McLaughlin: Naomh Conaill should edge past Killybegs - but only just

It is round two of the Donegal SFC this weekend and already a number of teams are under pressure to pick up wins.

After Gary McFadden’s injury time equalising point to snatch a 2-8 to 1-11 draw for Glenswilly, it means one of the big guns in the form of Naomh Conaill are among those eager to pick up a win.

Martin Regan’s charges are in an especially prickly situation because they are on the opposite side of the draw to champions St Eunan’s and Kilcar, the other two teams in the top three, as well as Gaoth Dobhair, St Michael’s and Aodh Ruadh, who all made the quarter-finals last season.

Naomh Conaill’s plight makes Killybegs’ bid for back to back victories after their 2-13 to 1-13 win over Glenfin last weekend all the more a daunting one.

Not so says former Donegal and St Michael’s player Brian McLaughlin, who still lines out for the Dunfanaghy- based club's reserve team. He believes that Naomh Conaill are still very much in the top three along with St Eunan’s and Kilcar, although feels it will be no walk in the park for the home side at Davy Brennan Memorial Park on Saturday afternoon.

Killybegs and Glenfin, McLaughlin believes, are the dark horses in this year’s championship; the most likely to break into that top four or five in the county.

“We played Killybegs in the league earlier in the summer and I was very impressed with them,” says McLaughlin of St Michael’s 1-13 to 0-12 victory at the Bridge in May.

“I know we beat them but they pushed us all the way and we only pulled away in the last few minutes. I thought they were very well organised and they didn’t have Eoghan Bán Gallagher and Hugh McFadden that day either and they are two very big players for them.

“McFadden scored 2-6 against Glenfin last weekend in the first round - and that was him coming back from injury.
“They have good young players with the likes of Evan Broderick, Seamus Og Byrne, Jack McSharry and Cunninghams, Ryan and Conor. Shane Molloy and Antoine O’Hara also have Manus Boyle and Barry McGowan in the management team.

“I feel this will be a humdinger of a game. Naomh Conaill were without Anthony Thompson, Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí and Dermot Molloy last week against Glenswilly.

“They will need those lads back this weekend and they are going to have to play really well - otherwise they could be in trouble.

“Given Naomh Conaill’s experience and the fact they are at home and they drew last weekend, I have to go for a Naomh Conaill win. But just about.”

Four Masters, Cloughaneely, Sean MacCumhaill’s, St Michael’s and Glenswilly are the other teams that drew last weekend and are chasing wins in round two. Glenfin, Ardara, Cloughaneely, Milford, Bundoran and St Naul’s, who came out on the wrong end of the results in the first round, and they are all hoping to find the winning formula.

First round winners St Eunans, Kilcar, Aodh Ruadh and Gaoth Dobhair will be going all out to build on last weekend’s triumphs.
Of those. McLaughlin feels Gaoth Dobhair will face the sternest test when they go head to head with Glenfin in Pairc Taobhoige on Saturday evening.

Gaoth Dobhair opened their championship campaign with a 2-13 to 0-8 win over Ardara in Magheragallon, where Eamonn Collum scored 2-3. Meanwhile, Glenfin suffered that three-point loss in Fintra.

“I fancy Glenfin against Gaoth Dobhair,” McLaughlin added. “Like Killybegs, I was very impressed with them when we played them in the league (when Glenfin defeated St Michael’s 2-9 to 0-12).

“They were well organised and they have a couple of classy forwards in Shaun Ward and Luke McGlynn and though he wasn’t playing against us Frank McGlynn is a huge player for Glenfin and a great leader.

“They are a very young side and definitely a team to watch. They had a very good league and finished well up the table in fifth place. I know Gaoth Dobhair had a big win last weekend but Ardara are struggling and were relegated from Division 1 so you cannot read too much into that result.

“I also see Eamonn Collum who top scored against Ardara is away to Dubai this week and is gone for the foreseeable future. Gaoth Dobhair also have a lot of injuries. I fancy them to make the latter stages of the championship but they may find a young and emerging Glenfin eager to get points on the board a little too hot to handle this weekend.”

McLaughlin also predicts wins for St Eunan’s, Aodh Ruadh, Kilcar, Glenswilly and MacCumhaills over Bundoran, Ardara, Cloughaneely, St Nauls and Four Masters respectively. He pleads the fifth amendment on giving a prediction on Mildford and St Michael’s at Moyle View Park with his brother Raymond on the St Michael’s management ticket.

However Brian McLaughlin was happy with St Michael’s performance in their draw with Sean MacCumhaill’s in the first round.
“It was a game we should possibly have won but it is also a game we could have lost. MacCumhaill’s are a good side,” he said. “It is our first season in a long time lining out without Colm McFadden and Christy Toye, which is strange.

"But we have a number of good young lads coming through like Colin McFadden, Kyle McGarvey and Carlos O’Reilly coming through. And with Michael Langan, Martin McElhinney, Liam Paul Ferry, Oisin Langan, Stephen Doak and Michael the Rock Gallagher all playing well we feel we are going to be competitive. Ourselves and Milford is a derby game of sorts and they are hard to beat at home. Moyle View Park is a tight pitch.”

GAA Fixtures
Donegal SFC
Saturday
Naomh Conaill V Killybegs 14:30
Glenfin V Gaoth Dobhair 17:30
Ardara V Aodh Ruadh 17:30
Cloughaneely V Kilcar 19:00
Sunday
Bundoran V St Eunan's 14:00
St Naul's V Glenswilly 14:00
Milford V St Michael's 16:00
MacCumhaill’s V Four Masters 18:30