MAC'S VIEW: Sad week in Donegal with death of goalkeeping legend Seamus Hoare

Firstly, this week, I want to sympathise with the family of the late Seamus Hoare, who passed away earlier this week. If memory serves me right, I first saw Seamus play for Donegal in a league game in Bundoran in 1955 against Monaghan. What I remember from the game is Joe Carroll of St Eunan's winning the game for Donegal with a '50' that went all the way to the net.

Seamus Hoare had a great playing career, particularly in Ulster, winning five Railway Cup medals in the '60s. He wasn't tall for a goalkeeper, but back in his day, goalkeepers were shot stoppers. They didn't even have to take the kick-outs. He played his football behind big full-backs, among them Bernard Brady but while not tall, he was a great goalkeeper at saving shots. He acquitted himself really well for club, county and province. Sean Ferriter was telling me that his father was a guard from west Kerry.

Ar dheis De go raibh a anam.

DERRY IMPRESS

In the second Ulster semi-final on Sunday I was very impressed by Derry. I thought Monaghan would have won with their experience but Rory Gallagher had the match-ups right and built up a lead. They took the game to Monaghan and got scores before the centre-half-back hit a fine goal.

Monaghan had some bad wides but they could never pull the lead back.  They did get it back to three but the third goal put their bulb out. But overall, Derry were the  better side and will not be easily beaten.

We know what we have to do and as I said last week we will have to improve and after Sunday I feel we will have to improve well.

Donegal confident on Guthrie fitness ahead of Ulster final

The former skipper missed the semi-final win over Cavan but is expected to return for Sunday's TG4 Ulster Ladies final against Armagh

GOOD LUCK TO LADIES AND MINORS

It's another big weekend for some of our county  teams. Good luck to Maxi and the Donegal Ladies in the Ulster final against Armagh.  They are playing good football and if they can continue to play at the same level as against Cavan, they can win.

The Minors had a good win over Monaghan last weekend and now face Tyrone in the Ulster semi-final. They will have their work cut out and will have to go up another couple of notches. The best of luck to Luke Barrett and the team.

Congratulations to the Tyrone U-20s on winning the All-Ireland final; it is a good marker for Donegal as we were probably the only team that ran them close.

AWARD

I was delighted to receive an award from the Gaelic Writers' at the weekend. It came out of the blue and was presented in the Ivy Hotel on Friday last. It was a nice night with a lot of the national GAA journalists there. It was nice to get it alongside some well-known names including  former Tipperary hurler Len Gaynor; former Waterford ladies footballer Áine Wall;  Kerry public relations officer Leona Twiss; Mayo journalist Sean Rice; Tyrone goalkeeper Niall Morgan and former Wexford camogie legend Margaret O’Leary-Leacy.

Brian McEniff was in conversation with Peter Campbell