Conor McManus pinpoints biggest difference for Donegal this year

"The one thing that tripped them up in 2024..."

The reigning Ulster champions are currently second favourites at the bookies for All-Ireland glory this year, behind league-champions Kerry.

They looked primed to go all the way last year after provincial success, but lost out to Galway in the semi-finals.

However, they received a big boost this year, with the return of the talismanic Michael Murphy to the squad, while a handful of others have also come back.

Former Monaghan player, Conor McManus, believes that had they their current strength in depth last year, then they would have gone all the way.

In his column for the Irish Times, he wrote: "The one thing that tripped them up in 2024 was that they ran out of options. This season, they started the game with Murphy, Ódhran McFadden-Ferry and Finbarr Roarty, none of whom were there last year. Eoin McHugh was back in the squad.

"Jason McGee only came on for a few minutes and Oisín Gallen wasn’t on much longer. Neither Michael Langan nor Eoin Bán Gallagher played at all. They’ll all be back. Those are massive reserves, which they didn’t have previously.

"Had they that strength in depth last year, I’m pretty sure they’d be defending the All-Ireland."