More to come from Donegal – Murphy
14.07.11
by
Caoimhinn Barr, Inishowen Independent
CAPTAIN Fantastic Michael Murphy said Donegal have so
much more to give ahead of Sunday’s Ulster Final
Showdown with Derry at St. Tiernach’s Park, Clones
(throw-in 4pm).
Speaking to the Inishowen Independent at Buncrana’s
Scarvey pitch at a photo call to support “Keri’s Search
for Sight Campaign”, the star forward knows the team
have to ‘up it’ to defeat the Oak Leafers.
“There is no doubt, we have a lot of improving to do
from our performance level against Tyrone. Derry are a
massive proposition for us, they ran up a huge score
against a highly-fancied Armagh team so we will need to
be at our very best on Sunday,” Murphy said.
Reflecting on his own form in the championship so far,
Murphy, set to play in his first Ulster Final, said
there is more to come too.
“From my point of view it’s about trying to be
concentrated and working well for the team. I am
training hard and really looking forward to the game,”
he said.
Inishowen county star Ryan Bradley, also aiming to start
his first Ulster Final, said it will be ‘great
experience’ for all the players. He said Derry will
provide an extremely tough test.
“They are one of the best teams about and on their day
they can beat anyone, as they showed by beating Armagh
off the field. They have some great footballers in a lot
of areas. We will need to be on top of our game to win,”
the Buncrana man added.
The teams last met in the National League in March, when
Donegal ran out convincing winners at Celtic Park.
Derry’s top forward Eoin Bradley, speaking before
suffering a season-ending knee injury in training last
Sunday, believes the NFL clash will have no bearing on
Sunday’s outcome.
“I don’t think the league game will have any bearing on
what happens this Sunday. Donegal have changed their
style to become more defensive since then,” he said,
“We are certainly expecting a more difficult challenge
than the Armagh game. We know Donegal will not be as
easy, that’s for sure,” Eoin added.
Derry captain Gerard O’Kane could return to the Oak Leaf
squad after limping out of the quarter-final victory
over Fermanagh.
“I have been training hard this week and I feel fine so
I hope to play some part in the game. We will discuss a
game plan this week and we’re expecting a very tight
game,” he said.
Donegal last won the Ulster title in 1992, while Derry’s
last title came in 1998 when a late Joe Brolly goal gave
Derry a slender 1-7 to 0-8 victory.
But in sporting terms that’s ancient history and will no
bearing whatsoever on Sunday’s game. Far more pertinent
is the fact that the losers of Sunday’s Ulster final
play the winners of Saturday night’s Kildare v Meath
clash just six days later for a place in the last eight
in the hunt for Sam Maguire.
The Ulster Champions will play in the All-Ireland
quarter finals, most likely on the August Bank Holiday
weekend. |
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