'Letterkenny Gaels are the team to beat in the Junior Championship'

While it is a pretty open championship, Letterkenny Gaels have to carry the favourites' tag for the Junior Championship, which opens this weekend, according to Na Rossa team manager, Cormac McHugh.

"There will be a few teams in contention with Letterkenny Gaels having been about for a few years and have been knocking on the door. They have got to a few finals and will be the team to beat," says McHugh.

The Na Rossa man is preparing for what he believes will be a tough championship with a quarter-final spot the first target, which he adds will be the target for all teams.

The championship is divided into two groups with six teams in one and five in the other. Na Rossa are paired with Carndonagh, Pettigo, Moville, Naomh Colmcille and Letterkenny Gaels in what appears to be the toughest of the two groups.
Group B is made up of Robert Emmet's, St Eunan's, Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin, Urris and Naomh Ultan.

"It will be fairly tight and Moville are also fancied. They were playing in Division 2 this year, even though they were relegated."
It has been an eventful few weeks for the Na Rossa club with dramatic events at club training a week before their Division 3 promotion play-off with neighbours, Naomh Muire.

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Na Rossa have Pettigo at home the following week followed by another trip to Inishowen to play Moville while the finish at home to Letterkenny Gaels.

"We have to take it one game at a time and we will be looking to get a result on Sunday. If you can win two games you will almost certainly make the quarter-finals. Overall, it looks as if our group is much tougher and I would expect that the winners will come out of our group," said McHugh, who mentioned that Naomh Ultan are not the force they were in previous years, having lost players like Daniel Gallagher, Alan Lyons and Dara Murrin.

"It is tough on rural clubs to keep players and it isn't getting easier. We are lucky this year to have got Mark Bonner, Cillian Bonner and Oisin Caulfield, but it could be a number of years before we get another bunch."

JUNIOR A CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES
Group A
Saturday
Naomh Colmcille V Letterkenny Gaels 3pm
Pettigo v Moville, 7 pm
Sunday
Carndonagh V Na Rossa, 3.30

Group B
Saturday
Robert Emmets V St Eunan's, 7pm
Naomh Padraig Muff V Urris 7:30pm