By Michael McMullan

JIM McGuinness has continued to back the depth in his squad and the Donegal boss paid tribute to Ciarán Moore after Sunday’s win over Down in Clones.

The Ulster champions have been without key man Eoghan Bán Gallagher since their league win over Derry in Ballyshannon.

Two other defenders, Mark Curran (ankle) and Caolan McGonagle (calf), have been missing since picking up injuries in victory over the Oakleafers’ in the championship.

They were also without Hugh McFadden who has pushed into a regular berth with a defensive instinct. McGonagle has been their almost silent assassin with his positional sense and ability to sniff out danger.

“That’s the depth part, people stepping in,” McGuinness said when asked about McGonagle’s loss from the heart of their defence.

“Ciarán Moore stepped in there today and he’s Mr Versatile. No matter what job we give him, he’s able to step in and do it.

“He got us up the pitch there as well a couple of times in crucial moments, himself and Shane (O’Donnell), when Down went with the high press.

“I’m happy with him as well and that’ll be good for him,” McGuinness said of Moore, who he plucked from club football as he trawled the county before his second stint as manager,

“He’s a young boy himself. At this stage of the game, he’s learning every day he goes out as well.

“Even at his age, this morning, when you’re naming a team, you’re confident that he’ll be able to do a job for you which is a great trait in any young player.”

After a condensed spell of games and with their pathway to the final beginning in the preliminary round, Donegal had just a week between their wins over Monaghan and Down.

“We have managed, in the main, to keep people healthy,” McGuinness said.

“Obviously now we’ve the bonus of two weeks, it sounds a bit ridiculous to be saying that.

“Historically, you would have had a month maybe or three weeks at the minimum to prepare for an Ulster final.

“Two weeks seems like a good period of time now to get them recovered and then obviously start working on their training pitch to try and get ready for the match.”

Facing them is an Armagh side who went on to win the All-Ireland after losing to Donegal in last season’s Ulster final, the final instalment of four 2024 meetings of the teams and McGuinness is expecting another titanic encounter.

“You’re splitting hairs here half of the time with Armagh,” he said, before summing up their semi-final win over Tyrone.

“Armagh played some brilliant football but Tyrone had the game, they had the game with a couple of minutes to go.

“I think with maybe three minutes to go; they were two points up and it was a final phase situation. When Armagh got that opportunity, they made it a final phase situation and won the game.

“We know what we’re dealing with. They’re very well organised, very well prepared and have a very good attitude. We have to match all those things if we want to try and go again in Ulster.”