McShea’s Say: Which St Eunan’s will turn up in Enniskillen?

The Letterkenny side are available at 4/9, while the Fermanagh champions are on offer at 9/4.

Erne Gaels have just completed their three-in-a-row of county championships, a very positive achievement, and while they have not enjoyed much luck in the Ulster Club campaign, the feeling in the border town is very positive.

They will in no way be overawed at the prospect of playing this Eunan’s side. St Eunan’s played their best football in the county final, but they were like the curate’s egg for many of their outings on their way to the final – just good in spots.

Belleek also delivered their best display in beating Derrygonnelly, and if both sides are to repeat that form, a very good match will be the outcome.

Captain Ryan Lyons and the Kelm brothers are players who seem to play better the bigger the occasion, and they will again have to lead from the front on Saturday evening.

Eunan’s, with Shaun Patton, Shane O’Donnell, Ciaran Moore, Niall O’Donnell, if available, captain Conor O’Donnell and corner forward Conor O’Donnell Jnr, have a talented squad at their disposal.

Looking at Niall Morgan’s excellence last weekend for Edendork, when his goal-kicking was radar-like, Patton in the nets for Eunan’s will, I believe, be key to his team’s prospects of success.

GAA Facilities

On Monday, I spoke to a friend who was in Parnell Park for the Leinster Club game featuring Cuala and Tullamore. While he enjoyed the game, he could not believe the basic conditions that spectators had to endure.

He was particularly annoyed about the toilet facilities on offer for both men and ladies, and his comment was: "Parnell Park has not improved one per cent in 20 years."

I do believe that the GAA really needs to look at its capital investment programme. The GAA owns lots of property, but building, maintaining and refurbishing multiple 30,000-seater stadiums is no longer necessary.

In future, smaller stadiums with better facilities and built as community hubs would be a much more practical approach.

The one exception is Casement Park. Has the time come to review that ambitious project and settle for a more humble offering?

I believe it has, because the Gaels of Antrim have done so well to keep the show on the road without a home for over ten years now.

Croke Park was a wonderful development which has more than paid its way, but I believe it costs between €5 million and €6 million every year just to keep the premises as they are, not to upgrade them.

Painting and maintenance can be overlooked when planning around facilities.

In Donegal, we are fortunate to have three excellent pitches in MacCumhaill Park, O’Donnell Park and Aodh Ruadh in Ballyshannon.

Other clubs are planning significant developments, but to their credit, their plans are practical and will not create a difficult financial picture going forward.

Speaking of the three county grounds, I hope that both Fr Tierney Park and O’Donnell Park will get games in the National League, which is due to begin in January. Both venues excelled in hosting Kerry and Mayo in last year's league campaign.

Condolences

It was with great regret that I attended the funeral of Fiona Kane Feeney in Ballyshannon yesterday.

Fiona was a most popular young lady, with a warm, kind personality, and her popularity was reflected in the huge numbers who attended her wake and funeral over the last few days.

Her dad, Alan, was in goal when Donegal won their first Ulster title in the early seventies, and she inherited her great love of Gaelic games from a family steeped in everything Gaelic.

To her husband John, her sisters Francis and Grainne, and her brother Pauric, I extend my sympathy on their very sad loss.