Macs View: Lots to look forward to for Donegal in next month

It’s going to be a busy month for Donegal with the Dr McKenna Cup and the National League getting started and I’m really looking forward to it.

There was disappointment for everyone involved on Sunday last when the Ulster Council called off the first game against Derry in O’Donnell Park but it was done with the safety of players and supporters travelling in mind. The decision to award both sides a point each in the table sets it up nicely for the remaining two games.

Derry were due to play Antrim on Wednesday night in Owenbeg and Donegal travel to play Antrim in Cargin on Sunday. By that stage Jim McGuinness and the Donegal side will know what they have to do to top their group and get at least another game in the semi-finals, which are fixed for the following Wednesday night.

The schedule is fairly tight but it has to be with the National League beginning on Saturday, January 24th with Donegal travelling to Croke Park to take on Dublin and they will host Kerry in Ballyshannon the following weekend, Sunday, February 1st.

I was looking at the team that Donegal had picked to play Derry on Sunday last and I was surprised at how strong a lineout with just a handful of new players being blooded. Young Paul O’Hare from Naomh Columba was named at corner-back while Eoin McGeehin of St Eunan’s was named at corner-forward. There would be a good blood line there with Peadar McGeehin being his grandfather.

To be honest I wasn’t expecting to see such a strong Donegal line-out for that opening game. I know there are a number of players who are in rehab from surgeries carried out before Christmas but it seems that the other experienced players want to get out on the field.

There will be a deficit in scoring power with the absence of Michael Murphy, Oisin Gallen and Ciaran Thompson as well as Patrick McBrearty, Niall O’Donnell and Aaron Doherty no longer involved in the panel.

Maybe that’s the reason for the strong selection as the team picked to play Derry will not differ greatly from that which will take the field against Dublin in the opening National League game.

It was good to see big Jason McGee named at midfield and hopefully he can get a run of games without picking up injuries. He is a powerful man and also a very good footballer and is now in his prime years.

I would expect that Derry will be much too strong for Antrim and will win that game handsomely which will make Donegal’s task a formidable one, especially at the Antrim venue of Cargin.

I’m looking forward to travelling to Cargin and meeting Antrim. If we can top our group it would give us at least one more match, which is important. Otherwise we will have to be looking at arranging challenge games.

Then it is the big pipe opener against Dublin in Croke Park on January 24th. Dublin are in transition with a new manager and have been holding a lot of trials. But no doubt they will be ready. Their club champions Ballyboden St Enda’s, were defeated in the All-Ireland semi-final so they will have everybody available for selection.

We have Kerry then the following weekend, so it is a tight start from a Donegal point of view.

As for my hopes for the year, I feel we have the panel of players and the manager to go the whole distance. I wouldn’t worry that much about Ulster. We have a good opening game at home to Down and then we play Armagh or Tyrone, and I suspect it will be Tyrone.

Knowing Jim he will want to go for the three in-a-row. That is the nature of the beast. But overall I think we have nothing to fear.

As for my hopes here in Donegal at club level, I would like to see Jim releasing footballers to get match practice with the club. I’m expecting Four Masters and to a lesser degree, MacCumhaill’s to go up the pecking order. And Termon will be there. St Eunan’s have to shake themselves while Glenties will always be close. Gaoth Dobhair have to re-set and Dungloe can also be in the shake-up.

Getting managers at club level has become a struggle with a lot of players moving. Here in Bundoran we have small numbers and we will be without Cian McEniff for 2026, which is a big loss. Club management is a huge commitment now, with success expected right away. It’s nearly like Man Utd and Celtic.

I would like to see the U-21 competition played as an U-20 competition, and early in the year to give the county management a chance to see what’s on offer.

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Finally, this week, my sympathies to the families of Stephen McCahill in Ardara and Mick McGinley of Dunfanaghy and Dublin.

The death of Stephen McCahill was a devastating blow to the Ardara area where he was the backbone of the community and a great friend to so many, not just in the GAA.

Mick McGinley made a great contribution to Donegal as a player in the 1950s, early 1960s and later as a very loyal supporter. His sons, Paul and Michael were also great supporters.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha.

Brian McEniff was in conversation with Peter Campbell