Jim McGuinness hopes Donegal nearing a clean bill of health in time for Mayo

Donegal head for Dr Hyde Park at the weekend as they take on Mayo in their last All-Ireland series group stage encounter. 

Donegal’s 3-26 to 1-13 win over Cavan has put Jim McGuinness’ side back on top of Group 1 of the All-Ireland SFC round-robin - but ending up the leader of that pack, after the weekend, is a tall ask. 

All four sides are currently on two points, so score difference dictates the standings. But should Donegal overcome the Westerners and Tyrone likely see off Cavan, ‘head-to-head’ will then come into play.

Malachy O’Rourke’s side hold the upper hand there so unless Cavan can raise themselves once more and take something from that Brewster Park encounter, it feels like Donegal and Mayo is a straight shootout for second spot. 

Regardless, the two-week break since their Breffni Park win will have hopefully have allowed McGuinness and his basckrom team to get their injury concerns, or most of them at least, sorted. 

Donegal lined out without Shaun Patton, Jason McGee, Niall O’Donnell and Caolan McGonagle last time out with the latter seen leaving the venue in a protective boot. 

However, the manager was positive when asked about that list and their chances of being in contention for Mayo. 

“Listen, they're all positive,” he said. “They're all positive and they're all heading in the right direction and they'll all be in the mix for two weeks' time.”

Meanwhile, McGuinness says that matches, when the weather is out of sorts, has become a game of kickouts. 

And it’s hard to get a handle on that chaos when strong or one-way traffic winds are involved. 

READ NEXT: Donegal's Michael Murphy nominated for PwC Player of the Month award for May

The forecast isn’t great for Sunday in Roscommon so that middle sector is again likely to have a huge impact on the outcome. 

The knockout stages, and the more sheltered surroundings of Croke Park will, you’d feel, change the variables once more and it’ll be interesting to see all of that when it comes around.  

“I'd say there's a lot of emphasis going on, on the kick-outs, with every team in the country. 

“It's such an important part. We did a really good job against Cavan on our own kick-out, but we probably did a better job on the Cavan kick-out.

“We won more of the Cavan kick-out in the first half than they did and that gave us a really good platform. 

“That's a really important part. So kick-outs, on a windy day, it's actually becoming a game of kick-outs and I'm not sure about that. 

“Like, I don't know if that should be the case. It should be a game of football but, like I said, on a windy day, if you don't get your kick-outs right, then you're in bother. 

“You're in big bother”.