The final round of the group phase of the Donegal Senior Football Championship takes place this week and the real action is at the bottom end of the table.

Most clubs will want to finish in the top four, but if some of the top teams have to play a preliminary quarter-final against a side that finishes 12th or 11th in the table, they’ll be happy enough.

However, at the lower echelons, nobody wants to finish in the bottom four and go through the relegation play-offs.

That can be nerve-racking football and you never know how things will play out.

The teams towards the bottom end will be hoping to seal their safety and then get a decent draw in the last 12 and a shot at reaching the quarter-finals.

I am surprised that all the matches aren’t on at the same time like in other years.

There are probably different things to take into consideration like referees, streaming and gates but the teams that play on Sunday will be at an advantage.

Starting with the matches on Saturday, Termon face St Eunan’s in a local derby.

Termon could end up in the bottom four, and I’m sure they would have preferred to play pretty much anyone but St Eunan’s.

After winning the Intermediate last year and the Division 1 league title this season, it would be a blow to Termon to end up in the relegation play-offs, even if you’d fancy them to stay up regardless.

Bobby McGettigan is struggling for Termon as well and that’s a blow.

St Eunan’s haven’t been at their best yet but they are bound to see a huge opportunity when they look at how other teams are performing.

I expect them to raise their standards this week and get a win over Termon.

It’s been a topsy-turvy championship for Ardara so far.

They started well and looked like they were really coming on, but then performed so poorly against Sean MacCumhaills.

Glenfin had a reasonable performance against Gaoth Dobhair but they have been off the pace since.

A win will probably not be good enough for Glenfin, so that has to be a real advantage for Ardara, and I think they will come through.

Aodh Ruadh have no points from their first three matches but I don’t think they will fear Killybegs this week.

The Fishermen started well against Termon but I think they’ll be annoyed about that defeat against Kilcar, when you consider that Patrick McBrearty and Eoin McHugh didn’t play.

Big Hughie will be driving them on at training this week and they’ll be pumped for Saturday. I think Killybegs will come away from Ballyshannon with a result.

St Naul’s are struggling and have had a tough run of fixtures. However, Downings at home is not a bad tie for them if they can lift it.

Downings will probably be disappointed that they didn’t beat Naomh Conaill last week.

They had an extra man and got level with five minutes remaining and had a gale-force breeze supporting them, but were outscored by three points to none up until the final whistle.

That said, Downings battled hard and I think they still have some momentum going with them. I feel they will win in Mountcharles.

There’s no doubt that there are question marks over Naomh Conaill as they prepare to face St Michael’s.

They have scraped by Ardara and Downings and you feel in other years, they would have beaten those sides quite easily.

Ciaran Thompson is a huge loss. He’s had surgery on a partial ACL tear and will face at least eight or nine months out now. It’s a blow for Naomh Conaill and Donegal but Ciaran is made of tough stuff and he’ll come back.

Naomh Conaill are certainly missing him but Kieran Gallagher is going well at midfield, Ethan O’Donnell will get better, and young Shea Malone has added more pace to their attack.

St Michael’s are strong and experienced and they’ll be a team to watch in the knock-out stages, especially if Michael Langan continues his good form.

Naomh Conaill will probably shade it but these sides will be thinking about the knock-out stages.

The general consensus when you’re speaking to people is that the landscape has changed and there isn’t a huge gap between the top teams and the chasing pack now.

Gaoth Dobhair are a team that will feel things can open up for them.

They have a great record over Sean MacCumhaills in recent years.

However, I have a sneaky feeling that MacCumhaills might just take this one in Convoy on Sunday.

They have something that very few teams have and that’s a marquee forward in Oisin Gallen, and they have loads of athleticism and pace.

Kilcar entertain Glenswilly on Sunday but the likelihood is that both teams will be without their best forward.

Patrick McBrearty and Michael Murphy are both likely to miss out and that will have an impact.

It would be massive for Glenswilly’s young players if they could win in Towney.

But I think Kilcar’s experience will get them through in this match.

Rosses Park will host a match between two coming teams in Dungloe and Four Masters.

The Donegal Town side had a good win over Glenfin in their last match but Dungloe have a very settled, physical side and I think they’ll be able to hold Masters’ young stars.

Intermediate

The Intermediate Championship will really take shape this weekend and we will know the quarter-final draw by 4pm on Sunday.

Naomh Columba are going well and have three good wins to their name.

However, I think Naomh Muire will be keen to take them down a notch or two on Sunday and I think they will win at the Banks.

Buncrana are under pressure and they can’t afford to lose to Fanad on Sunday or they won’t make it through to the quarter-finals.

It’s a good game for Fanad and they can throw the kitchen sink at it.

Buncrana don’t always handle the pressure well but they should be able to come through and win this match.

Burt are another team who will be mad keen to get through to the quarter-finals.

It wouldn’t be a huge shock if they beat Muff and get through.

But I think Naomh Pádraig are going to be a team to watch. They have Kevin Lynch back in their side, and they have won a lot of championship matches over the last 13 months. That will stand to them and I think they will win again on Sunday.

Na Rossa and Cloughaneely are both destined for the relegation play-offs and I don’t see it getting any better this week against Red Hughs and Milford respectively.

The match between Bundoran and Malin could be a tight one.

I know Bundoran have lost a couple of important players to injury and they also have Mikey McEniff’s wedding on Friday so there might be a distraction or two.

Malin are proving hard to beat and they might just claim the points in this one.

Score difference might alter it slightly but if those results come up, I think we’ll be looking at a quarter-final draw of Muff v Buncrana, Naomh Columba v Bundoran, Naomh Muire v Malin, and Red Hughs v Milford.