With a touch of Donegal blood in me on my father’s side, I will always hold a wee fondness for the county and its people. I spent a lot of my youth ‘in them there hills’ and many of my early memories are of farming in Ballintra, going to the mart in Donegal town and Summer holidays spent in my Godfather, Packie McGoldrick’s home in Pettigo.
In the late 80s, early 90s the Donegal team, just like today, was in the top bracket of teams in the country and their 1992 All-Ireland success was my first attendance at an All-Ireland final. 
While out farming in Ballintra we would often run into Matt Gallagher – full back on that ’92 team. Our holidays coincided with their games in Croke Park – either in the championship or the National League final the following year. Like many other young lads at the time, I was in awe of that Donegal team. Captain, Anthony Molloy and Manus Boyle were two of my idols and I often re-enacted some of their play in the front garden.
Nowadays many in the GAA point the finger of blame at Donegal’s suffocating style of play that has caused a shift in how teams now approach and prepare for games. Shutting off the route to goal and counter attacking in numbers is a style that many have tried to emulate since their All-Ireland success of 2012. 
Like many others, I have never found this style of play attractive but when played with cohesion and purpose, it is very intriguing to watch. It takes hard work and serious levels of fitness to implement and a few years of practice and training. 
Tyrone look like a team well into the development stage, Dublin, contrary to opinion, play it with sheer pace, even Waterford and Clare hurlers played a similar style last weekend. 
The question is can Donegal continue to implement this at the same level? And have Fermanagh progressed enough over the last three years to take down the masters?
Very few outside of our county are predicting a victory for Fermanagh on Sunday but over the last three games they have played like a cohesive team with each man knowing their role and sticking to it admirably.
The challenge Antrim presented was disappointing and it was difficult in the second half for Fermanagh to maintain the momentum. 
The game was over as a contest after twenty minutes as Antrim struggled to cope with Fermanagh’s direct running. Even with Donegal’s struggles in Division One this year, the challenge will have no resemblance whatsoever to our first round outing. 
Michael Murphy, Patrick McBrearty and Ryan McHugh are three players that Pete McGrath will be working hard to curtail along with plotting how to break down their defence and create goal scoring opportunities.
We all know the intensity Donegal bring to their play, particularly in defence. They attack the man on the ball in numbers and encourage the shot from distance so carrying the ball into the tackle at half pace will see a lot of turnovers. 
After a number of great performances this year, Tomás Corrigan will surely receive special attention and he needs to be mentally prepared for this. He will need to get on the ball close to goal and get the shot off early. With all the attention on Corrigan, Sean Quigley and the other forwards will need to ensure the scoreboard is kept ticking over.
Michael Jones has quietly gone about his duties this year and has not been found wanting in any of his man marking jobs. 
He will be well-capable of picking up Patrick McBrearty. Ryan McHugh, playing at wing back, needs to be marked like a forward and prevented from attacking – a role that Barry Mulrone or the pacey Marty O’Brien may be tasked with.
The key to the game will be where Rory Gallagher positions Michael Murphy. If out around midfield, I feel Eoin Donnelly can put him on the back foot with his attacking runs but if deployed at number 14, it will be difficult to nullify his influence on the play around him. 
It will not be a one man task and the sweeping role of James McMahon will be vitally important in helping out.
There’s no doubt that Donegal possess quality players but as a team, they have many weaknesses. I don’t believe they have the hunger or blind ambition that they had a few years ago. They are an ageing team and they have lost some key players in Neil Gallagher and Paul Durcan.
Outside of Fermanagh anything other than a Donegal victory will be a surprise. But for me, the young boy who used to be in awe of the Donegal team has grown up. A win for Fermanagh would not be that big of a shock.