Cork v Donegal: Midfield battle will be crucial 

GAINING the upper hand, or at least managing parity in the midfield battle, will be key to Cork’s hopes of beating Donegal in the All-Ireland SFC Group 3 Round 2 encounter on Saturday.

Páirc Uí Rinn is the venue with throw-in at 2.30pm for what should be a fascinating battle between two teams who have come on leaps and bounds this year, most notably Donegal.

Cork boss John Cleary isn’t a man for rotating, that has been shown since he took over two years ago, with his loyalty and selection steadfast.

The midfield pairing of Ian Maguire and Colm O’Callaghan has been pretty much unbroken in those two years with the players starting Cleary’s first competitive match at the helm and they haven’t looked back since.

Both players have played a significant part in the Rebels making progress in the past 24 months or so but their credentials will be given a stern test this weekend.

The recently crowned Ulster champions Donegal, who have also won the Allianz Division 2 football league title this year, will make the long journey down to Leeside with a swagger and why wouldn’t they, especially after picking up another victory last weekend against Tyrone in their opening group encounter on a scoreline of 0-21 to 0-14.

In the past, much has been made in advance of big games of potential midfield warfare, but such are the imposing qualities of the quartet who will man the middle ground on Saturday, that the key to victory will lie in this area.

Jason McGee and Michael Langan have been formidable in the middle of the park for the green and gold mostly notably in the Ulster final win over Armagh where the pair's influence arguably helped Donegal back in the game which they eventually won on penalties.

McGee and Langan have been around the panel for some years, but they have really flourished in recent months under the guidance of Jim McGuinness. They have the height, physique, athleticism, and ball playing skills that make them one of the most feared midfield partnerships around.

The tall midfielders got the better of Derry’s Conor Glass and Brendan Rodgers in Donegal’s Ulster semi-final win over Mickey Harte’s side back in April. That’s not an easy feat to achieve, but the pair really caught the attention of people following that display.

Speaking to Donegal Live following the win over Derry, McGee spoke about his partnership with Langan.

“I know myself and Michael [Langan] have struggled with injury over the last few years. I have more so this year, but if we push on and stay fit, we can build a really good partnership together in midfield,” said McGee.

“We know we have that potential, it’s just about tying everything together. Look, we take nothing away from Conor Glass or Brendan Rodgers and what they bring to the table, they’ve managed to stay fit and stay on the field every game, that’s something for me and Michael to work on now.” McGee concluded. 

The two midfielders ability to kick long range points has also been a key trait of theirs. McGee and Langan continued their strong form last weekend in the win over Tyrone and it’s an area of the pitch where Cork have to do well in.

The pair were missing for Donegal’s 1-20 to 2-6 win over Cork when the sides met in the first Allianz Division 2 football league match of the season back in January in Ballybofey. Maguire and O’Callaghan came up against Ciarán Thompson and Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhríde that day.

It will be a totally different test on Saturday. The Cork midfielders have done well this season. There were doubts about whether they would deal with Diarmuid and Joe O’Connor in the Munster semi-final against Kerry and despite the three-point defeat, Maguire and O'Callaghan most certainly held their own.

They were excellent two weeks ago in the opening group victory over Clare, 1-13 to 1-11. O’Callaghan especially who was arguably player of the match, setting up the goal but his overall size and strength ensured Clare couldn’t get a grip at midfield. Maguire’s direct running and composure ensured the Rebels got over the line.

The midfield battle at the weekend should be very intriguing. It will go a long way to deciding the match.