Five teams could win an unpredictable Intermediate Championship - Michael Byrne

As the Donegal Club Football Championship gets underway this weekend, a tough-to-call championship is in store in the Intermediate.

Last year’s winners Termon were favourites to win and duly obliged, but there isn’t a lot separating the top end of this years competition.

Former Malin manager Michael Byrne had been in charge of the Connolly Park men for three seasons, guiding them to Division 1 in his first year, where they spent three years until relegation this year.

They hit the post in the Intermediate Championship under his tenure, losing out to Downings in the 2023 final, before Naomh Columba defeated them in the semi-final last year.

So Byrne knows exactly how difficult it is to get out of the Intermediate, and a good league campaign doesn’t necessarily ensure a successful championship.

“You have the likes of Milford, Naomh Columba, Buncrana, Malin, and Naomh Muire, who have all been around the top of the Intermediate Championship in recent years,” Byrne said.

“Then there’s the possibility of a Muff or a Cloughaneely maybe surprising a few teams, but I wouldn’t think there will be a winner outside the five I mentioned first.

“Before the year started, I thought Buncrana wouldn’t be far away, and I think they will have turned the focus to the championship quite early.

“Naomh Muire are also a big danger, the two of those look really impressive.

“There’s nothing in it with some of these teams, and there are probably two teams that you would expect to struggle getting out of the group, so there will be a sort of shock that someone won’t get to the quarter-finals.

“We had a good league campaign in my first year, losing the league final to Downings, but we didn’t get to the quarter-finals.

“Things can spiral out, and if you get a couple of injuries, anything can happen, and that’s the beauty of this championship, that it is so unpredictable and it’s looking that way again this year.”

Group A of the Intermediate Championship features the four Inishowen teams of Malin, Buncrana, Naomh Pádraig Uisce Chaoin and Burt, while Realt Na Mara and Gaeil Fhánada make up the group of six.

Group B has some big names in there in Naomh Muire Íochtar Na Rosann, Naomh Columba and Milford, with last year’s Senior side Cloughaneely, along with two Division 3 sides from this year in Red Hugh’s and Na Rossa.

For Malin, they headline a tasty opening weekend of fixtures, an Inishowen derby with Buncrana to kick off their campaign.

Both sides suffered Division 1 relegation but picked up seven points against top sides, and Byrne feels both will be eyeing up an important two points to begin the campaign.

“There has been a big turnover in Malin but Paul (Gallagher) has done a good job. There was a stage where the boys didn’t look like they’d get a win but there were parts in every performance that were good and they started putting the performances together as the season went on.

“Caolan McGonagle will be looking forward to getting in for Buncrana. He was injured for all of last year and a lot of this year’s Donegal campaign, but he could make a huge impact.

“The two met in the quarter-final last year and it went down to the last kick of the game in Carndonagh so that local rivalry will make it a real good one.

“It’s a big match for both teams and for Malin, to get a win against Buncrana at home before you go to Muff, who will be flying high from last year.

“It’ll relax whichever team wins to get points on the board and you know one more win should get you into a quarter-final.

“Last year, we beat Red Hugh’s and that was a safety blanket because we played Naomh Columba and Termon, two semi-finalists.

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“So it’s so important to win that first game, and there will be sparks flying in Connolly Park on the tight pitch.”

Junior champions Naomh Pádraig Uisce Chaoin travel to Bundoran to face Realt na Mara, while the other Group A match sees Burt host Gaeil Fhánada.

“For Muff coming off the back of a long season, to finish sixth in Division 2 shows they can’t be taken for granted.

“I think they could get a win in Bundoran, it might shock a few people but I have a feeling they could be one of those teams that could sneak a win.

“Bundoran at home are a different animal to be fair, but I could see a shock.

“Jamie Brennan can make a huge difference to any team at this level and it’ll be huge for Muff to try and tie him down.

“Winning is a great confidence booster and Burt will be high flying going into their home game with Fanad. 

“Fanad were down to the lower third of Division 2 and a dogged Burt can give anyone a game on their day. They’ll have the hurlers back and even when their league might not go well, they always seem to manage to stay in the Intermediate and pull out a couple of good results.”

In Group B, Naomh Muire, Íochtar na Rosann go into the campaign in good form after promotion to Division 1, and they will be full of confidence as they travel to Na Rossa.

Last year’s runners-up Naomh Columba host Milford, while Red Hugh’s take on Cloughaneely.

“I think Naomh Muire are in a great place going into this and I would fancy them heavily at Na Rossa.

“I think they will be there or thereabouts, and even last year, they’ll learn from that defeat to Termon in the semi-final, and they seem to have come on from that.

“They have been quietly building and I think they have a good chance this year with the momentum they’ll have going into the championship.

“Looking at Na Rossa’s fixtures, I find it very hard to see a way for them into the quarter-finals. They have Naomh Muire,then Milford and Naomh Columba away, then home to Red Hugh’s, so that looks a difficult run for them.

“Red Hugh’s had a good Division 3 campaign and they host Cloughaneely, who were the bottom half of the second tier, so it’s hard to gauge if there’s much in it.

“Having Jonny Carlin back this year will be crucial for them, and they will be looking to pick up points at home.

Cloughaneely’s fixtures, much like Na Rossa’s, are very tough with Naomh Muire, Milford and Naomh Columba.

“I think Milford are probably going in under the radar. There hasn’t been a lot of word on them, but it’s a wide-open championship, and there are a few teams that can win it.

“Themselves and Naomh Columba will be an interesting opener. Going to Glen is always difficult to come away with anything, they’re so hard to beat down there, and they’re a serious threat with their running game.

“If Naomh Columba can win that, then it’ll settle the nerves and they won’t want to have to go to Naomh Muire away on the last day needing two points.

“There are some great games to start the campaign and we’ll know a lot more after Sunday evening.”