DONEGAL’S OPPONENTS FOR the 2016 Bank of Ireland Dr McKenna Cup were confirmed at the draw for the competition in Belfast this evening.
Donegal have been drawn in Section B alongside Fermanagh, Down and St Mary’s College.
The draw has pitted the Donegal manager, Rory Gallagher, against his native county, Fermanagh, whom they could also face in the 2016 Ulster senior football championship quarter-final.
In the Championship, Donegal are set to play the winners of the preliminary round meeting of Fermanagh and Antrim.
The McKenna Cup draw has also given Donegal a game against Down, whom they play in the 2016 National Football League.
The Dr McKenna Cup fixtures, venues and times will be confirmed at a meeting of the Ulster Council’s Competitions Controls Committee next Tuesday, December 8.
Donegal won back-to-back McKenna Cups in 2009 and 2010. Tyrone have won the last four titles.
The 2016 Dr McKenna Cup draw and launch took place at The Fitzwilliam Hotel in Belfast city centre.
“We have had great attendances at the Dr McKenna Cup in recent years,” said Ulster Council President Martin McAvinney.
“I hope that we build on last year. The co-operation last year between the colleges and the counties was very good. We had a wee talk on that and we built up the relationships.”
The competition gets underway on January 3rd.
“We’re proud to continue our support. Last year’s competition proved very popular and we’re hoping that 2016 will be every bit as successful,” said Terry McCrudden, a former Antrim player, representing the competiton’s sponsors, Bank of Ireland.
The group games will take place on Sunday January 3, Sunday January 10 and Wednesday January 13. The semi-finals will take place on Sunday January 17 with the final on Saturday January 23.
The Ulster Council has announced that it will be selling a Limited Edition of competition tickets for the competition.
Those tickets are priced at £20/€25 and will permit you access to Round 1, Round 2 and Round 3 games involving your team, both semi finals and the final.
The Bank of Ireland Dr McKenna Cup will get underway on Sunday, January 3.
This Saturday, the new-look Donegal squad take on Derry in a challenge game to mark the official opening of the pitch at Coláiste Ailigh in Letterkenny.
2016 BANK OF IRELAND DR MCKENNA CUP DRAW
SECTION A: Antrim; Derry; Tyrone; Queen’s University.
SECTION B: Donegal; Fermanagh; Down; St Mary’s College.
SECTION C: Cavan; Armagh; Monaghan; University of Ulster, Jordanstown
SEMI-FINALS: Section B winner v Section A winner; Best runner-up v Section C winner.
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