Caolan McGonagle being missed by Donegal right now - Manus Boyle
The Buncrana man has missed the side’s last two provincial wins over Monaghan and Down, having picked up a calf injury against Derry in Donegal’s preliminary round opener
Manus Boyle hopes that Caolan McGonagle is back amongst the ranks when Donegal collide with Armagh in the Ulster SFC decider on Saturday week.
The Buncrana man has missed the side’s last two provincial wins over Monaghan and Down, having picked up a calf injury against Derry in Donegal’s preliminary round opener.
But 1992 legend Boyle is adamant that regular centre half-back McGonagle will be needed if Jim McGuinness’ men are to get past the All-Ireland champions.
“I just find that when Caolan doesn’t play at No. 6, we are a little bit open,” said Boyle. “We do cough up avenues and we miss that physical strength and presence.
“He’s absolutely brilliant at taking up residence at the end of the two-point arc and the D. He just knows how to cut out space.
“I just hope the two-week break now means he’s good to go.”
If McGonagle is good to go and shores up those gaps that were evident against the Mourne and Farney outfits, Boyle says it’s just as important that Donegal take their own opportunities at the other end when they present themselves.
“The hope is when the chances come that we didn’t take against Down, that we take those opportunities. We need to be more lethal and even composed in front of goal.
“You don’t need to put it through the keeper or high to the top corner. Sometimes you just need a side step or a simple ‘show and go’.
“But there is no one better or who takes as much time trawling through the tapes as Jim McGuinness. That will be done with a fine-tooth comb and the aim will be to tidy up on that sort of stuff.
“He’ll know – and even the players – that the Down performance, in an Ulster final and even down the road, won’t win you anything.
“Still, the pluses are getting minutes into the legs of the likes of Oisin Gallen, Jason McGee and even Niall O’Donnell, who is a super player and needs a little more time on the pitch.
“We also got another 70 minutes into the legs of Michael Langan, who also missed a number of weeks after picking up a knock in Kerry in the League.
“But that previous point is – we coughed up goal chances against Derry and Monaghan, and we did again against Down.”
Meanwhile, the former Donegal star admitted he has no inside information on Killybegs clubmate Eoghan Bán Gallagher and just how far down the road he is in his recovery from a hamstring injury lay-off.
“I haven’t heard anything. Information is slow coming out on this kind of stuff now. But just for Eoghan’s sake, and indeed Donegal’s, the sooner he’s back, the better we’ll be.
“He’s a brilliant lad. And I know personally just how hard he works away from it all to make sure he’s ready for Donegal.
“He’s had a bad run of luck, but his attitude is brilliant and no stone will be left unturned on his part.”
Boyle says you simply have to admire Armagh for the way they parked their Ulster penalty shootout loss to Donegal last season to go on and lift the Sam Maguire.
They are a mentally strong group that will want to lift the Anglo-Celt Cup – an accolade that’s evaded them since 2008.
“It’s a funny dynamic,” explained Boyle. “It came down to penalties last year. It’s hard to believe they were able to lift themselves up and go on and win the All-Ireland. That’s real resilience.
“Donegal have added to their squad since, and the addition of Michael Murphy especially is a huge boost. The strength of the squad is just better since last summer.
“It’s about getting the likes of Caolan and Eoghan back fit, getting minutes into the likes of Jason McGee as well. It’s such a tight schedule right now that managers have a lot to contend with.”
Armagh are, of course, down the services of All-Star forward Rian O’Neill, and Boyle says that’s not just a loss to Kieran McGeeney but to Gaelic football in general.
Still, it’s one less thing to worry about for Jim McGuinness and his management team this week.
“He’s an exceptional player for them and a big loss. He’s a player you just love watching – when they aren’t playing Donegal.
“He was superb against Galway in the All-Ireland final last year. But Armagh are back in an Ulster final, and it shows the depth they have as well.”