All on this: Play-off brings Premier Division race to gripping finale

After weeks of wondering and waiting, the Donegal League Premier Division concludes on Saturday.

A titanic title tussle ends with a winner-takes-all play-off between Bonagee United and Kilmacrennan Celtic at The Diamond Park (kick-off 4.30pm).

Kilmacrennan’s tilt appeared to have fallen just short, but the receipt of an additional two points, following an appeals procedure that saw Keadue Rovers sanctioned for fielding an illegal player, catapulted the Lurgymen back into the race.

Final day drama, with Kilmac’ beating Convoy 4-0 and Bonagee drawing with Kildrum - spurning an initial chance to be crowned as champions - throws it all down to this Saturday.

“It was a tough couple of weeks,” says Kilmacrennan Celtic player-manager Gerard McGranaghan.

“This sort of feels like a cup final. You rarely hear of a play-off for the League. it’s a huge game for us.

Strand, Oldtown meet in Voodoo Venue Cup final

Strand Rovers and Oldown Celtic clash in the Saturday League's showpiece at The Diamond Park

“There was a lot of uncertainty in the last few weeks. Us getting the points made a difference, but we still had a job to do. It was a tricky period, but at the end of he day we just had to keep our heads and get the job done. We had to make sure that we were still there if other results went our way.”

Bonagee were just moments from a coronation on the penultimate day.

They were anxious observes as Kilmac’ hosted Kildrum Tigers. The game was tied at 1-1 when James Doherty cracked home a free kick deep into added time to prolong the race.

The final day brought added drama.

Kilmac’ had their game won, a routine 4-0 victory over Convoy, putting a gauntlet down for Bonagee. Their game with Kildrum had a delay of around eight minutes due to an injury.

Kilmac’ huddled around the Letterkenny Community Centre for what seemed an age. After their own experience a week prior, they probably felt the inevitable. Yet, the Bonagee goal never arrived and Kilmac’ are still standing.

“There was quite a bit of tension that last day,” McGranaghan says. “We knew Bonagee were winning 1-0, but there wasn’t much news filtering through to the boys. All we wanted was to keep our own end of the bargain and win our game.

“It was one of those where we hoped that Kildrum would nick one, but probably expected Bonagee to. “That was definitely a strange afternoon.”

Kilmacrennan will be close to full strength this week. Captain Ryan Shields has returned from injury again while injuries to the likes of Terence Shiels, Paul Bradley and Gary Whoriskey have also abated.  Chris Flanagan, too, shook off an injury that kept him sidelined for a period after Christmas.

Kilmacrennan may also include Enda McCormick on Saturday, the player having recently come back from a spell in London.

“We lost key men in the squad and they were hard to replace,” McGranaghan says. “We go through it, but it wasn’t easy. We brought in some young fellas and we knuckled down well. This week, for the first time in a lot of games, we have a full squad of players there.

“The last few games have felt like cup finals for us. That was how we treated those games: They were all must win.

“This is a good way for the League to finish and there should be a big crowd in Ballyare for it.”

Meetings between the sides offer little in the way of a guide, each having recorded a 2-1 win over the other. Bonagee haven’t lost since a 2-1 loss to Donegal Town on November 14, although Kilmac’s recent form has been impressive too.

Bonagee lifted their lot from the lows of that final day anticlimax when beating Kildrum in Sunday’s Brian McCormick Cup final. Aaron Wasson netted the only goal of the game to give Bonagee’s step a real spring and now they aim to land a League and Cup double with Lee McMonagle back in contention for a spot again.

“We’ve defended well all year,” McClafferty said after Sunday’s Cup final about his side’s platform.

“We’re built on a strong defence. We had the best defensive record in the League. We knew in the second half that we’d be under pressure. It was a matter of managing it and hoping we got the rub of the green. We were unlucky last week, but lucky this week.”