Mac's View: St Eunan’s missing out on top four place in Donegal a surprise

The final round of games in the Michael Murphy Sports Donegal senior championship threw up a few mild surprises, especially the fact that St Eunan’s failed to make the top four and will have to play an extra-game this weekend.

It was especially surprising seeing that they had overcome Kilcar at home and especially Naomh Conaill away in their opening two games. It might serve them well in the end. They won their final game last weekend in Downings but the game was played on Saturday night due to the funeral of the late Aidan McGlynn and that might have had an effect on their performance.

My sympathies to the McGlynn family on the untimely death of Aidan, a very good clubman at St Eunan’s.

The big winners at the weekend were St Michael’s, who went to Magheragallon and went home with the victory. Gaoth Dobhair are blowing hot and cold and this was a poor result for them after defeating St Eunan’s in O’Donnell Park in the previous round. It probably underlines how the present format of the championship operates. It is very similar to the intercounty All-Ireland series. There is little jeopardy for the bigger teams until we get down to the business end of the competition.

The other big winners from the weekend were Dungloe, who moved themselves into 5th position and they have shown a good deal of improvement, winning three of their group games and only losing the other one to a late, late Michael Langan in Dunfanaghy.

Glenfin had a very big win in Killybegs but it was still not enough to take them out of the relegation zone. It is a major surprise that they are down there with the young talent that they have but I think they will survive.

Glenswilly, as expected, had too much for a depleted MacCumhaill’s, but it was good to see Oisin Gallen back playing and playing well. Ardara put up a big fight against Four Masters and were unlucky to lose out in a low-scoring game. I heard that Conor Classon was again the best player on the field.

Unfortunately, our neighbours Aodh Ruadh took something of a battering down in Glenties and it is disappointing to see them performing so badly. They will need to get their act together quickly or they could be back in the Intermediate ranks.

Kilcar, like Naomh Conaill, were in scoring form against Cloughaneely and the need to improve their score difference saw both Cloughaneely and Aodh Ruadh suffer.

This weekend the preliminary quarter-finals take place on Saturday and Sunday and there will be no hiding place for any of the teams taking part.

Ardara drew the short straw getting St Eunan’s and it will be a huge surprise if they are able to match the Letterkenny men.

The big clash will take place in O’Donnell Park, Letterkenny on Sunday when Gaoth Dobhair and MacCumhaill’s clash. The sides met in the semi-final last year and the greater Gaoth Dobhair experience made the difference. There are no McGees this year and it might depend on whether Gaoth Dobhair can contain Oisin Gallen. The absence of Joel Bradley Walsh and Marty O’Reilly is also a factor. Gaoth Dobhair might just shade it.

Dungloe go to Falcarragh to meet Downings and it will be interesting to see how Maxi Curran sets his side up. They parked the bus against St Eunan’s and got a great result, losing by just six points. Dungloe are one of the form teams at the moment and they might just squeeze through.

The last game is a battle in the south with the young Four Masters team taking on Killybegs. On form Four Masters should be favourites but they will have to be better than they were in Ardara. But on the other hand, Killybegs will have to improve also. I’ll give the nod to Four Masters but not with much confidence.

There are two games in the relegation play-offs as well and Aodh Ruadh might have enough to save themselves against Cloughaneely and I fancy Glenfin to have too much for St Naul’s, who are suffering at the minute through injuries.

INTERMEDIATE CHAMPIONSHIP

The Intermediate Championship is down to the quarter-finals after last weekend’s games and, like the senior championship, there is no back door from now on.

Bundoran take on Naomh Columba in Mountcharles on Sunday and they  will need to improve from their game against Glen down in Glen earlier. They got a good draw up in Malin, which is not an easy thing, so hopefully they will be able to give Naomh Columba a game. There might not be much in it but Naomh Columba are favourites.

Red Hughs are unfortunate to have drawn Termon again, having played last weekend in The Cross. There was only a point in that game but in O’Donnell Park you would expect Termon to be too strong.

There will be a good contest in Carndonagh with the Inishowen sides, Buncrana and Malin, meeting. On all known form Buncrana should be too strong but sometimes they don’t do well in championship. I’ll give them the nod.

The final game sees Naomh Muire take on Milford and again this could be close. Again all form lines would suggest that Milford are a step ahead but Naomh Muire are renowned championship battlers and they might shade it.

There are two relegation semi-finals in the Intermediate Championship as well with Fanad Gaels playing Burt and Na Rossa meeting Letterkenny Gaels. It was a big surprise to see Fanad lose to Letterkenny Gaels last week and they will have to lift themselves for the Burt challenge. The other game is a toss of a coin with Na Rossa getting the nod.

Good luck to our neighbours Naomh Brid, who travel to Muff to take on Naomh Padraig in the Junior quarter-final while St Mary’s, Convoy would seem to be too strong for Urris in the other semi.

Brian McEniff was in conversation with Peter Campbell