Mac's View: Michael Murphy for Donegal return confirmation finally lands

Like I told readers a fortnight ago, Michael Murphy will once again wear the Donegal colours for 2025.

I also see that we will be travelling to Killarney for our opening National Football League game at the end of January, what an even greater prospect that now becomes, especially with new rules being in place. It doesn’t get any easier after that with Dublin and Armagh at home. But with our greatest ever player back in tow, I would have no fear going to Kerry because we will be fit.

I don’t know how much these new rules will influence the games. The three inside, with David Clifford one of them, will be interesting.

But with Michael on board once more, it’s going to be amazing to have him and Oisin Gallen as part of the front three.
Murphy will be a great addition and he has had a good rest now. Imagine the damage that duo could do if given quick kicked ball.

Like many clubs in the county we in Bundoran are looking for a senior team manager after Niall Dunne has stepped down. The club manager position is a tight job at the moment and the commitment required is making it a difficult position to fill.

EUNAN’S WOE
St Eunan’s will have big regrets after losing out to Errigal Ciaran in the Ulster club championship on Saturday night as I thought they were the better team and had the better players.

They could have pushed on in the third quarter and had a number of wides. Then they conceded three late turnovers which proved very costly. They allowed the Errigal Ciaran midfielder McDonnell in on the blind side, being overly concerned with the two Canavans, and he hit the last three points. They had the match stolen from them with the turnovers. You can’t take the ball into traffic nowadays, you will lose it or the referee will blow you for overcarrying.

There was so much good to take from the game. Patton’s penalty save and distribution; the defence was sound with the corner-backs holding the Canavans to one point from play. Shane O’Donnell was outstanding and rightly got man of the match.

In the heel of the hunt they let it slip. Errigal Ciaran had that little bit of know-how. St Eunan’s just lacked that wee bit of experience. But they are young enough and will have to go again.

Termon got a great start in the curtain-raiser against Derrylaughan hitting 1-4 but they only managed four points for the remainder of the game. Derrylaughan would be regarded as a senior team in Tyrone.

Termon have had a good year winning the Donegal Intermediate. They will be senior next year and will have to step up.
Congratulations to Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin on their win over Naomh Comhghall of Antrim. They play Collegeland of
Armagh in the semi-final and I remember back in the day Collegeland had 10-12 cousins playing for them. I haven’t heard much about them in recent years.

There was a mixed weekend for the Ladies with Termon losing heavily to Lurgan of Cavan and I was expecting them to do better.

Congratulations to Downings Ladies who are through to the Ulster semi-final where they will meet Warrenpoint.
In the Ulster hurling championship Burt put up a great performance against Bredagh of Down, who would be regarded as playing at a higher level. The lay-off from the Donegal campaign didn’t help them. It was good to see Buncrana play at Ulster level too and they will learn from the experience.

At home the U-21 championship is nearing the knock-out stage and there was a good win for Aodh Ruadh last weekend at home to Glenswilly.

Congratulations to our neighbours Erne Gaels, who had a great win in the Fermanagh senior final replay with Declan Bonner and our own Paul Brennan in charge. Commiserations to Grange-Cliffoney who lost out narrowly in the Sligo replay for the second year in-a-row. Like Erne Gaels, they must go again and take heart from what happened in Fermanagh.

ALL-STARS
The highlight of the weekend for me was watching Peadar Mogan and Oisin Gallen collecting their All-Stars and it was great to see the way they carried themselves in the television interviews.

I remember the first time I saw Gallen was on a Saturday morning in Ballybofey and he scored a cracker of a goal with his left against Bundoran. I remember applauding it at the time. It was as good a goal as I had ever seen. I was writing about Peadar Mogan long before Declan Bonner gave him his chance, what a year he has had.

I felt sorry for the other St Naul’s man, Brendan McCole, who must have been very close to selection. Indeed, all of the others could not have been far away. It was great to get two awards.

Best wishes to Melvin Gaels, who are out in the Connacht Intermediate championship this weekend against the Sligo champions.

SYMPATHY
My sympathies to former county secretary and Administrator, Noreen Doherty, on the death of her husband, Aidan, last weekend. It is a big blow to Noreen, who has only recently retired as Administrator and Aidan was such a help to her in her role.

He was a lovely man, originally from Carndonagh but became a great MacCumhaill’s man. PJ McGowan spoke at the end of a lovely Mass in Sessiaghoneill Church on Monday and put it all in context.
May he rest in peace.

Brian McEniff was in conversation with Peter Campbell