Over three months since it got underway in May, the action in all four groups of the Michael Murphy Sports & Leisure Donegal SFC resumes again this weekend.
There is everything to play for in all the groups as the battle for Dr Maguire returns to centre stage.
Picture: Glenswilly celebrate winning the 2016 Donegal SFC. Picture by Geraldine Diver
There is a good spread of fixtures meaning football fans can attend multiple games at the weekend, with most eyes on the big game at Magheragallon on Sunday evening where Glenswilly, the Championship holders, take on Gaoth Dobhair.
The Donegal Competitions Controls Committee (CCC) have also confirmed the referees for this weekend’s games.
GROUP A
Something has to give in Group A. Winners from the opening weekend, St Michael’s and Bundoran, cross swords in Dunfanaghy this Sunday.
St Michael’s, with goals from Colm McFadden, Martin McElhinney and Andrew Kelly, beat MacCumhaills 3-9 to 0-13 last time out.
Bundoran were easy 3-18 to 1-11 winners over Malin, as Michael McEniff, Cian McEniff and Timmy Govorov bagged the goals while Gary Clancy landed six points.
Saturday, August 19, 2017
Malin V Sean MacCumhaills Connolly Park Andrew Mullin (Killybegs)
Sunday, August 20, 2017
St Michael’s v Bundoran The Bridge Enda McFeely (St Mary’s, Convoy)
| Group A | Team | P | W | L | D | F | A | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Realt na Mara G.F.C | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 14 | 2 |
| 2 | St Michael’s | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 13 | 2 |
| 3 | Sean Mac Cumhaill | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 18 | 0 |
| 4 | Málainn | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 27 | 0 |
GROUP B
It’s really all to play for in this group following the drawn encounter between Burt and Killybegs, while Termon’s win over Naomh Muire means the Rosses men are in must win territory this weekend.
In May, Enda McCormick starred as Termon defeated Naomh Muire 1-12 to 1-10. McCormick, just out of minor level, scored 1-6. Paul Boyle’s goal for Naomh Muire threatened a comeback, but Termon held on.
At Hibernian Park, in a game not played until late May due to Burt’s hurling commitments, Hugh McFadden arrowed over an equalising point, in the eighth minute of added time, to earn Killybegs a 0-14 apiece draw after Burt’s veteran Ciaran Dowds put his men in front for the first time just moments earlier.
Saturday, August 19, 2017, 7.30pm
Killybegs v Termon Eamonn Byrne Memorial Park Connie Doherty (Naomh Conaill)
Naomh Muire v Burt The Banks Mark Dorrian (Gaeil Fhánada)
| Group B | Team | P | W | L | D | F | A | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CLG An Tearmainn | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 13 | 2 |
| 2 | Burt | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 14 | 1 |
| 3 | CLG Na Cealla Beaga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 14 | 1 |
| 4 | Naomh Muire, Íochtar Na Rosann | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 15 | 0 |
GROUP C
Ah, the ‘Group of Death.
Glenswilly, the defending champions, had five points to spare on Ardara, while Kilcar, last year’s beaten finalists, had three-point win over Gaoth Dobhair.
Michael Murphy and Gary McFadden accounted for ten of the Glenswilly points in a 0-15 to 1-7 win over Ardara, who saw CJ Molloy net a stunning goal in Foxhall.
Odhrán Ferry and Patrick McBrearty traded goals in the first half at Towney, but it was Kilcar who came out on top in a cracking second half, Barry Doherty’s side the 1-15 to 1-12 winners.
Sunday, August 20, 2017, 2.30pm
Ardara v Kilcar Pearse Memorial Park Seamus McGonigle (Aodh Ruadh)
Sunday, August 20, 2017, 6.30pm
Gaoth Dobhair v Glenswilly Magheragallon Jimmy White (Killybegs)
| Group C | Team | P | W | L | D | F | A | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glenswilly | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 10 | 2 |
| 2 | CLG Chill Chartha | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 15 | 2 |
| 3 | Gaoth Dobhair | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 18 | 0 |
| 4 | Ardara | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 15 | 0 |
GROUP D
St Eunan’s and Naomh Conaill both recorded away wins on the opening day, Eunan’s hammering Four Masters 1-12 to 0-8 and Naomh Conaill defeating Dungloe 2-11 to 1-12.
It took a late Kieran Gallagher goal – after Logan Quinn rattled the net earlier in the second half – to get Martin Regan’s Naomh Conaill off to a winning start at Rosses Park.
St Eunan’s had no trouble in Tir Chonaill Park, where a goal from John Haran and eight Niall O’Donnell points handed Eunan’s an emphatic triumph.
Sunday, August 20, 2017, 3pm
St Eunan’s v Dungloe O’Donnell Park Shaun McLaughlin (Malin)
Sunday, August 20, 2017, 5.30pm
Naomh Conaill v Four Masters Davy Brennan Memorial Park Andrew Mullin (Killybegs)
| Group D | Team | P | W | L | D | F | A | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Naomh Ádhamhnáin | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 8 | 2 |
| 2 | Naomh Conaill | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 15 | 2 |
| 3 | An Clochán Liath | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 17 | 0 |
| 4 | Four Masters | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 24 | 0 |
