Diver: ‘If there is any surprise in the top eight it might be Glenswilly’

Glenswilly are the only real surprise to be in the last eight of the Donegal SFC - according to former Ardara and Donegal defender Damien Diver as he takes a look back at the action over the past four weeks.

Otherwise, he does not see too many shocks as the action resumes the weekend after next with St Eunan’s playing St Michael’s, Kilcar taking on neighbours Killybegs, Aodh Ruadh against Gaoth Dobhair and Glenswilly facing Naomh Conaill.

But any team that contains Michael Murphy can never be quite written off and the Donegal captain’s deadly tactic of taking four marks against Ardara will mean quarter-final opponents Naomh Conaill to think about double or even treble marking the Glenswilly colossus.

And while some might rate Killybegs another surprise, Diver does not agree as he sees them as a rising tide, and he reckons Four Masters - although eliminated this year -  have the potential to be the St Eunan’s of the future.

“If there is any surprise in the top eight it might be Glenswilly who have made a great recovery from a poor start and also after being relegated to Division 2,” Diver said. “They were well down in the League, and they were close to relegation in the championship last year so it just shows you the sheer determination and spirit they have.

“Glenswilly are going well, and Michael Murphy won four marks and hit four points and that is some tactic. Otherwise, there were no wild surprises as the top four are predictable.

“Of the next four, some might say that Killybegs are a bit of a surprise, but I am not surprised at all.  They are young, pacey and powerful and they have a management team who were winners and that is showing up.

“But I can’t see anyone touching St Eunan’s and if they play to their potential, they will be set on Ulster this year. Aodh Ruadh have a new manager and are getting a bounce from new manager John McNulty and they are playing with a bit of flair and seem to be enjoying their football.

Meanwhile Diver salutes Naomh Conaill’s sheer tenacity and longevity. The Glenties based side drew with Glenswilly on the opening weekend and went on to defeat Killybegs, St Michael’s and Gaoth Dobhair to seal their passage.

“They are fantastic the way they keep grinding it out and those veterans are still around and that does not happen in too many clubs anywhere and that really stands to them,” Diver said of Martin Regan’s team.

“Kilcar can never be discounted and they came through with full points although Bundoran tested them and they had a good start too. And Gaoth Dobhair are never far away-they lost to Naomh Conaill but they may be thinking ahead”.

The eternally enigmatic St Michael’s have made the eighth spot after a narrow win over St Naul’s on Sunday, 0-13 to 0-11.
“They are a big physical side and are in a bit of a transition as Christy Toye and Colm McFadden have gone but they have a few good young players coming through,” Diver said. Elsewhere Sean MacCumhaills and Four Masters just missed out, but Diver has high hopes for the young Masters.

“Four Masters have a super underage structure and their young players showed up very well this year which was vital for them,” he said. “They will be hard to stop, and they could be like St Eunan’s in a few year's time”.
MacCumhaill’s have three fine forwards in Oisin Gallen, Joel Bradley Walsh and Kevin McCormack.

“You could nearly have a very good chance of winning championships with one good scoring forward, never mind three. I was expecting a bit more from MacCumhaill’s to be honest”.

But Diver was more than a bit surprised that Glenfin, while avoiding a relegation play-off-did not make the final cut.
“Their power and pace blew me away - going forward and backwards,” he added. “Maybe, a bit like Four Masters, they have some young lads coming into that team, but they will learn from this season”.

Diver reckons that Cloughaneely just about deserved to be in the final 12 on their first season back in the SFC having been crowned intermediate champions in 2021.

“They can be formidable at home, but I think they finished where you would expect them to,” Diver said.
Of the bottom four, Diver was impressed with Bundoran’s fine display against Kilcar where the Seasiders ran the League champions to a point, 2-15 to 3-11.

“They may have no points but any team that runs Kilcar that close you would think should have no worries about staying up if they can reproduce that performance,” Diver said. “St Naul’s also played very well against St Michael’s, and they have their county players which makes them pretty formidable. I was expecting a bit more from Milford to be honest with their forwards and they showed a bit of grit in running Aodh Ruadh so close”.