Mac's View: Club rivalry alive and well after Ulster club final

The interest in club football in Ulster was underlined at the weekend with a huge crowd at the final between Errigal Ciaran of Tyrone and Kilcoo of Down. Congratulations to Errigal Ciaran who just got over the line by a point. 

I felt sorry for the Donegal Town duo of Karl Lacey and Barry Dunnion, who are at the helm with Kilcoo and in some ways they were probably the slightly better team. 

But they lost their centre half-back to a red card and it was a needless use of the elbow. It’s hard to say but it probably cost them the game. Both sides had chances in the final minutes and with the Canavans limited to just one point, fair play to young half-back McCartin, who kicked two points including the winning score. 

The Ulster club championship is such a great competition and I have some great memories. I would have family connections to Carrickmore and they would be neighbours and arch-rivals of Errigal Ciaran, but I do have an aunt living in the Errigal Ciaran parish. 

I watched the Munster final also on Sunday and the difference in the attendance was stark. Dr Crokes were just too slick for a raw Tipperary side, Loughmore Castleiney. 

There was a huge crowd in the Athletic Grounds on Sunday and it brought back memories of St Joseph’s winning the Ulster in 1967, although the final against Crossmaglen wasn’t played until the spring of 1968 because of the Foot and Mouth.  

We went on a great run after that defeating a team from Cork in the All-Ireland semi-final and Dunmore McHales over two legs in Bundoran and Tuam to win the All-Ireland final on aggregate score. 

I remember our full-back, big Bernard Brady, wasn’t available for either of the final ties because of medical exams and we had to put a young Pauric McShea to fill the position. We also had a 16-year-old Martin Carney involved as well. 

Co Convention 

The Donegal Co Convention was on this week in Pettigo and I was looking at the reports of the Co Treasurer at the weekend.  

With over €3m needed now to run the affairs of the county, it is a huge difference from back in the day. What I thought amazing was that there was a surplus at the end of the report 

Running a county now is a huge operation and we will have to take a look at that. The need for a good finance committee is even more important and we need to have people involved that have the expertise in that area. There is no guarantee that we won’t have a slight recession, so we have to be prudent as well. 

And then you have the fact that the Revenue Commissioners are looking into the affairs of the GAA in every county at the moment and they are looking at everything, referees, travelling expenses, etc. 

I know that Croke Park had a meeting with all counties this week in light of a few counties coming under scrutiny from Revenue. But it is good to see that Croke Park are dealing with it on a national level as every county is in the same boat, and this is something that would be new to them. 

And I was reading in the Irish News this week about another issue which surprised me. That was the fact that Tyrone are having great difficulty in getting referees. That was an issue for Donegal in the past but we seem to be okay on that front at the minute. 

But with the new rules being set to come into play in the Spring all referees will have to be much fitter because the ball is going to be moving much faster. 

Those new rules will be on the agenda this week for the Donegal senior team as they are away in Abu Dhabi on a training camp.  

I was amazed that they travelled that length because that could be an eight-hour journey. But I’m sure it will be no holiday with Jim, and the time there will be well spent. I’m not aware of how many players are away but we will be looking forward to seeing the county in action again in the New Year. Hopefully, we will get to see Donegal play a few challenge games before the start of the National League. 

Other Success 

Congratulations to the Four Masters Minors, who qualified for the semi-final of the Ulster Minor Club competition. Also, good luck to Abbey VS in the MacRory Cup while congratulations are in order to Donegal South West in their MacRory Cup win this week. 

Also, good luck to Downings Ladies in their All-Ireland final in Parnell Park on Sunday. 

Belated congratulations to St Catherine’s Band, Killybegs, for their award from the New York City St Patrick’s Day Parade. 

Good luck also to our officers elected at our AGM in Bundoran on Friday night. Our top table of Tommy Hourihane, Geraldine Walsh, and Bernadette Herrity Feely were re-elected and with two females we are reflecting what is happening all over the country. 

Finally, this week my commiserations to the Flood family, Pettigo on the death of John Flood in London and to the Gormley family in Trillick on the sad death of Jody Gormley. Jody was a nice guy and a very good footballer and it is hard on his family to lose him at 53 years of age. May the rest in peace.