Letterkenny Gaels the benchmark for Junior A battle

There are two groups in the Junior A, with 11 teams making up the numbers.

Group A consists of six teams, while there are five teams in Group B, with one team receiving a bye every week in Group B.

The top team in each group after the round-robin will go straight into the semi-finals of the competition, while second will host third in the opposite group to gain the final two spots in the semis.

A new Shield competition is due to be introduced this year for the teams that fail to reach the knockouts, provided those teams do not concede walkovers.

One man who knows all about winning the Junior Championship is Dougie Corbett, who has been involved with a host of clubs in the Junior ‘A’, and was part of the Naomh Pádraig Uisce Chaoin management team that won the Donegal and Ulster Junior titles in 2024, while he also guided Letterkenny Gaels to the Donegal title in 2022.

Both of those sides won their first Junior title under Corbett, and he feels that his former Letterkenny Gaels side are the favourites to take the Dr McCloskey Cup.

“Looking at it this year, the Gaels are probably looking like a team that is a wee bit ahead of the rest.

“For the Gaels team that won it four years ago, the vast majority of that team are still available.

“Adding to that, you have the two county minors from last year in Cathal Doherty and Callum McGilloway, who are two excellent players, and they have added a lot to that team.

“Sean McDonagh is back from Australia, and Ryan Graham, who was goalkeeper in 2022, didn’t play last year at all, but he’s back in nets, and he’s a serious asset to them.”

Letterkenny Gaels are in Group B along with Naomh Bríd, Urris, St Mary’s, Convoy, and Naomh Pádraig Lifford, with four of those teams finishing in the top five of Division 3 this year, while Lifford finished bottom. This weekend, Convoy host Letterkenny Gaels, while Lifford travel to Crampsey Park to take on Urris, with Naomh Bríd not in action until round 2.

“The group of five teams looks very top-heavy with Gaels, Naomh Bríd, Convoy, and even Urris are improving as well. The other group is very open, and I would say Naomh Ultan would be slight favourites.

“When I was involved in Naomh Bríd around ten years ago, they made the knockouts regularly. They made the drop and then struggled to get out again. But it’s a big year for them with the 50th anniversary, so there will be a big push on. I know there are good numbers at training and all the rest, but I still think they need a signature win against a good team to boost the club.

“Over the last few years, in the league, they lost a play-off to Cloughaneely on penalties, then the following year they lost to Fanad. Last year in the championship, that extra-time defeat (to Letterkenny Gaels), if one of them went their way, you would be more confident in getting over the line. I still think they’re contenders, but I would rank them below the Gaels.

“It hasn’t happened for Convoy this season in comparison to recent years, they look a bit short.

“In the first round match of Convoy against the Gaels, I'm sure Convoy will have been targeting getting something from that, but I think the Gaels will have too much.

Lifford, I know, are doing a lot of work at underage levels and they’re trying to build from the bottom, but it’s going to take a while.

“There is a Shield competition in the Junior this year, and they might target getting a win in that, but I think Urris will start off with a win and fairly comfortably.”

In Group B, Naomh Ultan host Na Rossa, who were relegated from the Intermediate Championship. Moville make the long journey to face Pettigo, while it’s a much shorter trip for Robert Emmets as they take on Naomh Colmcille.

“I would have Naomh Ultan as favourites for Group A provided they don’t pick up any injuries.

I saw them twice this year, and I was very impressed with them against the Gaels. They were dogged, and Ronan Frain played that day, but the young Gavigan (Finlay) boy marked him, and he was very good. It was tight all the way through until the last seven or eight minutes, and I came away thinking they are well improved. In the play-off against Carndonagh, they were missing a couple of players, and I think their panel depth just might catch them out.

“Daniel Gallagher would get on any team in the Intermediate championship, never mind the Junior. If they got their best 15 out, then they would be very competitive, but their panel is light.

“Na Rossa are a side you don’t know what you’re going to get once it comes to the championship, but they have a real championship pedigree. They’re hard to beat in it, and if they can get their best players back and on the field like Christian Bonner, then they can go well. I feel if this game was in Na Rossa, then they would have more of a chance, but I would go for Naomh Ultan.

“I looked at Pettigo against Moville when the draw was made, and I remember thinking that it would be an interesting game because the winner of that will have good momentum towards getting to the knockouts.

“The Robinson (Paul and Shaun) boys are back playing, and young (Ronan) Maher is some asset if he’s fit, but he’s had no look at all.

“For Moville, I think Declan Diver is out with a cruciate injury, but they have a lot of veterans. It’s a long journey for them, and I may have to sit on the fence and go for a draw, but the winners of that game will feel they can make the knockouts.

“With the final game, I’ve been involved in the Cúl Camps this summer, and you bump into coaches from different clubs. And from chatting to people, Newtown definitely feel like they can win this game, and Emmets definitely feel that they can win this game, and they both have been competitive and have improved, neither was getting hammered in the league compared to the previous two years, so I’d go for a narrow Newtown win. I feel like they can swing a surprise at times.”

And while Corbett tips Letterkenny Gaels to go all the way, he feels they could also replicate his other former team in Muff as contenders to have a big say in the Ulster Championship, provided they lift the Dr McCloskey.

“I would say if Naomh Bríd can avoid the Gaels in the knockouts, then they could meet each other in the final, but I think the Gaels can go on to win it and even further.

“I don’t want to be putting pressure on them, but I feel they could think, without getting ahead of themselves, that if they get a good first round draw in Ulster then they could have a right rattle at it.

“That year they did win it, we went to Crossmaglen and beat a very good Derrynoose team, and it was a very good Stewartstown team that played Fossa in the All-Ireland final. I definitely think Letterkenny Gaels will be the team to beat.”