DONEGAL MANAGER RORY GALLAGHER has poured cold water on suggestions of a simmering rivalry with Tyrone ahead of Sunday’s Ulster final.
It will be the fifth Championship meeting of the counties in six summers with Donegal having won the previous four.
Last year, tensions spilled over at half-time in their first round meeting in Ballybofey.
Players and mentors clashed at the mouth of the tunnel, an incident for which both counties were slapped with €5,000 fines and Tyrone assistant manager Gavin Devlin was given an eight-week ban following an altercation with Donegal player Eamon McGee.
[adrotate group=”53″]After a heated Legaue game in 2013, Donegal’s Karl Lacey, who wasn’t playing that afternoon, was spat at as he made his way to the dressing room at Healy Park.
This year’s Ulster Under-21 semi-final was marred by a mass brawl after the final whistle.
The counties also traded several public blows last year after allegations of verbal provocation were made against two Tyrone minor players.
[adrotate group=”43″]Gallagher, though, believes the rivalry has been over-stated.
“We played each other in 2011, 2012, 2013 – all massive games – and there was very little in it,” Gallagher said.
“Last year, when all is said and done, I didn’t think there was much in it. I don’t think it was as bad as people made it out to be.
We are local rivals, we have played in a lot of National League games. Every game is big between us. But I think everybody shakes hands, players and management.
[adrotate group=”46″]“It is a huge rivalry, but I don’t think it is as nasty as people make it.”
Donegal defeated Tyrone in semi-finals in 2011 and 2012 on their way to winning back-to-back Ulster titles and Donegal also had the upper hand when they met in Ballybofey in 2013 and 2015.
Complaceny won’t be an issue for the Tir Chonaill men, insists Gallagher.
He said: “Not at all. We would know in all those battles we have had with them over the years that they have been extremely tight and extremely close.
[adrotate group=”70″]“Complacency has never been an issue with our lads. If you look at our record in Ulster over the last six years, every single opponent has been treated with massive respect.
“You play the top teams and over the last six years we have had a lot of games against all the top teams. We played Tyrone probably more than most.
“No doubt when you keep playing with the big boys, some day you will fall. But we are hoping on Sunday if we deliver the right sort of performance we will be ok.”
[adrotate group=”76″]Donegal, who will welcome Neil McGee back from suspension, are appearing in their sixth final in a row this weekend and have won the Anglo Celt Cup three times in that spell.
Gallagher, who has a clean bill of health with the exception of midfielder Neil Gallagher, said: “It’s huge. I think there is a lot of stake and an Ulster Championship that both teams want, for different reasons. Put it’s this way, it is a final we want to win.”
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