Championship draws set the mood for cracking ties

THE DRAWS FOR the 2016 Donegal Club Championships have been made.

There was always the likliehood of a group of death in the Donegal SFC and it’s thrown up this year in the form of Group B which includes three heavyweight contenders in the form of St Eunan’s, St Michael’s and Kilcar.

The trio were in semi-finals last year, with St Eunan’s defeating St Michael’s at that stage while Kilcar were beaten by Naomh Conaill, the eventual champions.

The draws were made at Michael Murphy Sports & Leisure, the new sponsors of the Championships.

Picture caption: St Michael’s Colm McFadden in action against Conor Parke and Eamonn Doherty of St Eunan’s in the 2015 semi-final. Picture by Geraldine Diver.

St Eunan’s will host Kilcar at O’Donnell Park on the opening day with Martin McHugh’s tenure as Kilcar boss off to as tough a start as possible, with St Michael’s hosting Killybegs, the other side in Group B.

Naomh Conaill overcame St Eunan’s in the Donegal SFC final in October to win Dr Maguire for a third time and the Glenties side will face Termon in their opening game in a repeat of the 2015 quarter-final.

Conal Sheridan’s Gaoth Dobhair and Four Masters, now under the charge of Kevin ‘Cookie’ Gallagher, complete the teams in Group D.

Dungloe, Bundoran – back into the SFC after winning the IFC last year – Ardara and Glenswilly form Group A with Group C containing Malin, Sean MacCumhaills, Glenfin and Naomh Muire, with the derby game of MacCumhaills and Glenfin in Ballybofey on match day 2 the pick of the bunch there.

DONEGAL SFC GROUP A – Dungloe,  Bundoran, Ardara, Glenswilly.

DONEGAL SFC GROUP B – St Michael’s, Killybegs, St Eunan’s, Kilcar.

DONEGAL SFC GROUP C – Malin, Sean MacCumhaills, Glenfin, Naomh Muire.

DONEGAL SFC GROUP D – Naomh Conaill, Termon, Gaoth Dobhair, Four Masters.

In the Intermediate Championship, last year’s finalists Naomh Colmcille have been paired with Naomh Ultan, Cloughaneely and Aodh Ruadh in a tough assignment to repeat the trick of last year. Naomh Ultan are into the IFC having won the JFC last year, while Cloughaneely drop to the Intermediate championship and Aodh Ruadh were beaten semi-finalists last time around by Bundoran.

Derby sparks will fly in Group A of the Intermediate Championship where Gaeil Fhánada and Milford are included, while Burt and Buncrana, two other neighbours with little love lost, are in Group C.

INTERMEDIATE GROUP A: St Naul’s, Gaeil Fhánada, Milford, Carndonagh.

INTERMEDIATE GROUP B: Naomh Colmcille, Naomh Ultan, Cloughaneely, Aodh Ruadh.

INTERMEDIATE GROUP C: Naomh Bríd, Burt, Buncrana, Naomh Columba.

Red Hughs, the beaten Junior A finalists from 2015, have Finn Valley rivals Lifford and Muff for company in Group C, while Kilcar’s defence of their Under-21 crown will begin with an away game against Buncrana.

JUNIOR A GROUP A: Urris, Na Rossa, Convoy, Letterkenny Gaels

JUNIOR A GROUP B: Pettigo, Robert Emmets, Moville, Downings

JUNIOR A GROUP C: Muff, Red Hughs, Lifford.

SENIOR C GROUP A – Sean MacCumhaills, Ardara, Naomh Conaill

SENIOR C GROUP B: St Eunan’s, Glenfin, Glenswilly

JUNIOR B GROUP A: Red Hughs, Downings, Muff, Urris.

JUNIOR B GROUP B: Letterkenny Gaels, Lifford, Convoy

UNDER-21 A FIRST ROUND: Glenswilly/Dungloe v Ardara; Naomh Conaill v Naomh Muire; St Michael’s v St Eunan’s; Termon v Naomh Columba; Four Masters v Glenfin; Gaoth Dobhair v Malin; Buncrana v Kilcar; Cloughaneely v Aodh Ruadh.

UNDER-21 A PRELIMINARY ROUND: Glenswilly v Dungloe

UNDER-21 B FIRST ROUND: Urris v Convoy; Carndonagh v Killybegs/Milford; Sean MacCumhaills v Bundoran; Moville v Burt; St Naul’s v Na Rossa; Naomh Bríd v Gaeil Fhánada; Red Hughs/Letterkenny Gaels v Downings; Robert Emmets v Naomh Colmcille.

UNDER-21 B PRELIMINARY: Killybegs v Milford; Red Hughs v Letterkenny Gaels.