Colm McFadden is more than familiar with the vagaries of inter-county football.

Since coming into the Donegal senior side six years ago, McFadden has endured more ups and downs than most players — indeed, there was even a clamour that he should be removed from the panel because of his inconsistency.

But the tall, lean forward remained impervious to the criticism and on Sunday he gets another golden opportunity to further bolster his reputation when he lines out against Cork in the All Ireland quarter-final at Croke Park (2.00pm).

Free-taker McFadden has done more than most to get Donegal to this stage of the competition — yet he unhesitatingly distributes credit to “all the players and the team management.”

In tandem with rapidly maturing 20-year-old full-forward Michael Murphy, McFadden forms a twin strike force reckoned to be among the most lethal in the country.

“All the boys have risen to the challenge and young Michael is just phenomenal,” said McFadden.

“He showed last year that he was beginning to come through and he’s certainly making his mark now.”

His own efforts allied to those of Murphy in Donegal’s recent Qualifier wins over Carlow, Clare, Derry and Galway have been such that manager John Joe Doherty is convinced that, should his midfield pairing of Kevin Cassidy and Brendan Boyle acquire parity of esteem against Cork, then the dynamic frontline duo can seal the deal.

“We have had to work hard so far for our scores, but it’s all the more satisfying when they come,” said Doherty.

“Cork are very good defensively, we know that, but we would hope to find ways through.”

The McFadden-Murphy partnership can expect to confront a big stumbling block, though, even if Cork’s outstanding left-full-back Anthony Lynch has not recovered fully from his troublesome injury.

Graham Canty and Michael Shields are twin pillars of the Cork defence alongside the fiery Noel O’Leary and workaholic John Miskella .

Donegal’s main hope of midfield possession will almost certainly lie in breaking the ball down in the hope that players such as skipper Rory Kavanagh and centre-half-back Barry Monaghan, both of whom have been superb of late, can then turn the possession to good account.

But Cork’s physical strength and the proven qualities of their own full-forward line will test Donegal to the full as they aim for the last four.