Main pic: The Naomh Conaill squad after winning the 2023 Donegal Senior Football Championship.

Champions Naomh Conaill and St Eunan’s will again be the plum ties in the group stages of this year’s Michael Murphy Sports Donegal Senior Football Championship.

The draw was made last night in the Abbey Hotel, Donegal town, and also threw up some interesting ties in the Intermediate and Junior Championships.

The 2022 beaten finalists, St Eunans, will play Kilcar at home in the first round and that will be followed by a tricky away tie to Naomh Conaill in Glenties

The current county champions, Naomh Conaill, are away to Cloughaneely in the first round.

The sixteen clubs will play four games each in a league-type format

The top four qualify automatically for the quarter finals and the teams placed 5th to 12th are involved in play-offs. The bottom four will be involved in a relegation playoff.

The senior is as follows:

Round 1

Naomh Náille V  Gleann tSuilí
Sean MacCumhaill V  Ard an Ratha
Naomh Adhamhnáin V  Cill Chartha
Na Ceithre Maistír V  Gaoth Dobhair
Cloich Ceann Fhaola V  Naomh Conaill
Aodh Ruadh V  Na Dunaibh
Naomh Mícheál V  Na Cealla Beaga
Gleann Fhinne V  An Clochán Liath

Round 2

Na Cealla Beaga V  Sean MacCumhaill
Ard an Ratha V  Naomh Mícheál
Cill Chartha V  Naomh Náille
Naomh Conaill V  Naomh Adhamhnáin
Gleann tSuilí V  Cloich Ceann Fhaola
Na Dunaibh V  Na Ceithre Maistír
An Clochán Liath V  Aodh Ruadh
Gaoth Dobhair V  Gleann Fhinne

Last night’s draw was made from Groups A and B – teams can only play each other once in the group stage.

In Round 3, the home teams will be drawn from Group A with the away teams from Group B.

For Round 4; the home teams shall be drawn from Group B with the away teams drawn from Group A.

The draws for Rounds 3 and Round 4 draws will take place in August/September, after Round 2 and Round 3 fixtures, respectively. 

Groups for draws:

Group A
Naomh Náille
Sean MacCumhaill
Na Ceithre Maistír
Aodh Ruadh
Naomh Adhamhnáin
Gleann Fhinne
Cloich Ceann Fhaola
Naomh Mícheál

Group B
Gleann tSuilí
Cill Chartha
Na Cealla Beaga
Naomh Conaill
Gaoth Dobhair
Ard an Ratha
Na Dunaibh
An Clochán Liath

Intermediate Championship

The Intermediate Championship will be drawn into one League of 12 teams. All clubs will play two games at home and two games away in the League stage of the championship.

1 – Bundoran
2 – Burt
3 – Red Hughs
4 – Malin
5 – Termon
6 – Naomh Columba
7- Na Rossa
8 – Naomh Muire
9 – Gaeil Fhánada
10 – Milford
11 – Letterkenny Gaels
12 – Buncrana

Round 1: Bundoran v Burt; Red Hughs v Malin; Termon v Naomh Columba; Na Rossa v Naomh Muire; Gaeil Fhánada v Milford; Letterkenny Gaels v Buncrana
Round 2: Burt v Red Hughs; Naomh Columba v Bundoran; Malin v Termon; Naomh Muire v Gaeil Fhánada;  Buncrana v Na Rossa; Milford v Letterkenny Gaels
Round 3: Bundoran v Red Hughs; Termon v Burt;  Naomh Columbav Malin; Na Rossa v Gaeil Fhánada; Letterkenny Gaels v Naomh Muire; Buncrana v Milford
Round 4: Malin v Bundoran; Red Hughs v Termon; Burt v Naomh Columba; Milford v Na Rossa; Gaeil Fhánada v Letterkenny Gaels;  Naomh Muire v Buncrana.

The four quarter-finals pairings will be first v eighth; second v seventh; third v sixth; fourth v fifth. The winners of each quarter-final will be drawn randomly to decide the semi-final pairings. All knockout fixtures are to be played at neutral venues.

The bottom four clubs will play off over two rounds to decide the club to be relegated.

Junior Championship

Eleven clubs will take part in the Junior A Championship.

Group A

1 – Pettigo
2 – Carndonagh
3 – Naomh Colmcille
4 – St Mary’s Convoy
5 – Robert Emmets
6 – Naomh Bríd

Group B

7 – Naomh Padraig Lifford
8 – Naomh Ultan
9 – Naomh Padraig Uisce Chaoin
10 Urris
11 -Moville
12 – Bye

Group A fixtures
Round 1: Pettigo v Carndonagh; Naomh Colmcille v St Mary’s Convoy; Robert Emmets v Naomh Bríd
Round 2: Carndonagh v Naomh Colmcille; Naomh Bríd v Pettigo; St Mary’s Convoy v Robert Emmets
Round 3: Pettigo v Naomh Colmcille; Robert Emmets v Carndonagh; Naomh Bríd v St Mary’s Convoy
Round 4: St Mary’s Convoy v Pettigo; Naomh Colmcille v Robert Emmets;  Carndonagh v Naomh Bríd

Group B
Round 1: Naomh Padraig Lifford v Naomh Ultan; Naomh Padraig Uisce Chaoin v Urris
Round 2: Naomh Ultan v Naomh Padraig Uisce Chaoin; Urris v Moville
Round 3: Naomh Padraig Lifford v Naomh Padraig Uisce Chaoin; Moville v Naomh Ultan
Round 4: Urris v Naomh Padraig Lifford; Naomh Padraig Uisce Chaoin v Moville.

The Junior Championship will be made up of two groups – Group A will have six clubs and Group B will have five. The first team in each group will progress to the semi-finals. The two quarter finals pairings will be between teams who finish second Group A v third from Group B; and second from Group B against third from Group A.

The winners of each quarter-final and the two group winners will be drawn randomly to decide the semi-final pairings. All knockout games will be decided at neutral venues. The winners will be promoted to the 2025 Intermediate Football Championship

 

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