Oisin Gallen doesn't need to be compared to Michael Murphy - McGee

The Michael Murphy Sports Donegal senior championship has just three weekends of action left and after this coming weekend, just four teams will remain standing.

The draws for the quarter-finals were made in Falcarragh on Sunday evening after Gaoth Dobhair had edged out Dungloe in the final preliminary quarter-final. The Magheragallon men  were paired with Ardara while the other draws saw Kilcar face Naomh Conaill in the top match; MacCumhaill’s against Glenswilly and Aodh Ruadh against St Eunan’s.

The Gaoth Dobhair contingent present for the draw seemed to leave content, but when speaking afterwards their veteran full-back, Neil McGee, said the draw was irrelevant as to who you face. “It is now week after week and there is no back door,” said McGee, who had to leave the field after about 20 minutes of the game against Dungloe and is facing a race against time to be ready to play any part in their game next weekend against Ardara, which will see the Gaoth Dobhair men once again take the field at Naomh Fionnan, Falcarragh.

When it was put to him that Gaoth Dobhair were happy to have avoided the big guns, he felt it wasn’t like that.

“Once you’re in the hat and it’s week after week, it doesn’t really matter who you get.  If you are going to win, you are going to have to back it up week after week. Ardara have their tails up after this week. And listening to them, there’s a bit of hurt going into that game yesterday (against Cloughaneely) and they used that to their advantage.

“Listen, they will probably be underdogs again next week and that sort of tag suits them,” said McGee.

Looking at the other ties in the quarter-final draw, McGee feels it has thrown up some very good matches.

“There are a few tasty ones. The Glenties v Kilcar is the standout one. Listen, that’s a 50-50 game, Glenties Kilcar.

“MacCumhaill’s v Glenswilly, that’s another tight one to call. Look, MacCumhaill’s have a couple of forwards who are going really well and on the day, that’s what decides tight games.

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“Glenswilly are moving well all year. Obviously Michael (Murphy) being at training every night, being there is a massive advantage, probably coaching them young fellas.  Having him on the pitch and coaching them and guiding them around. They are probably playing with more confidence as a result.”

The Gaoth Dobhair stalwart, like everyone else, is hoping that the weather might improve for the coming weekend and feels the MacCumhaill’s-Glenswilly clash could be a good watch.

“That game is potentially a very open game, the way the two teams set up.”

With his new role at county level as part of Jim McGuinness’s backroom team, McGee was quick to dispel any talk of comparing Oisin Gallen of MacCumhaill’s with Glenswilly’s Michael Murphy.

“Listen (Oisin) Gallen doesn’t need to be labelled. Gallen is his own man, there’s no point labelling him. He is going well. He has his own journey to go on now and in fairness to him he is putting his best foot forward. He has got himself into good condition and fit again.  He is doing everything he can; he is one of the best shooters about at the minute.”

In relation to the other game in the quarter-final, St Eunan’s against Aodh Ruadh, McGee says he has been very impressed by the Ballyshannon outfit, having come up against them twice in the last year in championship. Gaoth Dobhair knocked them out in the quarter-final last year but this year Aodh Ruadh got revenge when the sides met in Ballyshannon in the group stage.

“I’ll tell you now, we played Aodh Ruadh, and it is going to take a very good team to beat them. We played them now a couple of times and it will take a good team to beat them.”

When put to him that Aodh Ruadh were not putting up big enough scores to challenge the bigger teams, he didn’t agree.

“It doesn’t matter now. You are into winter football. Whoever beats Aodh Ruadh will have a big say, and they mightn’t get beat.”

The draw for the quarter-finals has pitted the top four after the group stages against each other and did McGee feel that was fair?

“Probably not.  But listen, we have been on the other side of it the last five or six years. We have been in the top four consistently. We just fell outside of it this year. But listen, the draw is the draw. It’s week on week and it’s irrelevant. There’s no time.

“Managers will be sitting down now planning. There’s no point thinking of draws. I’m sure the likes of Martin Regan will have his game plan done already. That’s the level some of these boys are operating at.

“Eunan’s the same, every team the same. They are probably sitting down doing match-ups and kick plans and strategies for next week. That’s where it’s at at the minute. Donegal football has got very tactical.

“I’m sure our management will be talking as we speak, planning. Ardara have a lot of good forwards there, a lot of good players.”

And will Neil McGee be able to play any part on Sunday against Ardara: “It’s a seven day turnaround for a wee grade one, it usually takes me 10 days. But I’m a quick healer, but listen the miles are up too,” said McGee, who said that they had plenty of back-up anyway.

CLOSE GAME

Looking back on Sunday’s game against Dungloe, he felt there was little between the sides.

“It was close. In fairness we have played them two weeks now and there’s nothing in it, just a kick of a ball. They are a strong team, a physical team up the middle and they make it really hard to score against.

“We struggled to score there but conditions were poor. We are just glad to get into the hat (for the draw), that was the main thing.”

One of the men who stood up for Gaoth Dobhair was the talented Odhrán Mac Niallais and McGee knows how good he is.

“Odhrán, you know the good footballers, when the weather is like that there, the ball sticks that bit more and they don’t give away the ball. That came to the fore at the end of the game there, the good footballers kinda stand out more.”

He was disappointed for Michael Carroll, who had to go off with injury inside the first five minutes.

“That was a big blow because Michael has got himself into a bit of shape.  He’s hungry to get moving and it’s a bit frustrating for him and for us. He gives us that bit of legs,” said McGee, who wasn’t sure what the nature of Carroll’s injury was. “I think it might be a hammer or a calf, again not serious. But the way the games are coming thick and fast it’s  not ideal.”

He agreed that score taking was difficult but Ethan Harkin played his part in the Gaoth Dobhair win with four points.

“It wasn’t easy. It might be easy looking in but once you’re out there it’s a different ball game. The ball was skidding but in fairness to Cloughaneely, the pitch was in great shape. But the conditions were really, really difficult.”