Diver says Naomh Conaill against Glenswilly ‘will be hell for leather stuff’

There are no surprises in Damien Diver’s tips for the four semi-final places of the SFC, which will be decided this weekend.

The former Donegal and Ardara defender goes for St Eunan’s, Kilcar, Gaoth Dobhair and Naomh Conaill - maybe after extra time - to make it through.

The clash of Kilcar and Killybegs is a derby and Killybegs have traditionally made it quite difficult for their neighbours in the past - as Diver points out. 

“It will be hard to look past Kilcar, but Killybegs always make it hard for Kilcar to beat them down through the years and they have had the upper hand,” Diver said. “But I just don’t know if Killybegs will have enough to stop that Kilcar team at the moment. Kilcar are vastly experienced, and they have a great forward line. 

“But it could be close enough as Killybegs have some very good young players coming through and they have a fair bit of physique as well. And I think the addition of Manus Boyle and Barry McGowan to Antoine O’Hara’s management team has been a huge bonus as they are proven winners, and it would be a dream come true for a lot of young players to have men of this calibre mentoring forwards and backs”. 

On the other hand, Kilcar are a “great team with some phenomenal players,” according to Diver. “They have what it takes to win championships as they have speed and aggression in the back-line with a will to win and then they have marquee forwards who can score”. 

But, Kilcar have not won a county title since 2017, which could be an additional spur to them this year. 

“If they don’t win one in the next few years, there is a big lull coming after the current crop,” Diver added of the Towney-based club. “This team has been capable of winning much more than what they have so this could be a defining year for them, and I expect them to get through”. 

Meanwhile the clash of Aodh Ruadh and Gaoth Dobhair could be quite a contest. Gaoth Dobhair are eternally enigmatic and have not really progressed since winning the Donegal and Ulster Club SFC titles in a magical year in 2018. 

“Gaoth Dobhair have more grit and experience in winning championships against a well- organised Aodh Ruadh side who will be coming with more than a degree of hope,” Diver said.

“But, pound for pound Gaoth Dobhair have as good a team as there is around and Daire Ó Baoill is back from his travels for them. But they don’t seem to be able to get it together and that gives Aodh Ruadh a chance. 

“Gaoth Dobhair have shown that they are capable of winning an Ulster championship if they get it together. Ballyshannon have a new manager in John McNulty - they are young, fit mad for football, no hang ups and they could be a real challenge for Gaoth Dobhair. That is always a big plus and they are also unbeaten. I think that Ballyshannon are in with a chance but I would be siding with Gaoth Dobhair’. 

The meeting of St Eunan’s and St Michael’s the eternal nearly men is more clear cut in Diver’s mind. 

“I don’t care who St Eunan’s are playing this year, I just would have to go for them,” he said. “They are the big team and are motoring well and are coming into good form at the right time.  They have also tried a lot of young players and have savage strength in depth and there is just now way that I could see them being beaten. 

But Diver insists that St Michael’s, although close in recent years, have an uphill struggle in Glenties on Saturday.

“I always to back to that county final that they played against Glenswilly in 2011 when they lost, and it was a great chance for a first ever title in their first ever final,” he said.

“Colm McFadden, Christy Toye and Martin McElhinney were flying and if they had got over the line that day, they would have won a few county championships. But Toye got injured and Michael Murphy stepped up for Glenswilly and the chance was lost.  

“They are a very big team and Michael Langan could beat you on his own, but I just don’t think he will beat Eunan’s on his own. He is phenomenal but you would need a few more like him to beat St Eunan’s”. 

Finally, Diver thinks the meeting of Naomh Conaill and Glenswilly could be the game of the round.

“That will be a cracker and for excitement and entertainment for the neutral that will be the game of the championship and it will be hell for leather stuff,” he said. “Naomh Conaill will be hurting from the way they lost last year’s county final to St Eunan’s. 

“Eunan’s were very clever in the way they moved Naomh Conaill about and especially their older players and did not come into contact, so Naomh Conaill had no chance of turning them over which is a big part of Naomh Conaill’s game and Eunan’s did not allow that to happen. 

“They stretched the play with players running from side to side and showed their great fitness. But there is no team with as good a championship pedigree as Naomh Conaill over the past few years. They are the most consistent team in the county, and they are battle hardened and last year’s display in their defeat to Eunan’s could be a solid spur. 

“Michael Murphy is making marks and he is so hard to stop. Against Ardara, he caught the ball on his chest above three or four men and he is really driving Glenswilly this year.  Do Naomh Conaill have the big men to counteract this around the full backline? I think it could be Naomh Conaill by a point or two, but it would not surprise me if it went to extra time”.