Mac's View: Hard to see past Naomh Conaill on Sunday in county final

We have the final game of the senior championship on Sunday with Naomh Conaill meeting St Eunan's in the final in Ballybofey.

It will be an intriguing game. The fact that Glenties could have been caught in Ballyshannon early in the campaign seems to have got them going and they are back playing their own style and are not easy to play against.

They might be helped on Sunday by the game being in MacCumhaill Park, because it is likely to be heavy, and that will suit them better than Letterkenny.

St Eunan's have a lot of talent and they should have a bit of hurt after conceding that late goal in the semi-final last year at the same venue. But overall, it is hard to see past Glenties.

Unless St Eunan's can bring their A game on Sunday, they will be up against it. I saw them twice during the campaign and they were not going well, especially for the amount of quality footballers that they have to work with.

They put in a great first half performance against Kilcar in the opening game. But since that they haven't matched that in any game. They will need to produce two halves similar to that first half against Kilcar to beat Glenties on Sunday. And it is hard to see them doing that.

My grandnephew, Peter, I hear is a doubt for the game and he will be a sizeable loss to them. But I'm looking forward to the game, two teams with contrasting styles. St Eunan's should be smarting from that late goal last year and Rory Kavanagh has a big part to play in getting them ready, but at the end of the day I think Naomh Conaill will win.

RELEGATION
Glenswilly and Glenfin survived in the senior championship at the weekend. Glenswilly defeated Termon with points, despite Termon getting two goals. Termon are going badly, but not going as badly as we are in Bundoran.

We have a serious amount of injuries and some unavailability of players. We are not getting a commitment from some and that is being reflected on the pitch. I just cannot see us being fit for Termon on Saturday next in the last game.
Oisin Walsh is out after damaging ankle ligaments on Sunday against Glenfin and he will be out for the U-21s also. If we had more like him, we would have a chance. He carried an injury into the game on Sunday. We kicked seven wides in the first half and went looking for goals when we could have taken points.

I'm not trying to hype up Termon, but that's where it's at. It looks like we will be back playing intermediate next year and maybe that's where we are. Young Russell is going to Canada and Michael McEniff's injury might be long term. T

hen you cannot expect 40 year-olds like Tommy Hourihane, James Keaney and Niall Dunne to be carrying you. If there had been relegation in Division One we would be in Division Two. We will have to sit down and look at where we are when this campaign is over.

Fair play to Glenswilly, they pulled it off, amassing a good score. I know Michael Murphy is playing with injury and I'm glad that he will get a rest now and a wee bit of rehab. He was carrying injuries pre the Down game in championship and we need to give him time to recover for next year.

INTERMEDIATE FINAL
The intermediate final on Saturday will be a ding-dong battle. A lot could hinge on Jason McGee. Cloughaneely will need a big game from him to deal with Dungloe.

Manus Boyle is putting in a shift with Dungloe, but then his ancestors came from that part of the county. They have a new set of players and I have a fancy for them to take the title.

There is also a big local derby in our neighbouring county, Fermanagh, on Friday week with Erne Gaels and Devenish meeting in their intermediate final.

MATCH TICKETS
I have to comment on what is happening at our grounds over the last few weeks with no cash being taken at the gates. I went to Killybegs on Sunday and I can't pay in. I wanted to pay but no money was being taken, so I was allowed in free.
I felt sorry for the Killybegs club; it's not good for them or for the county, who are losing revenue.

A lot of supporters don't deal with this through the internet. They want to pay their way. They could make it a tenner, which would be easy to collect. There has to be a way around it.

REMEMBERING BARNEY
Finally, this week, we said farewell to one of our own, Barney Fitzgerald, in Letterkenny on Saturday. Fr Brian Quinn celebrated a lovely Mass and the music was provided by his sister Kathleen and her four daughters, the Screaming Orphans.

Barney and his brother, Richard, were talented footballers for Bundoran but music took over. Richard had an intercounty trial.
Barney was a great musician and a very good friend. Ar dheis Dé ar a anam.

Brian McEniff was in conversation with Peter Campbell