Dr. Maguire final places to be decided this weekend
Four Masters, Killybegs, Glenswilly and Naomh Conaill take centre stage in Donegal this weekend as the race to succeed St. Eunan's as senior champions reaches the last four.
All four are in action, with Four Masters and Killybegs first in to the ring on Saturday evening when they go head to head in Ballybofey and then on Sunday evening in O'Donnell Park, last year's beaten finalists Naomh Conaill go toe to toe with Glenswilly.
While Four Masters knocked out the four in-a-row chasing champions St. Eunan's, the favourites tag has swung the way of Naomh Conaill and Glenswilly, and the winner of this tie will carry the fancied tag into the final.
In the meantime however, Masters will go into Saturday night's encounter as firm favourities and are fancied to advance to the club's first final in seven years.
"While it was great to beat Eunan's, it is of little use now if we don't progress and win the championship outright. There are no medals handed out in July," Four Masters boss Joe Lacey insisted this week.
Killybegs have been having a good season and have already beaten championship hopefuls Ardara and Dungloe. But despite their underdog tag and the fact that they are short three first choice players, Anthony O'Hara, Jason Noctor and Ciaran Tully, the Fisherman are not
heading to Ballybofey without a degree of hope.
"It is nice to be going into the game as underdogs with all the pressure on the opposition and while many see us in bonus territory we are certainly not going to Ballybofey to roll over," insisted Killybegs manager Peter McGinley.
With the winners of the Naomh Conaill versus Glenswilly installed as favourites for outright championship success all eyes and ears will be on O'Donnell Park on Sunday evening for what promises to be a nail biting encounter.
Naomh Conaill are having an indifferent year and are struggling to regain the form that saw them coast to last year's decider before being well beaten by St. Eunan's. And while he admits that his side have failed to sparkle Naomh Conaill boss, Cathal Corey, expects his charges to step it up against neighbours Glenswilly, in what he believes is his team's stiffest test in two seasons.
"A lot of the lads are still hurting from last year and the final defeat to St. Eunan's and they are very anxious to get back to the final again and make up for last year's poor performance," Corey told the Democrat.
If Naomh Conaill are to make it back-to-back final appearances they are going to have to overcome one of the form teams in the county, Glenswilly, who moved to second place in the league behind Four Masters last weekend and are a side hungry for success.
"We have a bunch of players that are very ambitious and want to win things," said John McGinley, the Glenswilly manager.
Both games are preceded by senior reserve championship semi-finals with Four Masters and Ardara the curtain-raiser on Saturday evening and St. Michael's and Gaoth Dobhair getting the show on the road on Sunday evening.
Good news for Centre of Excellence
The Donegal GAA Co. Board received good news on the archaelogical find at the Centre of Excellence at Convoy this week with word that work can continue on the development.
"We have been told by the Department that we can cover over the archaelogical finds and they will not require any further excavation," Co. Development Officer, Michael McMenamin, told the Democrat.
There was concern that the finds - ancient cooking sites - would hinder the development and also that any archaeological excavation would be very costly.
The Development Officer also confirmed that work is progressing very well at the moment and the target of seeding out the pitches in October is still on target.
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Weather for Donegal
Tuesday 07 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 5 C to 9 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Heavy rain
Temperature: 5 C to 7 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: South
