it has fallen nicely into place,” said Bonner.
“Once Louth got their victory over Cork, you just sensed that Donegal would get Louth as Armagh could only get Roscommon and Louth. And when Armagh got Roscommon it was a cert that Donegal would get Louth.”
But Bonner stresses that Jim McGuinness will have his team on full alert as his side will be “hot favourites.”
“Ger Brennan learned a lot from Jim Gavin in Dublin, and he will have Louth very well organised,” added Bonner.
“He will have his team sitting back and it will be a real tactical battle. It could well remind us of Jim’s first term in charge back in 2011 when Donegal played Dublin in that All-Ireland semi-final.
“Louth will have bodies back and they will not allow Shaun Patton do any damage with long kick-outs.
“I expect them to concede the kick-outs to Donegal and Brennan will have a wall set up inside his own 45 and it will be up to Donegal to find a way to break that down.”
Bonner cautioned that Donegal will have to be “patient and it will not be a pretty game’.
“Donegal need to be careful not to be caught on the counter-attack by a very physically powerful Louth side,” he added.
“Craig Lennon, Conor Grimes and Sam Mulroy are three massive players for Louth and they have some immense physique. I watched the game with Louth in the NFL and they gave us quite a tussle and we got a somewhat lucky goal at a vital stage.
“But I think we should have too much for Louth and the lads should be extra fresh with that two-week break. Hopefully Jason McGee is back in. We need to get the scores when the chances come and we won’t need to get turned over cheaply as Louth will be hoping to frustrate Donegal and hit them on the counter.
“I am hoping that Donegal will be set up for it – but it is a good draw, a great chance to get through to the semi-final . But we need to tread carefully against a Louth side who have nothing to lose”
One of Bonner’s greatest acquisitions during his term at the county tiller was Shaun Patton, who has gone from being a soccer goalie to, arguably, one of the top three GAA keepers in the land.
“Around 2015 I watched him playing for St Eunan’s in the Ulster Club championship and I thought his kick-out strategy would be a serious asset to anybody,” he said.
“When I took the job in 2017 it was one of my main priorities, even though he was playing League of Ireland football. But Donegal managed to get work set up for him in Letterkenny and he committed to Donegal, and he has been a revelation.
“I do expect us to win but it will not be a simple game. But we have great physique up the middle in Caolan McGonagle, Jason McGee, Michael Langan and Ciaran Thompson and then you have Oisin Gallen and Patrick McBrearty up front and Conor O’Donnell is back in the squad as well. Any team that presses us then Patton will boom some long ones.
“Ger Brennan frustrated Dublin for long enough in the Leinster final, but ultimately Dublin’s class shone through and I think it could be something similar on Sunday. It could be close going into the last quarter but I expect Donegal to tag on the points and win.”
