Donegal manager Rory Gallagher accepts that Derry will give his side "a tough test" in Saturday night's Ulster semi-final.

The Anglo-Celt Cup holders are 1/5 favourites to prevail in the derby at Clones this weekend but Gallagher won't be taking the Oak Leafers for granted.

"Obviously Derry have been playing among the top eight in the country and they've become accustomed to playing with the intensity of those Division One teams. That will stand to them," the former Fermanagh forward notes in The Irish News.

"Although they got relegated, that won't bother them in the slightest. They took a very different approach to the league this year compared to last year and they're building for the championship.

"They've a lot of experienced footballers, they're a much more mature team than Armagh. Armagh are an emerging team whereas some of Derry's players have national league medals from 2008. They played in last year's league final, some of their players played in an All-Ireland club final, so they have a lot of experience and it's going to be a tough test."

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