Preview:This potentially epic meeting will tell us plenty about both teams. Can the horrendously injury-jinxed Tyrone regain the mesmerising pace of two years ago or will Donegal transfer their league form into the championship?
Hunger won't be an issue as both sides hone in on an Ulster title - Tyrone's first since 2003 while Donegal endeavour to end a 15-year famine.
On paper, Brian McIver's Donegal look capable of slugging this one out and current form certainly supports this having gone through the league unbeaten. That the players expressed disappointment with their performances immediately after the Armagh victory tells a lot about the mindset in the north east this season. They feel it's their time.
The supposed return to fitness of Brendan Devenney and Michael Hegarty - who remains a serious doubt after his knee failed to respond to treatment this week, while Christy Toye is recovering from chicken pox so Kevin McMenamin is in line to start - means Colm McFadden is joined in what is arguably the most potent full forward line in the country.
If the selected trio start, they are guaranteed to put a strain on Ryan McMenamin, Cormac McGinley and Dermot Carlin, McGinley and Devenney being the most crucial match up.
Four quality midfielders may well cancel each other out but the most intriguing duel will be that of the groundhogs - Brian Dooher's constant motion will be challenged in the middle third by Brian Roper and Barry Dunnion.
The subplots are evident all over the field.
The logical prediction points to Donegal but that means little in Ulster football. Also, in a tactical shoot-out between Mickey Harte and Brian McIver who would you put your money on? Harte shades it due to a proven bravery to react correctly when the pressure begins to boil over. Stephen O'Neill's knee might be tested in the second half.
Then you realise McIver has proven attacking quality like Adrian Sweeney to fire into the fray down the home stretch. And Tyrone are still short of a full deck - namely Brian McGuigan.
On that premise Donegal can shade what promises to be an epic meeting of two fine football teams.
DONEGAL: P Durcan; N McGee, P Campbell, K Lacey; P McConigley, B Monaghan, B Dunnion; N Gallagher, K Cassidy; B Roper, C Bonner, R Kavanagh; C McFadden, B Devenney, M Hegarty.
TYRONE: J Devine; R McMenamin, C McGinley, D Carlin; D Harte, C Gormley, P Jordan; K Hughes, S Cavanagh; B Dooher, R Mulgrew, E McGinley; C McCullagh, C Cavanagh, O Mulligan
Tyrone v Donegal Clones Sunday, 2.15. On TV: RTÉ 2
