Senior Football Championship knockout stage shake-up to be decided the weekend  

The group stage of the Michael Murphy Sports and Leisure SFC draws to its conclusion this weekend with matters delicately poised at both ends of the table. 

Dungloe and Gaoth Dobhair are the only teams with a one hundred per cent record three games in with the former’s marginal scoring difference the only thing currently setting them apart. 

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Behind that, traffic is pretty congested with five sides locked on four points with heavyweight pairing St Eunan’s in fifth spot and Naomh Conaill back in eighth place. 

Glenswilly stand alone on three points in ninth position with the four sides behind them deadlocked on two each. 

After that, the remaining three sides St Naul’s, Aodh Ruadh and Glenfin are all in desperate need of wins in their last group games if they are to have any hope of avoiding a relegation play-off position. 

Interestingly, all three of those sides are looking forward to clashes with teams immediately within their grasp. 

St Naul’s host Downings, Aodh Ruadh welcome Killybegs while table-proppers Glenfin entertain Ardara. 

So you could well be presented with the scenario of six sides on two points after the dust settles there. 

To complicate matters more, if St Eunan’s were to defeat Termon in the Burn Road, that figure would swell to seven. 

Following the SFC draw back in July, the Donegal Competition Controls Committee (CCC) explained that it would again use Competitions Code 11.1(5) as their metric when looking to split the final standings. 

In layman’s terms, that means scoring difference takes preference when three or more sides are locked level on points and if it’s two teams that need to be split, it’s head-to-head first and then scoring difference.

Saturday, September 6 

Aodh Ruadh v Killybegs, Fr Tierney Park, 6.30pm 

Once a real rivalry in deciding the destination of the Dr Maguire, Aodh Ruadh’s hosting of Killybegs in Fr Tierney Park at the weekend sees the Ballyshannon outfit desperate to get off the mark and, in the process, reel Killybegs into the relegation play-off mix. 

The Fishermen started their group stage with a real bang when they defeated newly crowned Division 1 champions and last season’s IFC winners Termon in Fintra. 

But that was followed up with a poor showing in Dungloe as they went down 3-13 to 0-11 in Rosses Park. 

To be fair to Pauric Bonner’s team, they lifted efforts again back at base in Eamonn Byrne Memorial Park against derby rivals Kilcar but were just squeezed out 2-12 to 1-17. 

Aodh Ruadh’s form guide reads a 3-13 to 1-15 opening loss in Ardara, a 1-13 to 2-21 defeat at home to St Eunan’s and, last time out, a narrow 0-17 to 0-14 reversal at the hands of Gaoth Dobhair in Magheragallon. 

This is a difficult one to call as Jimmy Langan’s charges battled hard in Round 3 and showed signs of real improvement. Still, even with home advantage the hesitant vote on this occasion still goes to Killybegs.

VERDICT: Killybegs

Termon v St Eunan’s, Burn Road, 6.30pm 

Defending champions St Eunan’s have yet to really flex their championship muscle and, even without their county contingent, their opening loss to Kilcar in Donnell Park did raise some eyebrows. 

But with Shaun Patton, Niall O’Donnell and Ciaran Moore all back in the mix in Round 2, Barry Meehan’s men were back in business with a dominant 11-point win. 

Shane O’Donnell was introduced last time out away to St Naul’s but that 1-15 to 0-14 scoreline still means there are some creases for Eunan’s to iron out.

It was always going to be interesting to see how much of a gap Caolan McDaid’s Termon could bridge at the first time of asking, stepping up to the senior ranks as Intermediate champions. 

A Division 1 league title added to some of that anticipation but it’s fair to say Killybegs’ unceremonious pulling of the rug out from under them in Round 1 dampened some of that giddiness. 

They did pick themselves up with a 0-20 to 3-7 home win over Four Masters but a subsequent 0-14 to 1-7 loss away to St Michael’s leaves as many questions as answers hanging over the Burn Road outfit at this point. 

They could have done with a kinder draw in their last group outing. And even though Eunan’s aren’t firing on all cylinders, it’s difficult to see anything other than an away win here.

Verdict: St Eunan’s

St Naul’s v Downings, Gerard Gallagher Memorial Park,  6.30pm 

St Naul’s are in desperate need of a victory at the fourth and final time of asking but even though Downings are directly within reach on two points, Maxi Curran’s team have been so impressive, even in defeat, to the likes of Dungloe and Naomh Conaill. 

In between that, they landed a famous SFC away win in Kilcar - a result that made plenty sit up and take notice. 

Without Keelan McGroddy out injured and Lorcan Connor in Australia, Meath import Cian McBride has really stepped up and made an impression. 

The Mountcharles side suffered a 0-12 to 0-9 away derby loss to Four Masters in their group opener before following that up with an eight-point defeat in Gaoth Dobhair. 

But they did put up a real fight in their four-point defeat to champions St Eunan’s in O’Donnell Park. 

Cathal Campbell will be hoping that his players can find heart in the ashes of running St Eunan’s close but Dowinings will fully fancy going away from home and picking up a second group stage win.

VERDICT: Downings.

Glenfin v Ardara, Pairc Taobhaoige, 6.30pm

The fourth and final SFC group clash of Saturday evening sees Glenfin welcome Ardara and, much like most of the other games that same day, it’s another one that’s really hard to split. 

Damian Devaney’s team got off to a great start first day out with a three-point away win in Ballyshannon and there were further shoots of green when they really put it up to Naomh Conaill, away, in Round 2. 

But reality bit hard last time out as MacCumahills came to Pearse Memorial Park and dished out a 12-point drubbing. So again, like a number of other sides, that fluctuating form leaves it hard to gauge exactly just where Ardara are at. 

CJ Molloy, John Ross Molloy and Conor Classon are pushing Ardara’s efforts while a young supporting cast of Kyle McHugh and Darragh Hennigan are impressing at this level.  

Glenfin’s three losses so far include a two-point defeat in Gaoth Dobhair, a 15-point drubbing at home to St Michael’s and, lastly, a six-point loss away to Four Masters in Round 3.

Shaun Ward and Luke McGlynn carry the threat up front for the hosts at the weekend while Daniel Marley and player-boss Frank McGlynn, in off the bench, will hope to swing it for the locals.  

On the road and looking to jump to four points and land a preliminary round berth, Ardara might just shade it.

Verdict: Ardara.

Sunday, September 7 

Naomh Conaill v St Michael’s, Davy Brennan Park, 4pm 

Naomh Conaill have looked a little off colour in the group stages to date but when it does come to knockout football, you feel they’ll have got their house in order. 

The loss of Ciaran Thompson is a huge blow but the sight of Ethan O’Donnell back in tow last weekend will have lifted spirits. 

Finnbarr Roarty’s progress will continue to accelerate, no doubt, while Kieran Gallagher’s return from Canada and Eoghan McGettigan’s return from injury will give Glenties a new dimension. 

Martin Regan’s men - in their last group stage outing - welcome St Michael’s and it’s a game that could entertain. 

Michael’s were unlucky not to peg free-scoring MacCumhaills back in their opener at the Bridge having closed a 12-point deficit back to two late on. 

Since then, they’ve scored wins over Glenfin away, by 1-27 to 1-12 and also took Termon’s scalp, 0-14 to 1-7 in their second home fixture. 

Naomh Conaill were on the back foot straight out of the blocks as Glenswilly dished out a 2-12 to 1-14 defeat at Pairc Naomh Columba. 

The Boys in Blue bounced back with a hard-earned 0-18 to 1-14 home derby win over Ardara but they were again pushed right to the wire last weekend in Downings when, down to 14 after Jeaic Mac Ceallbhuí’s dismissal, they grinded out a 0-19 to 2-10 victory in galeforce conditions. 

Still, like previously stated, Naomh Conaill’s know-how can’t be ignored and while Martin Regan will have concerns right now, he and his management team, as well as his players, will look to move through the gears from this point on. 

And they’ll want to see out the group stages, in front of their own support, in winning fashion.

VERDICT: Naomh Conaill.

Kilcar v Glenswilly, Towney, 4pm 

Kilcar bounced back from their surprise loss to Downings with a morale-boosting win over neighbours Killybegs in Round 3. 

Patrick McBrearty was absent there but with Ryan McHugh back in the mix for the Towney men in Fintra, and with the likes of Matthew McClean, Mark McHugh and Stephen McBrearty all firing that same evening, Mark Sweeney’s team got back on track.

Eoin McHugh is currently sidelined and that is a blow for Kilcar approaching the knockout stages. Glenswilly, with Michael Murphy yet to make a championship appearance, have had a mixed bag to date. 

They seen off Naomh Conaill in impressive fashion and did well to claw back a 13-point deficit to split the points with MacCumhaills at their temporary home in Convoy. 

They would have fancied taking Dungloe down a peg a fortnight ago at home but were edged out 0-12 to 0-10. 

Eoghan Scott, Kealan Dunleavy, Daithi Gildea and veteran Gary McFadden carry the threat for Gary McDaid’s side. 

This is another one that should go right to the wire but with Murphy expected to once again sit this one out, Kilcar seem to be the side with the most established match winners.

VERDICT: Kilcar.

MacCumhaills v Gaoth Dobhair, Convoy, 4pm

The championship’s top scorers to date, MacCumhaills, are perhaps a tad unlucky not to be sitting on maximum points alongside Dungloe and Gaoth Dobhair. 

That previously mentioned slip against Glenswilly, drawing a game they really should have won, slightly blemishes what’s an otherwise impressive championship record so far. 

They also allowed themselves to be reeled in first day out away to St Michael’s, almost coughing up a 12-point advantage to fall over the line by two in the end. 

But they really clicked last time out in Ardara as they impressively got the job done 2-22 to 1-13 with Oisin Gallen, Kevin McCormick and Jamie Keegan again seriously impactful in that prolific final third. 

Gaoth Dobhair are sitting joint top of the pile but on closer examination, their three wins have all come against struggling Glenfin, St Naul’s and Aodh Ruadh. The Magheragallon side has had the upper hand over MacCumhaills in championship in recent seasons. 

So this is a real barometer for both sides to see just what progress has been made this term. Ethan Harkin, Odhran Mac Niallais and Daire Ó’Baoill are the clear and present dangers for the visitors. 

Going on what both sides have offered to date, you have to lean towards MacCumhaills. 

VERDICT: MacCumhaills.

Dungloe v Four Masters, Rosses Park, 4pm 

Last season’s defeated finalists Dungloe have impressed to date and deservingly sit top ot the table, on score difference, thanks to wins over Downings, away; Killybegs, home and Glenswilly away, two weeks ago. 

Dessie Gallagher was boosted by the return of Ryan Greene from Australia while Daniel Ward has put a rotten run of injury luck behind him and that’s also had an impact. 

Luke Clerkin, Mark Curran, Aaron Ward and Karl McGee mean they remain mean at the back and they have the best defensive record in the three games so far. 

Youthful Four Masters will no doubt make a real dent in the SFC at some stage but at this minute, they’re no doubt just enjoying the experience of gauging just where they’re at in the here and now. 

With four points to their name, their wins came against St Naul’s and Glenfin, both at home, while their loss, in between, came away at Termon.  

Four Masters are probably the type of side Dungloe like to see coming and given how mean they’ve been at the back, the fledgling Donegal Town outfit could find their Rosses Park assignment beyond them at this stage of their development.

VERDICT: Dungloe.