Donegal manager Declan Bonner expects to be able to call upon the services of top marksman Paddy McBrearty next March.

The Kilcar ace missed this summer’s Ulster championship winning campaign due to a cruciate ligament injury but his recovery is going according to plan.

“Paddy McBrearty is going to come back into the fold,” Bonner informed Sky Sports. “It will probably be March before he is back on the pitch.

“Ciaran Gillespie, one of the Gweedore lads. Ciaran is back playing, a very, very good player, he will come back into it, he missed a whole season through injury.

“There are a number of other lads probably to come into it.”

Can Dublin’s Sam Maguire five-in-a-row bid be stopped in 2019?

“Dublin have not lost in the championship since 2014 - you might get them on the day, but it's probably difficult to see Dublin being beaten twice in 2019,” Bonner answered.

“But in saying that, it's up to us. It's up to the rest of the counties that's in that bracket to go and try and close that gap, try and bridge that gap.

“Yeah, I think it can be done, but it's going to take a huge effort on everyone's part.”

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