Kieran Donaghy expects to be a marked man when Kerry confront Galway in the All Ireland quarter-finals at Croke Park on Saturday (4.00pm)

Donaghy scored 1-2 against Fermanagh last week as well as having a hand in other scores as the Kingdom maintained their push for what would be a third All Ireland final on the trot.

But Donaghy, whose father hails from Cookstown, is unconcerned about the attention he might receive from the Galway defence.

“If they are marking me, maybe they will leave someone else free,” he smiles.

Donaghy’s bulk and demeanour mask a shrewd footballing brain.

One of his greatest assets is his selflessness — something for which he is not always given credit. But he’s unfazed about the speculation surrounding the ‘welcome’ he will receive from the Tribesmen.

“We will take it as it comes,” he says.

Donaghy has urged Kerry fans to get behind the team as their All-Ireland three-in-a-row bid moves up another gear.

He believes that his team can now provide the intensity and concentration that ultimately buried Monaghan’s hopes.

"It was a great game for us and we said it before the draw was even made that we needed a good game against a good team to see actually where we are. We know now," he said in reference to the Monaghan game.

"Don’t get me wrong, we still have a load of things to work on. Six points for us in the first half as a set of forwards wasn’t good enough and it’s not near our target or what we want.

"We’ve a load to work on. I’d just be hoping that the fans really get behind us for the quarter-final.

"Every game for us now is an All-Ireland final. This team is going for three-in-a-row — something that hasn’t been done in modern GAA really. We need them behind us because every game is going to be a big game, huge."

Kerry manager Pat O’Shea is sweating on the fitness of star centre back Aidan O’Mahony, though.

The Rathmore clubman sustained a leg injury during the early stages of last Sunday’s qualifier win over Monaghan, but was able to continue after receiving treatment. However, the injury was still causing him some discomfort on Monday and he was sent to Kerry General Hospital for x-rays.

These revealed that there was nothing broken, but he is suffering from severe bruising and is currently on crutches. It is understood that O’Mahony will travel to Wexford in the next day or two to undergo cryotherapy in a bid to speed up his recovery.

In the event of the three-time All-Ireland winner not being fit, Tommy Griffin would come into the side at wing back, with stand-in captain Tomas O Se moving to centre back.

Kildare have failed in their attempt to have Sunday’s All-Ireland football quarter-final against Cork postponed.

It means that Kieran McGeeney’s side will be in championship action for the fourth successive weekend, and they are the only team to have come through the qualifiers to face such a hectic schedule.

However, goalkeeper Enda Murphy insists that they will not be using it as an excuse.

"We have a week to recover between the games and I don’t think we’ve picked up any injuries of significance," he said.