By Niall McCoy

SIXTEEN points, 10 points, 13 points – the Ulster Championship has been a damp squib thus far based on those margins of victory and now a lot of hope rests on the shoulders of Rory Gallagher’s Derry as they take on Donegal.

That is not a situation we expected at the start of the season, but such has been the Oakleafers’ progress in recent months that there is a genuine feeling that they can at least be competitive in Ballybofey on Sunday. Especially if a certain Michael Murphy is not passed fit.

The Glenswilly ace started in the comfortable win over Down but he felt a tightening in the hamstring and was replaced before the break. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but Declan Bonner must surely be regretting that call. The player, for what it’s worth, remains hopeful of playing.

Even if Murphy does miss out, the Tir Chonaill men will be big favourites for a derby match that they have dominated in recent times. You have to go all the way back to 2008 for Derry’s last win in the fixture, and since then Donegal have racked up six straight championship wins.

So why should this be any different? Well Derry have looked undeniably good this season, even if only against Division Three opposition.

Last year, in Gallagher’s first term, they had the hallmarks of a team still finding their feet under new management. At one stage in their Ulster loss to Armagh, Conor Glass barked back at his manager. The Glen man had only returned from Australia a few weeks previously and was clearly not used to Gallagher’s constant cajoling. Now, with more time to adapt, Glass is one of the key players with his midfield partnership with Emmett Bradley flourishing. Their physique and fitness levels have been noticeable too. They are clearly a group listening to strength and conditioning coach Peter Hughes and dietician Anne Marie Mulholland.

Then there is that winning run. Five wins from five, a scoring difference of +51 and a Division Three trophy in the bag. The opposition may have been limited, especially when compared with what they are facing this weekend, but that was the maximum they could achieve.

Brendan Rogers is back fit and that is a great boost to a defence that also contains elite players like Chrissy McKaigue and all-action sweeper Gareth McKinless who has been in superb form since rejoining the panel. It’s McKaigue who may get the nod to blot out Patrick McBrearty this weekend.

The defence looks primed, the midfield ready for action so the last reaming question mark surrounds the attack.

In Shane McGuigan they have one of Ulster’s best forwards and Niall McLoughlin is showing the public why Gallagher is such a huge admirer of his. We can expect Neil McGee to pick up McGuigan, and not many will take the Gaoth Dobhair man to the cleaners.

With that in mind, Derry’s chances probably lie with the other forwards away from their big two. Benny Heron, Ethan Doherty and co. are going to have to come up with four or five from play over the 70-plus minutes.

The one area that Donegal quite clearly have an advantage over their opponents is strength in depth. Odhran MacNiallais, Oisin Gallen and Daire O’Baoill were due back in training last week and their options are scary.

The absence of Murphy would be a huge psychological blow, but the talent they have to fill the gaps is the envy of 30-odd counties in Ireland. They had 10 scorers in the 2-25 to 1-12 preliminary round win over Down, and their subs clocked 1-3.

That victory was as routine as expected, but one flaw still remained from the league – they are regularly coughing up goals chances.

Hugh McFadden will be the most important player this weekend when it comes to the defensive end of things. It will be his job to not only win possession round the middle, but to block up potential gaps for Derry runners like McKinless.

They have their own line-breakers too, of course, and Ryan McHugh’s Man of the Match performance against Down was another reminder of his vast talent. Peader Mogan is turning into a clone. Those are the sort of extra bits of quality that Donegal possess compared to the majority of Ulster opponents.

There is a lot of hope surrounding this fixture. This is a derby game that has lost its intensity, but former Donegal manager Gallagher may be able to bring some of that back this weekend. The 2021 season is probably too soon for Derry to make their mark, but they’re coming.

Donegal should progress here, but the Ulster Championship needs it to be after a battle. The winning average needs to come down at the very least.

Verdict: Donegal