Martin McHugh takes an in-depth look at Sunday's Electric Ireland MFC semi-final between Donegal and Dublin.

What are your memories of playing the Dubs in the 1992 All-Ireland final?  How do you deal with the partisan crowd and the Hill and what advice would you give the County's minors?
Martin McHugh: The big advantage about a final is that you can get out early, soak up the atmosphere and grow into it before the game starts, that's what we did in '92. While there isn't the same opportunity to do that in a semi-final I'd encourage Declan Bonner and the boys to get out as early as possible on Sunday and let the lads get used to their surroundings. This is an incredible occasion with both the minors and seniors playing at headquarters and it will be a long time before something like this happens again within Donegal, above all I hope they enjoy it.

You've stated before the great underage teams there are in Donegal.  How good do you think these Electric Ireland Ulster Champions are and are their senior stars of the future in this side?
M McH: It was interesting this week that Donegal won the McGuigan Cup, the u17 competition.  This was our 10th underage win this year which is fantastic because we are not particularly strong at MacRory Cup level yet we have great strength across every underage level.  It's amazing the impact winning an All-Ireland has. 1992 was for the older people but our win in 2012 has definitely motivated our young people to play Gaelic football. Don't forget we are a very soccer focused county particularly in areas like Inishowen, which has been the forgotten peninsula in Donegal.  What's great to see is that Inishowen constitutes the core spine of this Donegal side with the centre back, midfield and full forward all based in that region. 

I've rated this side from day one and it always helps to build and grow momentum within a team if they can win the Ulster Minor league which this side did. We've seen from our last successful minor side how players can develop and make it at senior level, just look at Michael Murphy, Leo McLoone and Martin McElhinney. We need that again this time to compete at senior level in four or five year's time.  I'm expecting two or three players from this side to make the same transition.

How do you see Donegal lining out in the Electric Ireland Minor Semi-final to cope with the power and skill of this Dublin side?
M McH: They'll definitely play with a sweeper. Andrew McClean is very accomplished at it and as is the case across this Donegal side he is very comfortable on the ball and doesn't panic. Along with the whole Donegal defence he'll need to be on his game with Dublin full forwards Con O'Callaghan and Chris Sallier flying and supported by the provision and guile of Colm Basquel, they have put together a highly impressive scoring ratio.

Ciaran Gillespie is a good Gweedore full back in the ilk of club mate Neil McGee, he'll pick up O'Callaghan and that'll be a very important tussle. Cian Mulligan too at half back has a big role to play. He scored four points from play against the Rossie's the last day and we wouldn't have got over the line only for him. We'll need that from all our half backs on Sunday. That's the way of the modern game, ball playing defenders breaking forward to grab vital scores and this side has those types of players. 

Another big advantage for any side playing in Croke Park's open spaces is pace and in Lorcan O'Connor and Jamie Brennan have that goal threat.  Stephen McBrearty is back now too after a cruciate ligament and improving with every game providing a good balance in the forward line back. This is a massive occasion for all these players and from Donegal's perspective I just hope they cope and can thrive in what will be an intense environment. The team that copes best will win.

Dublin are arguably the favourites to make the Electric Ireland Ulster Minor football final. Is it a fair enough assessment?
M McH: Yes, they are.  The bookies seldomly get it wrong but everything is a little less certain at minor level.  Donegal are comfortable with the underdog tag and there is more pressure on this Dublin minor side with the potential of winning the treble, minor, u21 and senior. Also Dublin have started slowly in some games, notably against Kildare when they went four down so I think if Donegal can get their noses in front we'll be in the heels of the hunt come 70 minutes. These two sides have met before and it ended in a draw. At that time the Offaly minor manager Pascal Kellaghan who was at the game said the three best minor teams in the country were Donegal, Dublin and Kerry. He's not a bad judge.

So call it.  Who will win this Electric Ireland Minor Football Championship semi-final?
M McH: Donegal are coming in on the back of a workman like performance and that takes the pressure off as opposed to a big win where it would be hard to bring the boys back down to earth. They have young fellas who can step into the breach such as Ethan O'Donnell so if they can curtail the torturing trio of O'Callaghan, Sallier and Basquel I've a sneaking feeling that this Donegal side can get over the line.

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