Peter MacIntyre is the new kid on the block with Realt na Mara, Bundoran

There will be a new face on the sidelines of Donegal this year as Peter MacIntyre takes over as manager of the Bundoran senior team - his first step into senior management after a long involvement at underage level.

The hearty laugh will be there to greet teams at Gaelic Park, Bundoran and it will return once the final whistle sounds.
But there is also a serious game face that Peter MacIntyre uses and his main aim for the Realt Na Mara club is to keep them in the top flight and he is determined to give everything for the cause.

Now 29 years in Bundoran, the successful business man who runs the Allingham Arms Hotel with his wife Elizabeth, has one main objective, to keep the club in the top flight.

"I signed up for Bundoran and lost about four championship medals with St Eunan's," laughs MacIntyre. "The first year I signed up was in 1997 and they won the championship. I was travelling up and down for three years before that. I had two young children at the time so I signed for Bundoran then and had many happy years with them.
"We were playing Division One at the time then too. We stayed up for four or five years before going down to Division Two for seven or eight years. And then we came back up and we have been up since.
"I don't want to be the manager who goes down again but I will give it my best shot."

His time in Bundoran has been spent in a partnership with the now retired local schoolmaster John Campbell, working at schools and underage, and the partnership has now resumed.

"I came to Bundoran 29 years ago. I would have trained every one of these lads at National School along with Master John Campbell. He is back again to help out with me. I got involved with John 27, 28 years ago and we won quite a bit.
"I managed the U-12 team down the years and four years ago I took the minor team and we won the Division 2 title. And there will be eight or nine of them starting on Saturday."

It is something that is in the MacIntyre genes. "It is in the MacIntyre blood; Eunan played for Donegal and Sean is heavily involved with St Eunan's at underage; Patrick, God rest him, was involved in the football too."

The familiar hearty laugh returns when asked about the first game of the league and a meeting with Termon (the team Bundoran defeated at the end of last year after extra-time to retain their senior championship status).

"Strange that it's Termon in the first game. I know all about going to the Burn Road playing for St Eunan's years ago. You had Christy McCafferty and them boys and you had to be in the full of your health," quips MacIntyre.

"Bundoran is a new look team this year. It's going to be a young side; there are two or three coming in, young Kyle McNulty and Conor Jack McManus is in for his first year. In fairness a couple of others like Darragh Hoey and Barry McGowan have stayed on and that has been a massive help."
As for last year's league, MacIntyre feels that it has to be discounted because of Covid and he has great praise for last year's management.

"There was a very good fella looking after them, Cathal Corey, and I would have great time for him. I got to know him. He gave a huge commitment last year to the club.

"They were lucky enough against Termon (in the championship relegation play-off). It was a very good game of football. It was probably Bundoran's best game last year. It is so hard when you haven't got the numbers. When you are missing six or seven of them boys from last year.

"Paul and Jamie have been two good clubmen," said the new boss, who was delighted to see Jamie Brennan up training with the lads. "That's the aim of all the young lads up here, it's what they have to be aiming for, to get to the boys' level.
"Jamie had an operation last year but before that he gave great service to the club and Paul, since he came seven years ago, has also given great commitment. I managed Paul in the secondary school; me and Paul would have won a county title together so me and Paul go back a bit."

He is pessimistic about having either of them for much of the league: "I don't know if they will be allowed to play if they are not in the 26 or if they would be allowed to get game time. That would be the ideal situation for me because we can't afford to be down two county men in a club like Bundoran."

It is not going to be easy or MacIntyre. Alan Russell and Paul Murphy have emigrated; Michael McEniff is also missing; Oisin Walsh is awaiting surgery; the Carrs are missing the earlier games, James Steward . . . the list is endless. It is a very big turnover.

"Clubs are going to find it hard, small clubs especially in the future, boys going to Australia, going to America in the next couple of years. We have to try and encourage them to stay around. The number one issue is getting them jobs.

"A lot of these young fellas didn't get away in the last few years, so clubs are going to find it very, very hard. I don't know how teams can put out three teams like Glenfin; it's a great credit to them. Ballyshannon too, they put a huge effort into their underage structure, but it took them 10 years to get out of Division Two.

"When you go down there; I remember in the late '80s, early '90s Red Hugh's got to three county finals and two years ago Seosamh McKelvey took them and won Ulster and that was at junior level. So they went down three divisions.
"Na Rossa also didn't get back up; the numbers aren't there and it's the same with Bundoran.

"So the ambition is to stay up," says MacIntyre, who agrees that there are six competing at the top of Division One and six competing at the top. He lists St Eunan's, Naomh Conail, Kilcar, Gaoth Dobhair, St Michael's and Aodh Ruadh in the top six. Ballyshannon are going well under John McNulty.

The local derby in the league (against Aodh Ruadh) doesn't come to near the end and MacIntyre is really looking forward to that. "Hopefully, we will have everybody fit and well for that."

"Every game will be like a championship game to me. We can't be thinking, 'we can throw up this game or that game'. That is not my way of managing; I go out to get points that are not expecting us.

"You are going to try and make Bundoran a fortress to come to and you are trying to have it instilled in the boys that it won't be easy to get points in Bundoran."

When put to him that the players would be welcome to come to the Allingham Arms for the weekend night life, he quickly replies: "Ah no problem at all for that."

He has recruited Barney Curran to train the team. "He's with me and he's doing a brilliant job. I have Barry McGowan with me too, so it the four of us, myself and John Campbell. And I have Nicky Corr doing physio."

The main men, apart from the county duo, who will backbone the team include Cian McEniff, Shane McGowan, Johnny Boyle, Timmy Govorov, Darragh Hoey and Ciaran McCaughey

"Ciaran is putting in a huge effort this year. Everyone trying their best," said MacIntyre, who says he will be inclusive and try to keep everyone on board. "Hopefully, we will get a bit of a run and boys will be happy to keep putting in the effort and develop a bit of fun."

As for his own commitment, Peter broke up a holiday that was planned for months to be at training on Tuesday night.
"I'm hoping to get a bit of enjoyment out of it myself. My wife got the shock of her life when I told her I was taking the job. I've left the hotel behind me to give these boys one year of my life," says MacIntyre.