By Ryan Ferry

DONEGAL will have to contend with their third game in 13 days when they face Monaghan on Saturday but Jim McGuinness says the team will embrace the challenge.

This is only the third year that the preliminary quarter-finals have been in operation so there isn’t a huge amount of data to go off.

However, only one county in each season has managed to overcome the one-week break and win the quarter-final with the Tir Chonaill County aiming to do likewise after their facile win over Louth on Sunday.

That was Monaghan, who defeated Armagh in 2023, and Galway who edged out Dublin last season.

It’s a tough ask but McGuinness and his team feel they can get the result they need.

“We’re not too worried about that to be honest with you,” he said.

“We want that problem, once we lost to Tyrone we knew we were going to play three weeks in a row.

“We played five weeks in a row at the start of the National League, so psychologically there’s no issues there. We’re going to embrace it, we’re going to hopefully go for it and try and enjoy the occasion and head to Croke Park.

“It’s an All-Ireland quarter-final, it doesn’t happen very often, so if it’s three weeks in a row or four weeks in a row it doesn’t matter at this stage of the game now. We’re delighted to be there and we want to go up and give a good account of ourselves.”

Saturday will be a big occasion for Michael Langan, who makes his 100th appearance for Donegal.

The St Michael’s man follows in the footsteps of clubmates Colm McFadden (173 appearances), Christy Toye (163) and Martin McElhinney (104), who all gave stellar service to the county.

Langan has scored 7-167 during his 99 games so far and McGuinness heaped praise on his vice-captain.

“He’s just a brilliant football player, that’s the bottom line, he’s just a brilliant football player, he’s very skilful, he does it both ways.

“Very elegant on the ball, can kick scores, so I’m delighted to have him and delighted to have him going well, hopefully that means he can score a goal.

“Ciarán (Thompson) scored one (against Louth on his 50th SFC appearance), no pressure, Michael. But no, listen, it was great, it’s great to have those fellas that are sort of that age level.

“There’s a maturity with them and they’re very focused in what they’re doing.

“Michael has been exceptional for us, since I’ve come back in anyway. For the last two years he’s been absolutely brilliant for us and a very important cog.”

Donegal have a stronger panel this year as they head to Croke Park with Michael Murphy, Eoin McHugh and Odhran McFadden-Ferry back on board.

They also can call upon 19-year-old Finnbarr Roarty, who was outstanding against Louth and gives the team huge energy.

McGuinness said: “He’s a huge favourite with the crowd because he’s just so honest and works so hard and he wins balls and he turns balls over that probably he shouldn’t at times, and he’s so young.

“He’s like a breath of fresh air for everybody watching him. But for me the most important adjustment that he’s made is on the ball, he’s always been a brilliant tenacious defender the whole way up through the ranks but now he’s playing at senior intercounty level and he’s difficult to take the ball off as well, and no matter how good you are defensively if you’re going to give the ball away in attacking phases you know it can cost the team.

“But he’s been excellent at that and he has very good agility and is very good at avoiding tackles and he adds so much to our attack as well like Ciarán Moore and these other fellas coming from deeper positions.”