Carndonagh are the early favourites for the Junior A championship

Carndonagh are the lead challengers as the race for the Dr McCloskey Cup, the most sought-after silverware in Donegal junior championship football, throws in this weekend.

In all, 11 teams are competing in this year's Donegal Junior A championship, which is made up of two groups.The Conor O’Donnell-powered Carndonagh are in the five-team Group B, which also includes Moville, Naomh Ultan, Letterkenny Gaels and Naomh Colmcille.

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Naomh Bríd, Urris, St Mary’s, Convoy, Pettigo, Robert Emmetts and Naomh Pádraig, Lifford make up Group A.Carndonagh and St Mary’s, Convoy both played in Division Two of the ACFL this season while all the rest competed in Division Three of the ACFL.

There are three games in Group A on Sunday with Urris making the long trip to Trummon, where the locals Naomh Bríd will provide the opposition, in what is a crunch tie.

The other games in the group: St Mary’s, Convoy are home to Naomh Pádraig, Lifford, and Robert Emmetts host Pettigo in Emmet Park, Castlefin.

Carndonagh begin with an away trip to Dunkineely where Naomh Ultan will provide the opposition in what promises to be a stern test of the Inishowen men’s championship credentials.The final game in Group B is the meeting of Moville V Naomh Colmcille in Moville. Letterkenny Gaels are free this weekend.

Seán McBrearty guided Letterkenny Gaels to their one and only Junior A championship success in 2022, and the former Kilcar player feels Carndonagh are favourites to take the Dr McCloskey Cup back to North Inishowen.

“I fancy Carndonagh this year,” says the winning Letterkenny Gaels manager. “They were beaten in last year’s final by Naomh Pádraig, Uisce Chaoin and we beat them in the final in 2002.“They played in Division Two of the ACFL this season and they acquitted themselves well and that was without Conor O’Donnell.

“If you look back at their league results against the top teams they ran them close and they beat Naomh Muire, Lower Rosses, who were promoted to Division One.

“They had a very good league and finished comfortably mid-table, and as I mentioned earlier, they did not have Conor O’Donnell for any of their games in the league. As well as Conor O’Donnell, they have other good players in Ryan Kelly, Fergal Doherty, Cian Doherty, and James Monagle.

“I fancy them to top the group after the group games and go straight through to the county semi-final.

“Looking through the other teams in the groups, I believe Naomh Ultan and Letterkenny will take the other two places at the top of the table and qualify for the quarter-finals.

“I’m not sure who will end up second or third. But they both went into the championship on the back of decent Division Three league campaigns where they finished fourth (Naomh Ultan) and fifth (Letterkenny Gaels).

“Pettigo and Robert Emmetts go into the championship on the back of improved performances in the league in recent seasons.

“Pettigo have made great strides and if there is a dark horse in the championship I believe they could be the team to pull off a surprise.

Naomh Bríd, Urris and St Mary’s, Convoy are Sean McBrearty’s fancy to be in the shake-up for qualification for the knockout stages in Group A.

“I fancy Naomh Bríd to top Group A and I know they did not get promoted but they were not far behind Burt and Red Hughs, two teams who are competing in the Intermediate Championship.

“They finished in third place and were in the running for promotion right up to the latter stages. I watched them against Letterkenny Gaels and I was very impressed by them.

“Darren Russell at full-forward is a very good player and he knows where the posts are, and they have a young lad, Aaron McGrory, who is very accurate from frees both short and long range, and they have Callum Gallagher in the middle of the field.

“They are a fine side, well-balanced, and I believe they will be in the mix right up to the latter stages. They beat Naomh Pádraig, Uisce Chaoin, in the group stages last year before losing to Naomh Pádraig in the county semi-final.

“I fancy Urris and St Mary’s, Convoy to take the other two qualifying places in the group. Even though they did not win a game in Division Two and were relegated, I still think the experience of playing at the higher level will stand to St Mary’s. They have quality players in Anthony Bowne, Bryan McNamee, Conal McDermott and Corrie Lee Brogan.”

Urris, after a number of lean years, had a decent Division Three league and finished up in a respectable mid-table position. And they will look forward to this season's championship in a more positive frame of mind than they’ve had for a number of seasons.

“Dean Harkin, Conor Bradley, Oisín Hession and Gavin McDaid are key men for Urris. I expect them to make it to the knockout stages.”

Moville finished at the foot of the Division Three League table at the end of the season with just one win. They won their last game.

Naomh Pádraig were one point better off in the league standings with a win and a draw.

Naomh Colmcille halted their slide with two wins and a draw to end the season on five points, albeit third from bottom.

“I see John Fullerton transferred back to Naomh Colmcille at the last county board meeting. He will be a huge addition for Naomh Colmcille.

“And I see Tony McCleneghan is back from his travels and will give Moville a much-needed boost for the championship.”