New Donegal Southwest school team set for MacRory Cup debut in Derry

The new Donegal Southwest school team will come together this Thursday for the first time in a competitive setting when they debut in the MacRory Cup.  

It’s been over a week since the announcement of five schools, Colaiste Na Carraige, St Catherine’s VS, Killybegs, St Columba’s Comprehensive, Glenties, Pobalscoil Na Rosann, and Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair, coming together compete as one team in the top competition in Ulster school football.  

Spearheaded by Shay Murrin (St Columba’s Comprehensive, Glenties), Gary Boyle (Pobalscoil Na Rosann), and Niall Friel (Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair)c, the senior school team will open their Ulster encounter against Holy Trinity College, Cookstown in Banagher in Derry, with throw-in at 12pm.  

The amalgamation has been something talked about in the county for a while in order to compete with other Ulster schools, with no team from Donegal ever winning the coveted MacRory trophy.  

And while the area of logistics and training would seem like the biggest barriers, manager Shay Murrin said the biggest challenge has been around the congested fixture schedule in Donegal at club level, something he believes needs to be looked at going forward.  

“The most challenging aspect was the club minor season being aligned with school football,” the school manager said.   

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“Derry and Tyrone, for example, had their minor fixtures completed in early September. This allows kids to focus on school football once the club season ends. That alignment is something we might look at in Donegal. As far as I am aware it is one of the things Limerick hurling got right early in their development.   

“But the schools, clubs, and parents have been very supportive and they are all trying their best to make it work.”  

Regarding the issues that can surround training, Murrin states there has been no issue, stressing an enjoyable environment where every student is putting in the hard yards for the good of the team.   

“It has been really enjoyable and the players seem to be pushing hard to be part of it,” Murrin said.   

“Each session has been very competitive and they are driving the standards. The players are really open and like sponges for information. They are great to work with to be fair.”  

The Southwest Donegal combination will feature in Group A alongside Holy Trinity, Cookstown; St Patrick’s, Armagh; St Colman’s, Newry; and Our Lady’s, Castleblayney.  

Four teams from each group progress to the first knock-out round before Christmas and that means that just eight will go into 2025 still with a chance of collecting the MacRory on Sunday, February 9 in the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds.    

And while Murrin and his management team know the task at hand for the upcoming season will be challenging, he admits that his main objective is for his side to be competitive and see where it takes them.  

The amalgamated teams have already taken part in a school blitz at Ulster University and several challenge matches, but are fully aware that this is another level up.  

“The initial target is to be as competitive as we can be in our first game with Holy Trinity, then see if we can get a result to get into the knockout stages, which would be great,” he explained.   

“From the Ulster University competition and the few challenge matches, we have had a real eye opener to quality involved at this level.   

“Technically the players are at a very high level and the conditioning of the players is of the highest quality. Tactically it has been a real learning curve also so far.   

“We are enjoying the challenge and looking forward to the first game and I am sure it will be another level up again from what we have experienced.”