Mac's View: Monaghan challenge will be dogged one for Donegal

I will begin this week by paying tribute to Michael Duddy, who passed away at the weekend in Leitirmacward. He is someone who will be badly missed. I had a great personal relationship with him over many years. I would have first come across him when we were trying to raise funds for the County Board.

Michael Duddy was ‘a true friend to those lucky enough to have known him’

Pauric McShea captained Donegal to the 1974 Ulster SFC and this week wrote to express his condolences to the friends and family of the late Michael Duddy, Lettermacaward

Of course, later there was the connection with his sons-in-law, the Bonners. Our Seanie and Declan were the same age and involved at underage level, coming up through the ranks, while Sean Bonner was involved at senior level in my time.

The death of Michael's wife, Gracie, hit him hard and in recent times his health was not good.
He will be big loss to his wide family. My condolences to the whole family. He will also be a big loss to the Leitir area and further afield, as he was a great community man and a great employer.

I met a few of the Donegal panel at the wake this week including Eoghan Bán Gallagher, Ryan McHugh and Hugh McFadden. I noticed how well Eoghan Bán has filled out and it shows in the way he is playing at the moment.

Big Hugh has some more mileage under his belt in his comeback and that should stand to him as we have a tough game coming up on Sunday in MacCumhaill Park, with Monaghan coming to town.

It is one of those really tricky ones. Monaghan, sitting on two points, need to get some more quickly as they are in grave relegation danger. We need two to be completely safe in Division One.

St Eunan's Caolan Ward wins 2021 Séamus Mac Géidigh Memorial Award

The St Eunan's defender played a huge part in the Letterkenny side's Donegal SFC success

I went to school in Monaghan and know their background. They are always a sticky proposition. In our recent games they have hit us for goals and we have to be aware of that no matter what way we prepare for the game.

It would be nice to get two points in the bag and be safe in Division One before the final two games away to Dublin and home to Armagh.

But it would be foolish to underestimate Monaghan. Banty (Seamus McEnaney) will not want to be in charge of a Monaghan team that is relegated and he has a big back up management in place this year.

It's a big game for them and they will be dogged. I was surprised the way they played against Kerry; they coughed up a few goals. The 'keeper Rory Beggan was involved in two of them. He has been playing a lot outfield in recent times and it came unstuck. I always felt that it was only a matter of time for that to happen.

I have no doubt Monaghan will be going with their best team on Sunday. They need something from the game to give themselves a chance. I would expect that Declan Bonner will also be putting his best team out.

Hopefully, we might have some more of our injured players back to get some game time. It will be only six weeks from Sunday to our opening championship game against Armagh. All players would need to be getting some game time ahead of that game.
Sunday is a game I'm really looking forward to and hopefully we will have a big crowd in MacCumhaill Park cheering us on.

Commiserations to our hurlers who suffered their first defeat on Sunday last against Derry, who are probably just that wee big ahead of us at the moment. Still Donegal have done well so far, winning their first three games.

The Donegal ladies conceded two goals against Mayo and couldn't get them back. It is good to see Yvonne Bonner back, which will be a big help when they neet Dublin in the League semi-final on Saturday week.

Donegal and Tyrone square off for the Leo Murphy Cup

Gary Duffy's side take on Tyrone in the final of the U-20 Development League on Saturday

It was a good weekend for our minor and U-20 footballers with big wins respectively over Fermanagh and Mayo. Our minors play Cavan this weekend away and they are wished the best of luck in Breffni Park.

The U-20s will get their toughest test so far when they face Tyrone in the final of the Leo Murphy Cup. They have won the toss for venue and the game is fixed for O'Donnell Park, Letterkenny, which should be worth a few points to Gary Duffy's side.