MAC'S VIEW: Biggest game so far in championship in Fintra on Sunday

We have plenty to look forward to this weekend with the business end of the championship in all three grades. The draw for the senior championship quarter-finals has given us four really good games this weekend.

The big game will see Kilcar meet Naomh Conaill with the game in Fintra on Sunday.  There should be a really big crowd there for the game and there is usually a good atmosphere at the ground.

With a full house, it looks like a nip and tuck game. Kilcar seem to have come on strong in the latter stages of the championship and there is plenty of rivalry there between the teams. There are rumours that Ryan McHugh might be carrying an injury and if that is true it would tip the balance in favour of Naomh Conaill. McHugh would be a huge loss in a game like this.

I would have to favour Naomh Conaill because of their experience and the way they have played in the senior championship in recent years. They are so consistent and have great overall strength.  They also seem to know how to win tight games and that might take them through. Kilcar have Patrick McBrearty and he will be hard to handle but will their defence be able to keep Glenties out?

St Eunan’s v Aodh Ruadh

The Ballyshannon men were given  a tough draw, with the game under lights in Convoy on Saturday evening. Over the last number of years, they have not been at their best against Ste Eunan’s. The Letterkenny club are building a strong squad of players and their overall  experience should take them through.

I would like to see Ballyshannon throw off the shackles and have a go. I don’t think their defensive game will stand up against St Eunan’s. It will be a good test for them to see where they are at.

Gaoth Dobhair v Ardara

By all accounts Ardara played really well on Saturday to defeat Cloughaneely. Young (Karl Joseph) Molloy was again to the fore, scoring 1-8. That is the highest individual score by any player so far in the championship and he must be coming under the radar of Jim McGuinness for his contributions in the championship and on a team that were not performing well earlier in the campaign.

Gaoth Dobhair are just scraping through. They again won by a point against Dungloe, the very same result as a few weeks earlier. With Michael Carroll and Neil McGee nursing injuries, this could be close. Gaoth Dobhair get the nod, but Ardara have a chance. Gaoth Dobhair have a super player in Odhrán Mac Niallais and if he performs they will be hard to stop.

Glenswilly v MacCumhaill’s

I was tipping Glenswilly to be involved in the closing stages of the championship all along and I have to stick with them now.

MacCumhaill’s are an improving side, but I would be concerned to see that they shipped three goals against Four Masters last weekend. That would be a worrying sign for them. Glenswilly probably have that bit more experience after running Glenties close last year. If they can repeat that form, then they should make it to the semi-final.

Overall, the championship is working out well. It mightn’t seem right that the top four have been drawn against each other in the quarter-finals, but so be it. You have to win your matches at this stage. At the end of the day the draw will not make that much of a difference.

INTERMEDIATE CHAMPIONSHIP

Last weekend I was at the Bundoran-Malin game naturally enough. We didn’t take heed of the challenge  of Brendan McLaughlin at corner-forward and he hit 1-3 and set up the other goal. The damage was done in the first 12 minutes. Adam McGlone got a goal back but Bundoran were very wasteful, hitting 15 wides. Malin were the better team, they have some big strong men.

Ciaran McCaughey was an awful loss for Bundoran, especially around midfield where Malin dominated. We would have needed his strength there, as we had two smaller men in the middle.

Fanad Gaels pulled off a really big result against Buncrana and that was their second big win, having beaten Termon to qualify for the last eight. They meet Malin now in the semi-final this weekend and while Fanad are performing well, I think Malin might have enough to beat them.

Downings and Termon will meet again in the other semi-final. I have been tipping Termon for this championship from the start and they got it tight enough from Naomh Columba on Saturday, with the Glen men missing a penalty. If that had been scored, it might have been different.

Naomh Conaill are Donegal club football’s Benjamin Button - Maxi Curran

Curran - a 2014 SFC winner with St Eunan’s - admits it’s hard to quantify exactly what makes the cluster so special and it’s even harder to understand just how they’ve been able to stick about for so long

But be that as it may, Termon have a lot of very good young players. They defeated Downings well when they met in the earlier rounds and if they guard against complacency, they should get through to meet  Malin in the final.

Overall, it has been a very good Intermediate championship with very little between the sides taking part.

Just a comment on Saturday, I felt it was tough on Red Hughs to host three games on the one day. It was very tough on the pitch, especially when the rain came on. I have a soft spot for that pitch as I was named as a trustee when it was being developed and have always kept a special interest in developments there. They could do with a stand but fair play to all involved. It is a very central venue.

I heard that Jim McGuinness and Martin and Ryan McHugh were there for the first game to run their eyes over the players. They were gone to O’Donnell Park for the senior games later but it is good to see Jim out and about taking in so many games.

We have the Junior Championship semi-finals this weekend also and I give a slight nod to St Mary’s, Convoy to defeat Na Rossa with Naomh Padraig, Muff tipped to defeat Moville to reach the final.

LATE PEGGY CURRAN

There was a big crowd at the funeral of Peggy Curran last week, wife of former Donegal stalwart, Andy. I was at the funeral with Pauric McShea and met many of Andy’s former county colleagues. My sympathy to the Curran family on their sad bereavement. May she rest in peace.

Brian McEniff was in conversation with Peter Campbell