Mac's View: Charlie Collins is a legend of Donegal sport

I begin this week by stating I’m delighted to say I was at a special tribute function on Friday night to honour Charlie Collins for his great contribution to sport in Donegal. 

Charlie was an outstanding broadcaster with a great knowledge across all sports from Gaelic football to soccer, athletics and even cricket. 

It was great to see such a big crowd present at the Mount Errigal Hotel at the weekend and it is a measure of the esteem and how highly regarded Charlie is held. 

Hanging up his microphone for a well-deserved retirement, he leaves a rich and lasting legacy and he leaves big shoes to fill. He will be missed in a big way.  

I wish to thank him for his contribution to sport and in particular his contribution to Gaelic football in the county which many have described as legendary. I also want to personally wish Charlie a long and happy retirement.  

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Compliments also to my nephew Terry McEniff for a well-run function and to Master of Ceremonies Sean Perry who did a fantastic job on the night.  

Downings  

A huge congratulations must go to Downings' ladies on winning the Ulster LGFA Junior Football Championship following their win over Warrenpoint last Saturday in Tyrone.  

It is a tremendous achievement for the girls after winning the Donegal championship for the first time this year. A big well done to their managers Barney Curran and Dominic McGroddy and all the Downings club officials and I want to wish them well in the All-Ireland semi-final.  

Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin  

A big congratulations to Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin on their Ulster junior football semi-final win over Collegelands from Armagh on Saturday in Omagh.  

It is another tremendous result for the club who also won their first Donegal Junior Championship this term.   

I have no doubt Michael McMenamin was a proud man on Saturday in Omagh. Michael has been one of the great drivers in the club since its foundation in the early 1980s.  

I wish Daniel McCauley and the team all the best in the Ulster final this Saturday against Craigbane, the Derry Junior champions. At least they don’t have far to travel for the final which is in Celtic Park. 

U-21 Championship 

On the domestic front, the U-21 A Championship is down to the last four with no great surprises last weekend with Gaoth Dobhair, Four Masters, Naomh Conaill, and Glenswilly coming through their quarter-finals.  

Gaoth Dobhair, who are going for three in a row, were five-point winners over Aodh Ruadh in Magheragallon.  

Four Masters were big winners over Sean MacCumhaills and with all the underage success in recent years, they are back as a real force once again. 

Naomh Conaill went to Buncrana and came away with a good result having lost to the same opposition, also at the Scarvey, in the first round. 

Last year’s beaten finalists Glenswilly came out on the right side of the result against their neighbours Termon in Páirc Naomh Columba.  

They now face Gaoth Dobhair in a repeat of last year’s final won by Gaoth Dobhair by a couple of points. 

Four Masters and Naomh Conaill will meet in the other semi-final and they promise to be two cracking games. 

AGM 

It is coming around to that time of the year when clubs turn to putting their affairs and committees in place with club AGMs taking place up and down the county over the next few weeks.  

It is an important time of the year for clubs and I wish them all well in their deliberations and decisions. 

I’m also delighted to see that next month’s County Convention is in Pettigo. It is a great honour bestowed on the Pettigo club and it is good to see them given the opportunity to host the convention. I wish all in the club well with the event.