Mac's View: Looking forward to another All-Ireland final with Donegal

I'm really looking forward to Sunday and our clash with Meath in the All-Ireland semi-final in Croke Park. We are up there with the best now for a good number of years. We have a great crop of players representing us and we have been consistent.

But we also have Jim McGuinness leading us and he has a helluva CV with two All-Ireland finals already. Jim is a great players’ man and he has done it also with Glenties and I'm quite confident he will have all the work done on Meath and we will go fully prepared.

I remember the first time I saw him play. I know he had played for Donegal as a minor but we played Glenties in a county junior final in 1990 and he was a good young player, along with John Gildea. I remember bringing him to a trial game in Ballyshannon the following year and at that stage he was heading to America.

He got his All-Ireland medal in 192 and he made his championship debut the following year against Antrim in Ballybofey, but he got hurt after 15 minutes and missed out on an Ulster final appearance.

Jim will have his work done, physically and mentally, but this game against Meath is going to be a lot tougher than people are saying. They have already beaten Dublin, Kerry and Galway, three big scalps.

They also have a manager, Robbie Brennan, who I rate very highly. I know the Louth manager, Ger Brennan, has stepped down and he seems to be favourite for the Dublin job but I wouldn't be surprised if Dublin came looking for the Meath man.

The other thing about Sunday is it looks as if there will be a full attendance in Croke Park and a very big Meath support, as they are getting behind their side. They have a very big side and are very fit.

Donegal have better know-how at that level but that will not take us through if we don't marry that with the same determination that Meath will show. We just have to match them.

When we met Meath back in 1990 in the semi-final they would have it over us at the time. But we matched them until they got two late goals. The scoreboard did not reflect our efforts that day.

But that Meath team were contesting All-Irelands nearly every year and they had a great full-forward line in Colm O'Rourke, Bernard Flynn and Brian Stafford. They also were strong at midfield but we matched them there with Anthony Molloy and Brian Murray putting in a big shift.

I'm expecting a Donegal win but it won't be easy and the Donegal public should be fully aware of that. Meath have an all-round good side, that's what makes Sunday's game a big proposition for us. And they are very fit, nearly as fit as us.

The middle of the field will be a big battle but overall I feel we should have enough.

We have plenty of options and also a very strong bench. And then we have Michael Murphy, what a special character he is. But we need him at his best. He is being well used this year, winning ball and scoring and also laying off great ball.

There will be a need to be tight at the back. Croke Park is a very big pitch, very wide. The half-forward will have to follow back and close space. We have a good few speed merchants and they have to be used right.

Kick-outs are a big part of the game and we have Shaun Patton, who is a massive plus for us. He has got his run-out in Croke Park now with the Monaghan game. 

If Caolan McGonagle was available, as the rumours are saying, it would be a big plus while Jason McGee should be ready for more action than normal.

I'm really looking forward to it. But I would caution about over confidence, which I can feel is coming through sometimes from supporters. The supporters need to make themselves heard and get behind the team.

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The other semi-final on Saturday sees Tyrone take on Kerry. I would have loved to have made that but I have a granddaughter in action at the same time in Kildare. You would have to fancy Kerry but Tyrone have some very good players.

Kerry have been troubled by injury but they have a decent bench as well. Tyrone, however, will have no fear of them. They beat them in the minor final on Sunday last in what was a very enjoyable and close game.  They have also beaten them this year at U-20 level.

Finally, this week, good luck to the Donegal Ladies who play Leitrim in a play-off game in Tubbercurry on Saturday.

Sympathy to the Kane family, Ballyshannon on the death of Patricia Kane, wife of the late Alan Kane, who soldiered with me in the Donegal team back in the early 1970s.

Brian McEniff was in conversation with Peter Campbell