Donegal goalkeeper Paul Durcan is to fly home from Qatar to line out for Ballyboden St Enda's in their All-Ireland Club SFC semi-final clash with Clonmel Commercials.

Manager Andy McEntee has confirmed that the All-Ireland winner will be available for selection in Portlaoise on Saturday week and, despite his lack of training, he has no qualms about throwing him straight into the action.

"I think an ordinary goalkeeper … you wouldn't be able to do it. But he's not ordinary. In fact, he's extraordinary. He really is," McEntee remarked to The Irish Independent.

"He's got a footballing brain. He's got skills. People look at him and see a big fella with a beard and say, 'Ah yeah, a typical GAA goalkeeper'.

"But he's exceptionally skilful. He knows what's going on. He sees things. He's a fella who says, 'I'm here. I'm the boss'. And the rest of the players just grow in confidence when he's around."

The Meath man added: "It's tough on (sub goalkeepers) Darragh Gogan and Conor Dooley. But they have accepted it very, very well. They've been very manly. And they realise that we're talking about an exceptional talent."

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