Setanta and St Eunan’s top the bill in SHC weekend openers

As hurling men in Donegal go, there are few more knowledgeable and eloquent officials than St Eunan’s stalwart Paddy Flood.

The long-serving Flood’s club take on Setanta in a mouth-watering opening SHC clash in the Cross on Friday evening as the county championship swings into action.

And it has not been a happy hunting ground for the reigning league champions, as the best they could do was a draw a few years ago.

“It is a big game for us and last year we went in with high hopes and Setanta beat us well in the group stage,” he explained. 

“That proved to be very costly as they beat us on scoring difference in the end of the championship.

“We have to stand up as we have not performed particularly well against them in the last few years.”

Flood added that Setanta will have all their county men back and if you are not on your game, they are capable of running up big scores on the opposition.

“We have never beaten them in the Cross in the championship. Championship is a different level of intensity, and you need to be ready for it.

“You saw it in the county final last year when Burt was at the pitch and deservedly beat Setanta. We need to bring a proper intensity and then we will be competitive.”

And to make life even more difficult, if that was needed, St Eunan’s will be minus Sean McVeigh, who has a hip injury.

“He is a huge loss, but teams have done it before, as Burt were missing Ronan McDermott for a long period the year before last, and they were missing Kevin Curran last year, and these things happen.

“But it is up to the team to step up.”

St Eunan’s have two valuable additions in Pierce Glynn and Kieran Larkin, and Paul O’Donnell and Steven Doherty are also back in the fold.

“We have a strong panel and younger lads like Brendan Gaffey and John Kealy were on the county panel and are getting older and stronger.”

Setanta are powered by Danny Cullen, Declan Coulter, Josh Cronolly McGee, Steven McBride, Sean Ward, Dean Harvey and the free-scoring Oisin Marley.

Eunan’s have county men Brian MacIntyre and Peter Kelly, along with Cormac Finn, Kevin Kealy, Conor O’Grady, Ryan Hilferty, Cathal O’Brien and the Forde brothers.

“Setanta have quality all over the place and will probably start out as favourites again, even though Burt might disagree with that as county champions.

“But I think all three of us would fancy our chances against each other, and Sean MacCumhaills have had some very good results in the league with an emerging team.”

Meanwhile, it’s an Inishowen derby between Burt and Buncrana at Hibernian Park.

“Buncrana will battle, but it is hard to look past Burt when they have all their county players back,” Flood explained. 

“Buncrana will have Jack O’Loughlin back, but I think the outstanding Oisin Grant is away and he was very good for the county.

“They have some good players, but Burt will have Liam McKinney, Conor Gartland, Ciaran Bradley, Oisin Kelly, Ronan McDermott all back from county duty, and they also have Kieran Brady, the Currans, Ciaran Porter and Christopher McDermott to boost their challenge.

“Buncrana have some really good hurlers in Caolan O’Neill, David Carey, Dylan Doherty, Sam Roe Doherty, and the Grants are fine players.

“They are a team of big and strong young lads, but they have not fulfilled their great youth potential of a few years ago.”

Elsewhere, Flood fancies a resurgent MacCumhaills to get the better of a Carndonagh side who are always hard to beat at Foden.

“We played Carn in the championship last year and they gave us a really good game, and they are a very together bunch of 18–20 players, many of whom are dual players.

“This year some of the dual players have had to commit more to the football and they have not come out as much to the hurling.

“And I don’t think they can just magic up in the hurling championship, as that is a hard thing to do.

“It will be interesting, but Cathal Doherty looks to be out injured, and he is the heart and soul of the team.

“Carn at their very best are very competitive, but I think the football thing has finally caught up with them and too many guys are being asked to play too many games at the same time, and if Cathal is out, it will be tough on them.”

He added: “MacCumhaills are doing great work at underage level and have a good balance between youth and experience.

“We found them a handful in the championship in a game we had to win.

“They have new young players like Jacob Malone and Dan Donnelly coming through with Gavin Browne, the Griffins (Conor and Fintan), Lee Henderson and Aaron Toner, and they are physically imposing.

“I don’t think they are going to win the senior championship this year, but they will give teams a very good game and they could spring a few shocks.

“We are expecting a tough game over in Ballybofey. But in terms of this weekend’s game, they should beat Carn.”

Elsewhere, in the Donegal Intermediate/Junior Championship, Four Masters collide with St Eunan’s second team, which is quite strong.

Setanta’s second string take on Ballyshannon, while Burt’s second string take on Dungloe in a bumper weekend of hurling action.