Donegal set for season’s first step outside Ulster

By Michael McMullan and Matthew Wilson

TWO different records meet on Sunday as Division Three leaders Donegal travel to an inconsistent Louth.

The Wee County have not been able to put victories back to back. After beating Armagh away from home, they were overturned by Tyrone.

Similarly, after beating Fermanagh, they were beaten at home to Roscommon last weekend.

Louth will be hoping this is a first league win of the season in Darver but they will be up against a fancied Donegal side.

Mickey McCann’s side reached the final of the Conor McGurk Cup, only to be hit by a late, late goal that won the game for Derry.

After league wins over Tyrone, Fermanagh and Armagh, Donegal take on their first non-Ulster opposition of the season.

Louth were unbeaten in Division Four last season, promoted along with Fermanagh who they beat in the league final.

By contrast, Donegal dropped down from Division Two despite beating Kerry and running Meath very close. It points to a team on an upward curve.

While the Donegal side are on a winning run, McCann wasn’t happy with their performance last weekend.

While Richie Ryan starred, with support from Conor O’Grady and Liam Óg McKinney, they registered 17 wides in all.

Donegal had hit five points before half time but the missed chances has given them something to get their teeth into this week.

“You’re hot favourites, they’re reading all of the stuff and we’re expecting to win but we were a bit flat,” McCann said after last week’s win.

“We were way off where we needed to be with work rate and stuff. The only thing is today was the day to get a performance like that, we got away with it.

“Next week against a decent Louth team it wouldn’t work or against Wicklow or Roscommon we need to be better than that.”