McLaughlin looking ahead to derby clash

By Michael McMullan

ST Michael’s and Glenswilly are the last two teams in quarter-final action this weekend in the Donegal Senior Football Championship.

They lock horns on Sunday evening in O’Donnell Park, and St Michael’s player Daniel McLaughlin knows what is coming down the tracks.

“It’s a derby game with a bit of history going down through the years,” he said.

“They’re a relatively young team, with a lot of underage success. They still have that sprinkling of experience with Michael (Murphy) up front and Caolan Kelly.”

McLaughlin was one of the key cogs as St Michael’s beat a fancied Four Masters team to book their place in the quarter-finals.

Looking forward to Sunday, he highlights Glenswilly’s aggressive pressing style.

“We’ll just have to see how we manage on the day, to try and play our own football as best we can,” he added.

“You have to try and nullify the likes of Michael’s (Murphy) threat but inter-county teams are struggling with him, never mind club teams.”

McLaughlin has faith in their management’s approach towards finding the balance between playing their own game and being aware of the Glenswilly threats.

“Hopefully, on the day, that’s enough to get us into the semi-finals again,” he added.

It was a slow start to the season for St Michael’s, who found themselves in relegation danger in the league before overcoming Naomh Pádraig Uisce Chaoin in a play-off.

While it wasn’t championship football, there was a sense of edge that St Michael’s brought into their championship preparations.

“You’re going into your championship phase of training, playing tough games and that stands to you,” McLaughlin added.

“We lost our first championship game (against Gaoth Dobhair) but we were competitive enough in it.”

Now, it’s the business-end of the season and the excitement is really kicking in.

Platform

Martin McElhinney and Michael Langan gave St Michael’s the platform to overturn Four Master in the Preliminary quarter-final.

An early second half goal from Conor McCahill had St Michael’s five points in arrears. It took Langan’s two pointers to swing the game in the end.

“We began to do what we didn’t do in the first half, we started competing around the middle,” McLauglin said of the change in fortunes.

“We were lucky enough to get hands on ball with the two boys (Langan and McElhinney). We got on top, controlled the ball well enough and got scores at the top end of the pitch.”

McLaughlin sees champions Naomh Conaill as the fancied horse once again but also feels there is an evenly balanced chasing pack.

“There’s not much between a lot of teams, in and around that middle eight or so,” he said.

“Glenties probably are the standout team but everyone else has been beaten or have been beating each other.

“The games have been relatively tight throughout the championship, and that makes for good quarter-finals.”