The major team news ahead of Sunday’s Ulster SFC quarter-final is the decision by Down manager Conor Laverty not to include his U20 players in his match-day squad.
Laverty is over both teams and will be hoping to mastermind a victory over Donegal on this weekend before turning his attention to Wednesday night’s U20 final against Derry in Armagh.
Due to a controversial new ruling, players cannot play U20 and senior games within seven days of each other. That meant that Laverty had a call to make regarding both Odhran Murdock and Paddy McCarthy.
Read more: Marty Clarke clarifies Jim McGuinness role as Down bid to topple Donegal
If they featured in Sunday’s game, they could not play in the U20 final and it appears Laverty has opted against using either against Donegal while Ryan Magill will miss out after picking up a hamstring injury in the U20 semi-final win over Monaghan.
Carryduff’s Owen McCabe is also ruled out after suffering a cruciate injury, but his club colleague Daniel Guinness returns to the squad.
Ryan McEvoy has been named at midfield, but is more likely to play at full-back and swap positions with Anthony Doherty.
Donegal have endured a tough 2023 campaign thus far and they’ll be hoping to let their football do the talking on Sunday.
Interim boss Aidan O’Rourke is without Donegal captain Paddy McBrearty while Ryan McHugh is unavailable for the remainder of the campaign due to work commitments.
O’Rourke has made four changes from the Roscommon game last month when he took over from Paddy Carr.
John Ross Molloy, Michael Langan, Marty O’Reilly and Johnny McGroddy make way for Caolan McColgan, Stephen McMenamin, Daire Ó Baoill and Oisin Gallen.
We take a closer look at the key battles which could decide the outcome of Sunday’s game.
Team line-outs
Down
Niall Kane
Pierce Laverty 3. Anthony Doherty 4. Conor Fitzpatrick
5. Danny Magill 6. Niall McParland 7. Miceal Rooney
8. Conor Poland 9. Ryan McEvoy
10. Ceilum Doherty 11. Ryan Johnston 12. Liam Kerr
13 Donagh McAleenan 14. Pat Havern 15. Eugene Branagan
Donegal
Shaun Patton
Mark Curran 3. Brendan McCole 4. Caolan Ward
5. Caolan McColgan 6. Stephen McMenamin 7. Eoghan Ban Gallagher
8. Caolan McGonagle 9. Jason McGee
10. Daire Ó Baoill 11. Oisin Gallen 12. Ciaran Thompson
13. Hugh McFadden 14. Jamie Brennan 15 Conor O’Donnell
Key battles
Ceilum Doherty (Down) vs Eoghan Ban Gallagher (Donegal)
With Ryan McHugh absent, Donegal will look to Eoghan Ban Gallagher to provide support from the wing-back line when they recycle possession.
Down have plenty of pace in their half-forward line and Conor Laverty will be hoping they can cause enough damage up front to ensure Gallagher has to stick primarily to his defence duties and he seems more likely to square up to Doherty on Sunday.
The Kilcoo has the ability to cover serious ground and is more than capable of taking a score or two.
Pat Havern (Down) vs Brendan McCole (Donegal)
There will probably be a number of positional switches in the Down team for Sunday’s game, but Pat Havern will be stationed at full-forward and will be the focal point of their attack.
A strong, imposing player, Down will be looking for him to link up with the likes of Liam Kerr, Ceilum Doherty and Ryan Johnston.
Donegal’s Brendan McCole is the most likely option to pick up Havern. He’d a great battle with Rian O’Neill in the Ulster Championship last season and kept the Crossmaglen ace scoreless.
Jamie Brennan (Donegal) vs Ryan McEvoy (Down)
Without Michael Murphy (retired) and Paddy McBrearty (injured), Donegal’s forward line doesn’t look nearly as menacing.
Jamie Brennan is a talented forward though and can give bother on his day and Donegal will need him to step up to the plate on Sunday.
Despite being named at midfield, Ryan McEvoy’s best position is full-back and he’ll end up there at some stage on Sunday. When he does, he could be given the task of marking the Bundoran native.
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