Donegal manager John Joe Doherty played what proved to be a master-stroke immediately prior to his team’s shock All Ireland championship fourth round qualifier win over Galway.

Doherty, under fire only a short time ago but now a hero in the north-west county, invited golf star Paul McGinley, who formerly played for Dublin at minor level, to give his team a motivational address prior to their battle with the Tribesmen.

And McGinley’s well-chosen dressing-room words certainly had the desired effect, the Donegal players rising splendidly to the occasion to usher Liam Sammon’s fancied side out of the All Ireland race.

McGinley’s father Michael, a wealthy Dublin-based businessman, is one of the driving forces behind the Club Donegal corporate entity and proved the perfect link in ensuring that his well-known son had a role in Donegal’s victory which has earned them their All Ireland quarter-final mission against Cork this weekend.

And whether Paul McGinley has a part to play in this game or not, Donegal boss Doherty is hoping that the adrenaline, belief and spirit that have been engendered following qualifier wins over Carlow, Clare, Derry and Galway in the wake of that ignominious Ulster Championship setback against Antrim will sustain his side against Conor Counihan’s men.

Doherty has already moved to dismiss fears that mental tiredness may have infiltrated the camp with the side having now played on four successive Saturdays.

“It has been a demanding itinerary and now we are in action again this weekend. “But this goes with the territory.

“The players have shown great resolve and anything that has been achieved has been all down to their attitude and desire,” maintains Doherty.

There are concerns over the fitness of skipper Rory Kavanagh who picked up an ankle injury against Galway and even though he subsequently fired over a crucial point that eased his side down the victory straight, the Letterkenny schoolteacher is now receiving intensive treatment for the injury.

Doherty may also now consider David Walsh for a starting slot against Cork.