Donegal resurgence has been 'impressive' - Murphy

Jim McGuinness is back for his second spell as Donegal manager

All-Ireland winning captain Michael Murphy says Donegal will be taking it one match at a time but will have belief they can lift the Sam Maguire.

Donegal will be heavy favourites to reach the semi-finals after being drawn with Louth in the last eight.

After winning the Ulster Championship and earning promotion back to Division One, it has been a remarkable first season for Donegal under the returning Jim McGuinness.

"If you look at Donegal's year in general, even the most optimistic of Donegal fans would have taken Division Two and a challenge made at the Ulster," Murphy told BBC Sport NI.

"Outside of Jim McGuinness and the team themselves, never in their wildest dreams could they have seen an Ulster win. Now to have navigated their way to an All-Ireland quarter-final is even more impressive."

Murphy said being drawn against Louth is "not a bad one for them to get" and he believes Donegal's in-form side will have "too much firepower" all over the pitch.

"Donegal will look at it as a fanastic opportunity to get to an All-Ireland semi-final.

"What comes after, be that a Dublin or Kerry, will be a different kettle of fish but they will see that come the time.

"When you look back and see how far they have come, you just can't get out of your head that eight-to-10 months ago, Donegal were in a really low ebb."

Armagh can challenge big two

After missing out to Donegal in the Ulster Championship final on penalties, Armagh have responded by winning their group and setting up a quarter-final with Roscommon.

The Rossies stunned Tyrone in their preliminary last eight tie, and Murphy says they have enough to shock Kieran McGeeney's men.

"Roscommon have really strong traits and have a pep in their step back again.

"I like the look of Armagh in terms of their ability to get over disappointment. There's something within that. To keep coming back again and again is something big."

Murphy said of all the teams left in the competition, he believes Armagh are side best equipped to challenge Dublin and Kerry, who have won all but one of the last 11 All-Irelands between them.

"One thing about Armagh over the last number of years is they have yet to get over this quarter-final stage. They have gone out tentatively and quite passively, you would love them to go to Croke Park and play on the front foot like they can.

"I think a lot of the game will come down to what kind of Armagh show up. Will it be the front-footed, go for it Armagh, or will it be a passive and tentative Armagh?

"If it's the latter then Roscommon have a good chance to stay in the game, but if it's the other way I just can't see past Armagh."

After a turbulent few weeks, Derry qualified for the quarter-finals after a dramatic penalty shootout win over Mayo and Murphy said Mickey Harte's side deserve credit for their resilience.

"I'll be honest, I didn't that performance in Castlebar coming," Murphy admitted.

"I thought they were at such a low ebb. There was a lot of character shown by a lot of their players."

After being drawn against Kerry, who lost in the final last year, Murphy says it will be a tough test for the Oak Leafers but they "still have the pieces" to win at Croke Park.

"They got back to basics and doing what they do well, which is defending and keeping oppositions' key men quiet.

"The fear and challenge for Derry is their attacking threat isn't the same as it was last year.

"They need to get that team ethic going again. It's going to take a huge push for them to do that."

Dublin take on Galway in the fourth quarter-final and Murphy said he "can't look past" the All-Ireland holders.

"It will be a tricky one but I think Dublin will have too much in the home venue of Croke Park."