By Michael McMullan

DERRY selector Paul McFlynn hopes the fans who have followed the team all through the season can get their hands on tickets for Saturday’s sold out Ulster Championship showdown with Donegal.

With Derry on the crest of a wave, the return of Jim McGuinness as Donegal manager and the excitement that has brought, the race for tickets will be frantic after the last remaining tickets were sold online on Wednesday morning.

Celtic Park will have a capacity in the region of 14,000 this weekend, a figure short of the actual maximum due to health and safety restrictions. It will be a bumper attendance on Saturday.

“There’s a real buzz about the county and I think you can see that after games and the amount of young people,” said McFlynn, who feels parents who regretted not following the previous boom when growing up are encouraging their children to get behind the county.

“I think that’s what contributes to GAA having a bigger fan base now,” he said. “Kids are so keen to get to matches and follow it and get on the pitch after games and get photographs and all that.

“I just know from what I hear, there’s a lot of ones that are not getting tickets,” McFlynn added.

“My only hope is that those people that travel down to see the Kerry game, or down in Salthill, or down in Mayo, will be the ones that get them.

“I’m aware of people far and wide who are not connected to clubs here, but who live down south and haven’t missed a game or still need to get tickets. I suppose that’s a disappointing thing for those people.”

The winners of Saturday’s game, both counties’ 13th of the season, will face an Ulster semi-final on Sunday week against Cavan or Tyrone with the final set for May 12.