Gardai and Devon's family are very concerned for her wellbeing
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27 Sept 2025
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27 Sept 2025
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Oisin Gallen in action for Donegal against Dublin on Saturday night. The next 10 weeks will be busy for Donegal Picture: Thomas Gallagher
Looking at the fixture schedule for Donegal over the coming few months, the question arises would Donegal be wise to target reaching the final of the Allianz National League.
Having had their opening round fixture against Kerry postponed until next weekend, the schedule facing Jim McGuinness and his Donegal team over the next 10 weeks is unbelievable.
Donegal won their opening league encounter on Saturday night last, defeating Dublin by four points in MacCumhaill Park, and they are now facing into a punishing schedule of league games.
That schedule means that they will have just one weekend off (March 8/9) to complete their League Division 1 fixtures.
They have games every weekend - February 8th v Kerry away Killarney; February 16 v Armagh at home, MacCumhaill Park; February 23 v Galway away, Pearse Stadium, Salthill; March 2nd v Derry at home, Fr Tierney Park, Ballyshannon.
They have their free weekend on March 8/9, but then face Tyrone on March 16th at home in O’Donnell Park, Letterkenny and Mayo in their final group game away in McHale Park, Castlebar on Sunday, March 23rd.
If they were to reach the Division 1 League final, that is scheduled for weekend of March 30th, while their opening game in the Ulster championship, the preliminary round game against Derry is scheduled for a week later - on April 6th in MacCumhaill Park.
Reaching a league final would mean that Donegal would play nine games in 10 weeks, surely a schedule that is unsustainable for amateur players.
That is why the question has to be asked: Would it be wise for Donegal to target reaching the National League final?
And if the answer to that question is in the affirmative, then surely there is something badly wrong with the competition. Why else would you enter a competition if it wasn’t in your interest to reach the final?
Even allowing for Donegal to not reach the Division 1 National League final will see Jim McGuinness’s side play eight of the next 10 weekends. Given the nature of the new rules and the energy and commitment needed from the players, the scheduling of games will need to be looked at seriously from the point of view of player welfare.
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