'MacRory Cup puts our Donegal underage players in the shop window' – Damian Diver

When Donegal Southwest faces Abbey Vocational School in an all-Donegal MacRory Cup semi-final this weekend, it will be more than a game, in fact, the county Coaching Officer Damian Diver sees it as footballing progress.   

Donegal school football has rarely enjoyed days like this. This Saturday at Fr Tierney Park, Ballyshannon, Donegal Southwest — a visionary amalgamation of five schools — takes on the Abbey Vocational School, a stand-alone team in Donegal Town.   

For the first time in over six decades, a school in the county will be guaranteed a place in the final of one of Ulster’s most prestigious competitions with St Eunan’s College being the last Donegal side to reach the final back in 1961.  

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Since then, there have been numerous Markey Cup and McLarnon Cup wins, including three All-Ireland B titles won by Donegal sides in 1979, 1980, and 2024, but the chance for one of these sides to show their talent in the top school competition in Ulster just shows how far the development of underage football in the county has come.  

The MacRory Cup has long been a proving ground for stars of the game, and the rise of these two Donegal sides signals a sea change in the county's footballing fortunes.   

For Diver, who was one of the brainchildren behind pushing the idea of an amalgamated school team in the county, this semi-final is a landmark in a journey that began with a simple idea: what if Donegal’s schools came together to compete with Ulster’s traditional heavyweights?  

“A number of us had a vision of putting this team together over the last number of years,” Diver told Donegal Live.   

“Of course, it’s easy to talk about it, but really, you need people like the principals in the school to actually give the go-ahead on it. If the schools aren’t going to come together and believe in this idea of an amalgamated team and drive it on, it might never happen.”.  

Donegal Southwest draws its talent from five schools: Coláiste na Carraige, St Catherine’s Vocational School in Killybegs, St Columba’s Comprehensive in Glenties, Pobalscoil na Rosann, and Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair.   

The idea of pooling resources in this way isn’t entirely new, but it’s rare. Diver points to a previous example in Inishowen as an inspiration.  

“The idea of an amalgamation amongst schools happened once up in Inishowen several years back when the schools up there got together. We noticed that it improved their club football and produced a number of underage county players in the process.”  

However, the idea for Donegal Southwest is not new. In fact, the seeds for the team were sown before the pandemic when current managers Shay Murrin and Gary Boyle presented a compelling case for the team.   

“They sent a presentation to me regarding the different schools that would be involved, the number of students in each school that play the game, and really try to get a number from each school so that the team can compete with the big schools throughout Ulster,” Diver recalls.  

“Now we’re still nowhere near the number that makes up the panels of the bigger schools in the competition, but that’s natural because we’re not pulling from the same number of clubs as they are, but at least we’re competing which is the most important thing.  

“In a big county like Donegal, logistically, it’s not easy to bring five schools together and get them all thinking the same way. It’s very time-consuming, it can be expensive, and you also have boys in their schools playing other sports too.   

“Trying to communicate to different sports teams in five different schools is not easy, but thankfully we have everyone working together.”  

Standing in their way is the Abbey Vocational School, whose journey is no less remarkable. Competing as a single school in a competition dominated by schools from several club teams, the Abbey’s success speaks volumes about the dedication and talent within its ranks.   

Their hard-fought 1-7 to 1-5 victory over St Colman’s of Newry in the quarter-finals showcased a team that combines grit with guile.  

“Great credit has to go to the Abbey,” Diver said. “The fact they are a stand-alone school competing at this level is huge, and it just goes to show the work that has been going on in that area at underage level. They’re getting the reward now for it.”  

For Diver and Donegal GAA, the idea of the Donegal Southwest school team is all centred on the idea of development and giving players at that level an opportunity to showcase their talents on a bigger stage, hoping for greater reward.   

Diver sees competitions like the MacRory Cup as a vital shop window for young players.  

“For me, the main idea was to put young players in Donegal in the shop window for scholarships and to better their footballing experience,” he says.  

“I notice that even the ordinary GAA person loves to watch MacRory Cup football because it’s such a high standard. You will have people coming to see these games and watching young Donegal players show their talent at a high level.   

“That can only help them develop as a player, it can help them at club level, and it can help them gain access to a scholarship.”  

And beyond the individual benefits, the broader impact on Donegal football is undeniable.  

“With these schools amalgamated, these boys are playing more regularly with each other, and that helps for when a number of them move up to county minor or U-21 teams,” he said.   

“They’re becoming familiar with how each other plays, and they’re becoming familiar with the high level of coaching and the standard that is needed to be brought to the game at this level.”  

As the clock ticks down to Saturday’s showdown, the sense of anticipation is palpable. The players, coaches, and supporters know they are on the cusp of something special.   

“The fact we have the Donegal Southwest coming up against the Abbey Vocational School in the semi-final shows how much underage football in the county has improved,” Diver reflects. 

"It’s all about development and really, this would have never happened without the commitment and the sacrifice from the schools, the players, and the parents." 

For one team, history will beckon in the form of a MacRory Cup final this weekend.