All to play for in Intermediate football championship finale

Today is D-Day for Inishowen clubs in the last round of fixtures in the Intermediate Football Championship group stage.

Naomh Pádraig Uisce Chaoin and Buncrana have already secured a coveted spot in the quarter-finals, but Carn, Malin and Burt all have work to do if they're to reach the knockout stages.

Naomh Pádraig will host Buncrana at Maurice McMenamin Memorial Park in Muff at 4pm. Naomh Pádraig sit second in the table after wins away to Bundoran and Carndonagh, and a home draw with Malin. Manager Peter Murphy, who is in his first season since taking over from Dan McCauley, has steered Muff to the last eight with a game to spare, and they will face formidable opposition from neighbours Buncrana.

Buncrana are arguably the form team in the Intermediate Championship, bouncing back from a controversial one-point defeat to Carndonagh in round one – when a two-point score was incorrectly awarded as a one-point score by the referee – to run up cricket scores against Bundoran and Cloughaneely. They've hit 13 goals and 27 points in those two games and conceded just 14 points.

The powerful midfield partnership of county star Caolan McGonagle and Peter McLaughlin, who has returned from a season-long injury, and the aerial ability of Darragh Corry and Kevin Jordan have given them a platform to dominate kick-outs and provide a strong supply of possession to their potent attack.

They've built up such a strong scoring difference that even defeat in Muff won't prevent them reaching the last eight, but Paul McGonigle and his selectors will be keen that they maintain their momentum with another win.

Attention then switches to Connolly Park, where there's a 6.30pm throw-in for the eagerly anticipated clash between last year's beaten Intermediate finalists Malin and the 2025 Junior A champions Carndonagh.

It's the first championship meeting between the sides in God knows how long, and given the intense rivalry between the neighbouring clubs, a bumper crowd is expected at the Malin venue.

Carndonagh come into the game in the better position. Wins over Buncrana and Cloughaneely had them humming nicely, but defeat to Muff last time out leaves them as one of four teams on four points.

County star Conor O'Donnell hasn't featured in the championship for Carn this season to date, while Anthony Doherty and midfielder Kalvin McLaughlin were also absent against Muff. Even if they are defeated, Carn are more likely than not to advance to the quarter-finals, but they'll be keen to lay down a marker against a Malin side who have consistently played at a higher championship level over the past quarter of a century.

After a win over Cloughaneely and a draw with Muff, Malin are on three points. Defeat away to Bundoran last time out raised plenty of eyebrows, particularly as they held a big lead at half-time in that game, and it leaves them needing a win to be certain of advancing to the quarter-finals.

A draw won't necessarily be fatal to their hopes, but it would leave them depending on results elsewhere to fall their way.

Christopher McLaughlin will, once again, shoulder most of the scoring burden for Malin, and how successful Carn are at containing him will go a long way to determining the outcome.

Burt will host Red Hugh's, also at 6.30pm on Saturday evening. It's a winner-takes-all scenario at Hibernian Park, where the winner will advance to the quarter-finals - unless Bundoran cut loose in Falcarragh - and the loser will end up in the relegation play-offs.

Burt are all too familiar with the relegation play-offs, and will be desperate to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 2017, when they were playing in the senior championship.

Goals from Darragh Donaghey, Stephen O'Donnell and Conor Gartland propelled them to a win over the Killygordon side in what was essentially a league relegation play-off back in July. Red Hugh's were without Stephen McMenamin that day, but he's back in the team and was pivotal as they earned a big win over Milford last time out.

Burt's sole victory in the championship to date came against Naomh Muire in round two, but they know that a win on Saturday will see them in the quarter-finals - unless Bundoran do something extraordinary by running up a big score to beat Cloughaneely and pip them on scoring difference.

Elsewhere in the Intermediate championship, Naomh Muire host St Naul's, with the latter hoping to secure top spot – and a quarter-final against the eighth placed team – with clean sweep of four wins from four, but they'll face a tough test at the Banks where the home team who have top scorer Eoin Martin back in harness.

Milford, who are yet to record a win and are consigned to the relegation play-off, will host their neighbours from Fanad who, with two wins, are well-positioned to make the top eight.

Cloughaneely were badly stung in their defeat to Buncrana a fortnight ago and are already in the relegation play-off, but they'll be looking for a sliver of redemption when they host Bundoran in Falcarragh.

Bundoran, though, can still advance to the quarter-finals if they secure a thumping win to sufficiently improve their scoring difference.