All-Ireland SFC quarter-final: Derry vs Clare (Saturday, Croke Park, 3.45pm, live on Sky Sports Arena)
Derry manager Rory Gallagher is expecting to have a clean bill of health ahead of Saturday’s All-Ireland SFC quarter-final against Clare at Croke Park.
Niall Loughlin was forced off in the Ulster SFC semi-final win over Monaghan with a back injury and the same issue led to him being replaced midway through the second half of last month’s Ulster Final victory over Donegal.
Loughlin hit 0-7 in the Ulster quarter-final win over 2021 All-Ireland champions Tyrone in Healy Park and he had scored 1-2 against Donegal before being replaced by Emmett Bradley.
Gallagher says the four-week break has helped his players recover from the exertions of extra-time in Clones as the Oak Leafers claimed their first provincial title with a 1-16 to 1-14 defeat of Declan Bonner’s men.
“Niall (Loughlin) twinged his back that day against Monaghan and it flared up again (against Donegal),” said Gallagher.
“Thankfully, the four-week gap has helped and he returned to full training last week.
"We’ll monitor it, but we expect him to be good to go. There’s no reason he shouldn’t be fit to play.
“Extra-time (in the Ulster Final) didn’t take all that much out of the players - it didn’t stop them celebrating for a few days afterwards!
“Naturally, there was a lot of tiredness and fatigue, but they got over that pretty quickly with the emotional high of winning.”
The draw for the last eight of the Championship also helped focus the minds of the Derry players as they learned their opponents.
For the first time in their 2022 Championship campaign, Derry will carry the burden of favouritism as they seek to progress to the All-Ireland semi-finals at the expense of Clare.
The newly-crowned Ulster champions claimed a 2-13 to 0-10 win over Colm Collins’ men in their Division Two clash in Ennis back in February with Gareth McKinless and Benny Heron scoring the crucial goals.
Since then, the Banner have bounced back from their penalty shoot-out loss to Limerick in Munster to defeat both Meath and Roscommon in the Qualifiers and Gallagher is anticipating a robust challenge from Clare this weekend.
“It was round four of the League back in February and we got two goals in quick succession and ran out winners, but there are significant changes in personnel on both teams and fitness levels are different,” added the Derry boss.
“While both teams will be glad they’ve gotten a feel for each other, it will be a fresh day.
“There’s a freedom of playing teams from another province. Much like ourselves, I’m sure they are glad it is not another local derby. It is good for both teams.
“I totally understand that they are going to come in with a lot of momentum from their wins over Meath and Roscommon - two teams who have operated in the upper divisions and been in provincial finals. They’ll be in great form."
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