Time for the Sleeping Giants to wake up and push the championship boundaries

Throughout the dawn of the competition’s history, the All-County League has always been driven by priorities.  

On a national scale, the league competitions were once quoted by Páidí Ó Sé as a way to “blow out the dirty petrol” and “experiment”.  

The idea of proving your worth and highlighting that you are too good for a certain standard, and reap the reward by competing the following year amongst the best, is no doubt the driving force for the lower league teams, regardless of how serious the majority of the public see the competition. 

At the very least, it is a cluster of fixtures that generate momentum and confidence for the season through winning matches, while the inter-county season unfolds in the background. 

In the past (up until 2018), there were a series of ‘Star Games’ that inter-county managers could use, and often did, to prevent their players from partaking in a certain game week for their club. 

Now, unless Donegal is eliminated at an early juncture in the championship, the All-County League is seen as a non-county player competition – essentially in some cases a level playing field for some clubs that contain no county stars. 

But regardless of the format, for the past decade or more, the league has only highlighted two genres that led us into the championship – the teams that think they can win their championship and the teams that very much know their limitations.  

However, since 2020 there appears to be a third genre strongly growing – the teams willing to push the boundaries and beat the teams who think they’ll win the championship.  

In 2021, after winning the Covid-19 Intermediate championship the previous season, Aodh Ruadh were a perfect example of a team that could not only hold their own at the top level, but push the main team to the brink.  

St Naul’s did the same that season, while Sean MacCumahills emerged from the shadows last season to make a semi-final. 

The 2024 league campaign was no different, as three clubs with large populations took part in two out of the three senior finals. 

Division 2 saw Four Masters and Buncrana battle it out for cup glory, with both sides returning to the top flight after struggling to stay afloat with the lower rank teams in the second and third divisions.  

While further north, Carndonagh upset the odds in Hibernian Park with a superb three-point win over St Mary’s Convoy.  

With a combined urban population of almost 12,000 people, it might be possible to say that, in their respective championship competitions, the county has awoken three sleeping giants. 

Four Masters 

The turn into this decade may have seen the Donegal Town club at their lowest ebb in history. A club that, only 17 years ago, boasted seven inter-county senior players, were not only suffering in Division 3 in 2021 but being torn apart.  

Defeats to local neighbours and predominately smaller clubs, Naomh Bríd, Naomh Ultan, and St Naul’s highlighted the need for change in the Four Masters.  

A cascade of outside managers was the first protocol but failed to reap any rewards. The only yearly celebration that the club yielded was usually a championship relegation play-off win. It was about survival rather than the idea of hunting for glory – a change in mindset was needed.  

Four Masters decided to invest in youth. A root and branch operation into the underage structure was a way to look forward and have success in the future.  

Regardless of the coaching, the act of keeping a glossary of young talent in the club saw the trophies produced, with two county minor titles, and back-to-back Ulster club minor finals as a result. This season even saw four U-20 players represent their club at county level. 

Now a club coming out the brighter side of their transitional period, one wonders can they make the step to greater things and challenge. No better test than against Gaoth Dobhair in the first round of the championship. 

Many great clubs have developed strong underage structures in the past and produced many classic players – the hard part is to go that step further at senior level and challenge, which many often fail to do. 

Their 2024 league season has seen them capture a first county trophy since 2010 in fine style – now is not the time to rest on your laurels. 

Buncrana 

Gary Duffy has never made excuses since he took over the role as Buncrana manager back in 2020 – he said his job wasn’t just to keep Buncrana in Intermediate football, but rather have them compete. 

The Inishowen men could often count themselves unlucky over the years with the way results on the big days have fallen for them.  

Last weekend was no different! The Inishowen side were in total control in the first half and led by four at half-time against Four Masters in the Division 2 final in Ballybofey.  

Even though the Donegal Town side showed a little more appetite in the second half, it still looked as if it was Buncrana’s title as they led 0-9 to 0-5 after 45 minutes. 

Buncrana had county star Caolan McGonagle back in their ranks from his duty with Donegal but he only lasted until the 17th minute when he was forced off through injury. He would return when needed with 10 minutes left, but by then, Four Masters were producing one of the great smash ‘n’ grab matches of the league campaign. 

This occurred in the 55th minute when Oisin Reid delivered a high, hopeful ball, that was dropped by John Campbell, which substitute Patrick Reid accepted to fire low to the corner of the net and win the match for his side. 

For Buncrana now, it’s all about recovering.  

Since entering the Intermediate championship in 2019, there’s been some unfortunate yet close championship journeys. Last year’s quarter-final defeat to Fanad Gaels was perhaps seen as the one that got away but the talent in the club still remains. 

Many regard getting out of Division 2 as almost harder than keeping your spot amongst the elite in Division 1. They are now there and they’re not doing it on the back of no success. After all some of these players within the Inishowen club are the same men that captured a Donegal Minor Championship back in 2013. 

A lot of those players will now see themselves in their prime and in a period when it is time to break the glass ceiling.  

They have four Intermediate games before they can progress out of their championship league. No doubt Milford in round 3 – who knows all about competing in Division 1 over the recent past – will perhaps provide the biggest challenge, but with likes of Darrach O’Connor, John Campbell, and McGonagle on board, amongst others, it’s safe to say Buncrana will fear nobody. 

Can they learn from their mistakes of the past? We’ll know soon enough. 

Carndonagh 

Carndonagh's only other Division 3 success was back in 1995 and their last appearance in the final was in 2008 when they lost to Robert Emmets, which means their last season competing in the second tier was in 2009. 

The Inishowen club were beaten Junior A Football Championship finalists two seasons ago when they lost to Letterkenny Gaels.  

They are back chasing the crown this season and along with Saturday’s Division 3 final opponents, St Mary’s, Convoy, is one of the favourites to capture the Dr McCloskey Cup.  

And after inflicting the first defeat of the season on St Mary’s, with a 0-10 to 0-7 point victory, it would not be surprising if the two teams were to lock horns again in the championship before the season is out. 

Approaching the final, St Mary’s Convoy topped the league table with 10 wins from 10 games played, while Carndonagh finished in second place having lost one in 10 outings – their only defeat coming against Burt in round 7 which applied the pressure on the Carndonagh side for the rest of the season.  

The final head-to-head league game between the two teams was not played, instead it was penciled in for seven days earlier and was then shelved as both sides had qualified for the league final. 

Carndonagh, in an era of packed defences, played an attractive brand of attacking football and despite playing into a stiff breeze to begin with, they started on the front foot and took the game to St Mary’s from the first whistle. 

Even without the impressive talent of Conor O’Donnell, the idea of capturing a Division 3 league title, only three seasons after winning the Division 4 league in 2021, perhaps shows that the time is right for Carndonagh to finally have their ducks in-a-row for the championship and win their first county championship title since 2008.