'St Eunan's are not only class, they are outstanding' - Barney Curran

With just two rounds of games played in the Donegal SFC, Bundoran coach Barney Curran predicts that St Eunan's will contest the final once again in 2022.

On Sunday they had 15 points to spare over Realt na Mara, Bundoran and were full value for the 1-21 to 1-6 win. Curran and manager Peter MacIntyre had to plan for the county champions without a number of their top performers - including Donegal defender Paul Brennan who suffered a broken ankle last week - but afterwards Curran was full of praise for the victors.

"If there was another word to describe them better than class, I would try and use it because they were outstanding,” Curran said. “They have got real quality all over the pitch.

"All they want to do is get involved in the game and play the game, no nonsense. It's a hard result to take, but we were expecting it. Losing Paul Brennan, poor Paul, it's a game of football at the end of the day but the poor man broke his leg in two or three places. He'll be out for a while and we wish him all the best and all of Bundoran wish him all the best.
"Missing Gary Clancy was a huge loss too. We only lost Gary a few days ago. He's a huge loss, he hits our frees and is a strong, big man about the middle."

It was a game that Curran and Bundoran did not expect to get much from but there was a mighty sigh of relief when the draw was made for round three at the Bundoran venue after Sunday's game.

Bundoran were drawn away to Four Masters and it will be a good test for both sides, Bundoran having lost their opening two matches while Four Masters have one point from their draw with Cloughaneely.

Curran agreed that the feeling was one of relief: "100 per cent. It's funny that we got Four Masters because we nearly had a friendly when we were off for five or six weeks on a few occasions. But it kept being called off. Four Masters have a lot of young men coming through. I saw their minor team playing at the weekend against Glenswilly. A real good lot of work has gone on  down in the Four Masters club.

"Listen, we are after two hard defeats. It's going to be hard to get our boys up for it. But, as you said, we have a chance now to meet a team at our level. It should be a good enough game. And of course we avoided the big four, or big five, or whatever you call them.

"It is also another game in the championship. We have three or four boys who never played senior championship before today."

Asked to throw his eye over some of the other games this coming weekend in round three, he said that another local derby between Aodh Ruadh and St Naul's will bring plenty of attention.

"St Naul's have Peadar Mogan back and they have Brendan McCole. They are no bad team and they move the ball very well, but they will come against a very strong defensive system in Ballyshannon and they play it very well. Ballyshannon kicked a lot of wides against us but kept to the game plan, kept to the system and they are hard to beat," said Curran, who expects St Eunan's to overcome Cloughaneely and also to reach the county final again.

"Cloughaneely have some good young footballers but it is a tough one for them," he said. Curran feels that the game between St Michael's and Naomh Conaill will be interesting.

"MacCumhaill's went down there and it was  a drawn game,” he added. “St Michael's missed a free or two near the end to win it. But as we know Glenties are always there or thereabouts and are always a semi-final or final team. They know what to do in the championship."

As for the clash of another pair of neighbours, Glenswilly and Glenfin, Curran says it will be another close fixture.
"I saw Glenfin at the weekend,” Curran said. “They are well drilled and have some good footballers. They need the victory while Glenswilly have points on the board. Killybegs are the surprise packet because I watched them in the league. Hughie McFadden is back in full-forward and he's a handful.

As for the eight teams that will make it through to the quarter-finals, Curran was put on the spot, but quickly named the top four - St Eunan's, Kilcar, Naomh Conaill and Gaoth Dobhair.

"The way Glenswilly are coming in under the radar and they have Michael Murphy and Michael Murphy could win a championship on his own,” Curran said.

"Aodh Ruadh will be hard to beat. John McNulty has them well drilled. They have bought into the system. St Michael's have real quality all over the pitch. MacCumhaill's could be a dark horse, and they have Oisin Gallen back now as well.”