Mac's View: Sunday's county final could be one of best in years

I’m really looking forward to the Donegal county final on Sunday when Gaoth Dobhair take on Naomh Conaill in O’Donnell Park, Letterkenny. County final day is always special and this one will be no different. 

I played in 11 county finals and won eight, seven of them with St Joseph’s and the last one with Bundoran. It should have been 12 but the 1966 final was never played, which was a shame.

But I’m hearing that some of the Glenties lads will be playing in their 13th final on Sunday and that is some service. Congratulations to the three - Anthony Thompson, Brendan McDyer and Leo McLoone and I’m told that Eoin Waide will be togged as well, although he hasn’t played much this year due to injury. Indeed those players are also on target to win their 8th medal, which would add to the list that’s already. Myself and Seamie Granaghan have eight as well as Gaoth Dobhair man Danny Gillespie, who won his in the 1930s and 1940s when the Gaeltacht club were one of the dominant forces in Donegal football.

It’s a pity that Glenties have to line out without their best player, Ciaran Thompson. He was man of the match on at least two of their seven wins in their recent great run. But they have shown that despite having to field without him, they have a great bench and this year the return of Kieran Gallagher, son of big Michael, has been a great help as well as the arrival on the scene of some young talent in Finnbarr Roarty, Max Campbell and Shea Malone.

Roarty is on target to win the Young Footballer of the Year and an All-Star in his first year at intercounty level.

The fact that both sides are in the Reserve final as well bodes well for the future and for the strength of their benches

It’s all to play for and I feel there won’t be much in it. I just have a sneaky feeling for Gaoth Dobhair. They haven’t lost a match but then again that means nothing on county final day. Like Glenties, they have had a good influx of young talent in the last few years. They still have Odhrán Mac Niallais and he is a wonderful footballer. They also have Dáire Ó Baoill and he could be a matchwinner with two pointers. Hopefully we’ll have a good day and it won't be a shock no matter who comes out on top.

But, as I said, I have a feeling that it could be Gaoth Dobhair’s year.

MCGUINNESS REAPPOINTED

It wasn’t a surprise when the announcement was made this week that Jim McGuinness would be senior manager for 2026. It was always expected, especially after the great summer we had this year, even though the final game was a big disappointment.

We had a summer of great journeys with the same car load going to all matches and it is much better fun when you are winning. There has been no announcement about any new blood to the backroom team with Luke Barrett stepping down. He was quite a useful mentor and I know some people were saying that it would be good to have an outside voice, I don’t think we need that. I think it is up to Jim himself to find someone who he can work with.

The most important thing for the management team is to scout the county during the championships for new players and there are always players out there in Donegal.

No doubt there will be an influx of players from Four Masters, Gaoth Dobhair and Naomh Conaill but there are probably others in the three championships that deserve a chance. We have the Dr McKenna Cup back in January and that will be a good opportunity for Jim to look at the upcoming talent.

I also am delighted to see Karl Lacey take on the minor manager role. I had him as a young boy in the senior squad and I think he has a lot to give. I always had great hopes for him as a young lad.

The other managerial posts have also been filled and I want to wish Mickey McCann and Gary Boyle will look after the senior hurlers and U-20 footballers.

It was a good weekend also for Donegal men looking after teams in Fermanagh with Erne Gaels and Derrygonnelly Harps making it to the final once more. Declan Bonner and Paul Brennan are in charge of Erne Gaels and they needed a bit of luck to get past a plucky Ederney, who looked to be on their way to the final when leading well in the final minutes. But Erne Gaels 1-5 in the final 10 minutes to get over the line by a point.

They will meet Derrygonnelly in the final with Ballyshannon man Shane Ward in charge and they had a landslide win over Teemore in their semi-final. These sides met in the league final which finished in controversial circumstances with two two-pointers being awarded that were clearly inside the arc. The decision was made to re-fix that final, so maybe the clubs will play for both cups when they meet on Sunday week.

It is a fair achievement for Derrygonnelly to be back in the final minus the three Jones brothers, who transferred to Leitrim Gaels this year. And they will be in the Leitrim final after a big win in the semi-final over the reigning champions Mohill.

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Finally, this week, after comments at the weekend from former Kerry player Pat Spillane that Michael Murphy should not have been nominated for Player of the Year, I’ll just say that the best comment I ever heard about Michael Murphy came from one of the greats of the game, Larry Tompkins.

The Cork man told me that ‘Murphy was the best player in Ireland for 10 years’. And he was very important to that Donegal team last year, constantly willing to bring others on.

And to finish, my congratulations to Naomh Columba on winning the Intermediate title and getting back to senior football. I fancied them all year and they have been there or thereabouts now for a few years. A local derby with Kilcar next year would bring a crowd that would match a county final crowd, such is the local rivalry. And that’s the way it should be.

Brian McEniff was in conversation with Peter Campbell