Mark Marley on trying to remain sharp as Setanta finally learn Ulster opposition

When it comes to breaking new ground Setanta are old hands at rewriting Donegal hurling history. 

The 2025 Donegal senior hurling champions are at it again and are well into their preparations for a first-ever crack at the AIB Ulster Club Senior Hurling Championship.

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Ulster Junior champions twice in 2017 and 2022 and intermediate champions in 2023, Mark Marley’s charges have real experience competing in the provincial level over the last decade or so. 

But next month’s clash of the ash with St. John’s, Belfast, in O’Donnell Park, will be the club's first outing in the Ulster senior club championship.

And not only that, they will be the first Donegal club to compete on Ulster club hurling’s biggest stage. 

It is little wonder that hurling fever is building at the Crossroads and around the Finn Valley as Marley steps up the training for another giant milestone in the club's proud 46-year history. 

“The excitement is beginning to build all right,” Marley explained.  “The players are really looking forward to it. And they are aware it is special to be looking forward to playing in the senior championship.

“The bulk of the team have played in both the Junior championship and Intermediate championships and have won both.

“Davin Flynn from the 2022 Junior winning team and Michael Donoghue from the 2022 winning Junior team, and the 2023 Intermediate teams are the only players that are not in the current squad. 

“To play in the Senior championship is a natural progression and they do not underestimate the challenge facing them and how big of step up it is. 

“It is a challenge they are looking forward to and when you are a player you want to test yourself at the next level up. And the Ulster Senior and the Antrim champions are seen as the standard bearers in the championship. 

“If you look at the teams in this year's championship, St John’s beat Loughgiel Shamrocks, another past winner in the Antrim final. 

“Slaughtneill are Derry champions and either Portaferry or Ballgalget will be the Down representatives in the championship. 

“Portaferry came close to beating Slaughneil last year. “They are all top sides and Setanta are up there competing with them. 

“It is brilliant for this group of players and it is brilliant for the club and for hurling in Donegal overall”.

Josh Cronolly McGee scored two late goals as Setanta were once again crowned Donegal champions following their 2-12 to 0-13 win over St Eunan’s, in O’Donnell Park back at the end of August. 

Eight weeks on and with three weeks still to go until they face St John’s back in Letterkenny, 11 full weeks will have passed by the time the sliotar eventually goes in there.  

“The 11-week break is far from ideal because we will be facing a team that has been playing tough competitive games in recent weeks while we have been idle,” admits the Setanta boss. 

“But it is what it is and it is not going to change because it suits the dual clubs who also play football.”

However, the Setanta coach admits the prolonged break also has its pluses in that the break gives players who have picked up knocks and bruises in the course of the season a chance to clear up.

“It is good for players like Danny Cullen, Declan Coulter and Stephen McBride who had long seasons with Donegal to recover from injuries and to recharge their batteries.

“We took three weeks off after the county final and told the players to just go away and do their own thing to keep ticking over. 

“That seems to have worked because everybody came back in good shape and fit and well and were ready to get down to hard work, and in fairness to the boys, they have really worked hard since we returned.

“We also played a number of challenge games since we returned and we have a couple more in the pipeline to bring the boys up to match sharpness”.

Setanta have played Derry sides Swatragh and Lavey as well as Fermanagh champions Lisbellaw in those run-out clashes. 

“The challenge games have gone well and I was a little surprised how match sharp the players have been in those games. Hopefully, we will get one or two more over the next couple of weeks”. 

St John’s ended a 52-year barren harvest with last weekend’s one-point, 2-16 to 1-18, win over Loughiel Shamrocks, in the Antrim final. 

“I did not see the final but I was at the semi-final where they beat Cushendall after extra-time, which was a big result. 

“They may not have not won the championship in over 50 years. But they have been knocking on the door for the last four to five seasons.

“They are a good all-round side and we are under no illusion of the challenge we face. But the boys are up for it. “