Mac's View: I’m confident Jim will have team ready for Kerry in Killarney

First of all this week I was very disappointed for Errigal Ciaran in their club final against Cuala of Dublin in Croke Park on Sunday. They just didn’t come out of the blocks in the first half, whether that was a hangover from their big semi-final win over Dr Crokes. They conceded three goals but still made a hell of an effort in the second half and got back within three points.

The loss of captain Darragh Canavan to a head injury was a big blow. They just weren’t at the races in the opening half but the second half made up somewhat for that.

That second half was the only excitement of the day as the hurling final was very disappointing with the Cork team not showing up. But then they were not the Cork champions.

There was some excitement in the Skylon afterwards as Na Fianna are just up the road from us in Mobhi Road. It was a good day for Dublin hurling and also for Cuala, who now have won club hurling and football titles and not many teams have done that. Con O’Callaghan is a special player and the block he executed when Errigal Ciaran were looking for a goal late on was special. It was also good to see over 30,000 at the games in Croke Park.

BUSY WEEKEND

We have a busy weekend ahead and all roads lead to Killarney on Sunday for Donegal’s opening National League game. I’m very confident ahead of the game as I know that Jim (McGuinness) will have his research done on Kerry and on the new rules. He will be well prepared and ahead of the rest in the country.

It is a long journey but traditionally Kerry are not great starters to the league. I know we don’t have a great record in Kerry in Division 1 games but I feel that Jim will be ready.

I think the only time we have won down there was when Tom Conaghan took Donegal to Tralee after we gained promotion to Division 1 for the first time back in the late ‘80s.

With the game live on TG4, there will be great interest in how the players adapt to the new rules. There is also a storm forecast for the weekend, hopefully it will have blown over before Sunday afternoon.

Counting the scores will be difficult for supporters. I’m thinking there might be a need for a new scoreboard design to have three columns for points, two pointers and goals.

I gather Donegal had a challenge game against Cavan last weekend and won comfortably, a scoreline like 2-22 to 1-11. We will probably not know until the day if the Cliffords will be playing but I’m sure we will have a plan for them.

It will be great to get back watching games and then we have the Dubs in Ballybofey the following Saturday night.

Back in Donegal on Saturday we have a special game in Fr Tierney Park, Ballyshannon when two Donegal teams meet in the MacRory Cup for the very first time. And even better, the winners will be in the MacRory final, the first time a team from Donegal will have contested the final since 1961.

Fair play to both the Abbey Vocational School and Donegal Southwest, the amalgamation of schools from that area. It is great for underage football in the county and compliments to all involved. I have to compliment Four Masters especially as they supply nearly all of the Abbey VS team.

And I’m hearing that former county players Barry Dunnion, Barry Monaghan and Michael Doherty are taking over the reins of Four Masters for the coming season. I would have had all three at county level at different times and things are looking good for them at senior level also. I haven’t heard what Karl Lacey is doing for this year but if he is not staying at Kilcoo, I’m sure he will have plenty of offers.

And if we didn’t have enough to shout about in Donegal at the moment, good luck to Naomh Padraig, Muff, who play An Cheathru Rua of Galway in the All-Ireland Junior club final in Croke Park on Saturday. What a journey it has been for the small Inishowen club. It is an unreal story and hopefully they can now take home the title.

It is a big weekend also for the Ladies and Hurlers as they begin their League campaigns also. The Ladies have to travel to Doonbeg in Clare to take on the Banner Ladies and they are wished well. I know they have lost a few experienced players but there is a good underage system in Donegal and they will be competitive.

The hurlers have a tough start as they have to travel to play Meath, who would have been playing consistently at a higher level than Donegal in the past. But it just shows the progress that Donegal hurling has made in recent years that they are mixing it with the Meaths of this world now.

It is an all-action weekend and good luck to all the Donegal teams who are on the road and the two schools teams in the MacRory semi-final.

Brian MCEniff was in conversation with Peter Campbell