1. St Eunan’s (2)
St Eunan’s are sitting pretty at the top of rankings this year after getting their hands on the Dr Maguire Cup once again. The league was a bit of a struggle without their five county players but they upped the ante for the championship and came through a tough route. The fact that they lost narrowly to Ulster champions Errigal Ciaran will only have whetted their appetite. No player under 21 featured in the Senior Championship this year for ‘Eunan’s and the likes of David Boyle, Oisin Scanlon, or Luke McGuinness will hope they can muscle their way into the frame going forward.
2. Naomh Conaill (1)
Naomh Conaill won the Division 1 League title this year but that won’t appease them over the winter. Their bid to win three successive senior championship titles came to a halt when they lost by one point against St Eunan’s at the quarter-final stage. That was undoubtedly a disappointment but they will feel they are not far away, and they may have more hunger in 2025. There are some ageing legs in the camp, but Max Campbell and Danny Brown have been showing well for Southwest Donegal in the MacRory Cup and could add some fresh impetus.
3. Gaoth Dobhair (3)
It was another decent campaign for Gaoth Dobhair but they just remain a tad off the top two when it really matters. They were the only side to beat St Eunan’s in the championship, but that was a group game and when the real pressure was on, they fell short by a point. Odhrán McFadden-Ferry will be available next year, while they had five county minors who will be eligible in 2025 and a couple of them could add to the team. The big issue remains getting enough scores in attack, and it will be interesting to see if the new rules help or hinder them in that regard.
4. Dungloe (12)
It was a memorable campaign for the Dungloe senior football team as they reached their first county final in sixty years.
Their league form in Division 2 was underwhelming, but improved drastically in the championship. Granted their path was favourable but they had excellent wins over Glenswilly and St Michael’s, and then pushed St Eunan’s right to the wire in the final. The Rosses men have a good group of dedicated players who are in their prime now. Donegal Under 20 player Luke Clerkin will aim for better luck with injuries next year, and they do need to bolster their squad.
5. St Michael’s (16)
It was a much improved year for St Michael’s, and yet there is still a sense of what might have been.
After surviving in the relegation play-off in 2023, they won their four group games this time around, and then took out Kilcar without Michael Langan in the quarter-finals. However, they missed out on a final spot when they were beaten by Dungloe by one point. There is talent coming through at underage but it will be a few years before that arrives, and St Michael’s will hope the players in their thirties who have served them so well keep battling for the cause.
Colin McFadden on the ball for St Michael’s. Photo Brian McDaid.
6. Glenswilly (7)
It was another season that promised plenty for Glenswilly and ended prematurely in the quarter-finals. Gary McDaid returned to the managerial hotseat and they blooded plenty of young players as they stayed up comfortably in the league. The Glen men won their four championship group matches before being stung by Dungloe in Falcarragh. Their Under 21 team had a good run late in the campaign and they have young players who can push on. Michael Murphy won’t be available during the league but with the potential of more attacking football in 2025, he will still be a vital presence when the business end of the year comes around.
7. Four Masters (11)
Four Masters continue to build up steady momentum and will feel they made real progress at senior level this year. The Donegal Town club won promotion to Division 1 of the league where they should be able to hold their own going forward. They took a good scalp in the championship by defeating Gaoth Dobhair but then lost to the same opposition in the quarter-finals. Kevin Sinclair has stepped aside but more of their talented minors will be coming through, and the likes of Conor McCahill and Turlough Carr will add to their attacking artillery. Masters will be looking to take another step forward in 2025.
8. Kilcar (4)
Kilcar started the season with intent and they put in a big push in their centenary year.
They won the All-Ireland title at Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta, but their league form dipped after that, and injuries began to take their toll. The championship started slowly but things were looking good in the quarter-final against St Michael’s as they raced ahead before collapsing in the second half. There is stiil a lot of quality within their ranks, but Kilcar don’t seem any closer to winning the Dr Maguire that they crave.
9. Sean MacCumhaills (6)
Sean MacCumhaills looked primed to make themselves real contenders after the 2023 season but this year’s championship is not one they will look back with fondness on. The controversial absence of Joel Bradley Walsh unsettled them, while Oisin Gallen was also injured and they eventually fell to Gaoth Dobhair before the last eight. Fionn McGinty was part of the county minors for the last two years and should see game time in 2025, while there are good underage teams coming through but there’s work to do for the Twin Towns men to move back into the upper echelons once again.
Conor McGinty of Sean MacCumhaills.
10. Termon (18)
It was a successful season for Termon. They managed to win promotion from Division 1 via a play-off and then went into the Intermediate Championship as favourites. Caolan McDaid’s side handled the pressure and went on to secure the Cathal McLaughlin Cup. However, they were disappointed with their showing in Ulster, as they struggled against a more physical Derrylaughan side. That said, they have a young team that will get bigger and stronger, and they should be more than able to hold their own in the senior championship next term.
11. Glenfin (15)
Try as they might, Glenfin just aren’t able to make the impression in the Senior Championship that they would like. They did have tough games against Gaoth Dobhair and Kilcar, but had a weakened Dungloe side at home on the first weekend and couldn’t defeat them. They did get a good win over Killybegs but unlike last year when they squeezed into the last 16, they found themselves on the other end of the sword in 2024. They did survive in the relegation play-off, and Frank McGlynn has now taken on the reins as player-manager. Seaghan McCormick is a lively forward who caught the eye with the county minors but some of their elder statesmen are nearing the end.
12. Aodh Ruadh (5)
It was somewhat of a bewildering season for Aodh Ruadh. They lost some important players during the summer, so a drop off would be understandable, but instead there was a real slide with the team relegated to Division 2 of the league. They did defeat Downings in the championship but other than that there was precious little to shout about before beating Cloughaneely in the relegation play-offs. Colm Kelly and Shane McGrath are expected to be available more regularly in 2025 but the Ballyshannon side have a bit of steadying up to do.
13. Downings (9)
It was always going to be a tough task to back up a fantastic 2023 season but the Downings team were happy to retain their Senior Football Championship status. They only won one match but it was a big one against Cloughaneely and could take heart from how they played against Dungloe and St Eunan’s. The Mevagh men had to adapt to life without Lorcan Connor, who went to Australia, and cruciate victim Callum Cullen, but battled well and stayed in Division 1. They couldn’t field a reserve side consistently in 2024 which shows that numbers are not strong, but they do have a decent senior team when everyone is available.
Ronan Gallagher on the ball for Downings against Dungloe.
14. Killybegs (14)
Killybegs started the season impressively but then faded off. Unusually they went for an outside manager, and Pauric Bonner got a great bounce from the team at the start with good results and high numbers at training. Their form did drop off towards the end of the league and they just missed out on promotion to Division 1. The Championship was challenging as Eoghan ‘Ban’ Gallagher missed the bulk of it before they were knocked out in the Preliminary quarter-finals by Four Masters. Evan Broderick has emigrated and the former county panellist will be a considerable loss.
15. Ardara (8)
The 2024 season didn’t live up to the previous one for Ardara when they had a real cut at the championship. They were off the pace in the early stages of the league in Division 2 and finished well down the table. The Championship began slowly with defeats against MacCumhaills and St Michael’s before the team showed real character to claim a win in Ballyshannon. They lost against Four Masters and St Eunan’s after that but did ask questions of those teams.
16. St Naul’s (13)
There was a sense that St Naul’s never really got a true crack at the 2024 season. They had to play the league without their three Donegal players and did well to survive in Division 2. However, Brendan McCole didn’t play in any of their championship matches which severely weakened their hand. They had other injuries to contend with as well and struggled throughout the autumn. For the third season on the trot, they ended up in the relegation play-off final, and once again were able to save themselves comfortably. A small club like St Naul’s need their main men available, and it’s challenging when that isn’t the case. They closed the year out by winning the Under 21 ‘C’ title and that should provide a bit of vigour heading into next year.
17. Buncrana (21)
While Buncrana ultimately fell short in their bid to reach senior football once again this year, they will take some real positives from how the year went. The men from the Scarvey won promotion to Division 1 although they really should have won the Division 2 title but let the final with Four Masters slip late on. It was a similar story in the Championship as Malin got the better of them in the quarter-final at the death. However, there is an asterisk attached in that Caolan McGonagle, Sean McLaughlin, and Jack O’Loughlin were all absent for the autumn through injury and that would take its toll on any team. Their Under 21s showed well late in the season and Elliot Friel will be a useful addition to the backline in 2025. If they can get their best players on the pitch, they’ll be hard to stop in Intermediate next term.
18. Naomh Columba (19)
For the second year out of three, Naomh Columba are nursing the wounds of a disappointing Intermediate final defeat over the winter months. They were competitive in Division 1 but didn’t get the results they needed to beat the drop. The Championship began poorly with a big loss against Termon but they did get the show back on the road, and the semi-final victory over Malin was a real highlight. However, they were well off the pace in the decider, and that will have left some soul searching to be done. Barry Carr has transferred to a club in Dublin after giving great service for 15 years and they will miss him in the backline while Philip Doherty is still coming back from a cruciate injury. Alex Cunnea is a good talent who should help the team going forward.
Malin’s Conor O’Neill tries to work his way though the Naomh Columba defence. Photo – Brian Mc Daid.
19. Malin (17)
Once again, Malin managed to stay up in Division 1 of the All-County League without any great fuss but things didn’t go their way in the Championship. They used a lot of players during the group phase but only won one of their four group games. The Connolly Park side did pick it up and defeated Buncrana, but missed out on back-to-back final appearances when they finished poorly against Naomh Columba in last four. They definitely made strides forward under Michael Byrne and now it will be up to new boss Paul Gallagher to see if he can lead them to senior championship football. There’s talk of emigration and retirements, but there are also some decent young players who might be ready to take on more responsibility.
20. Naomh Muire (25)
When the Naomh Muire players reflect on the season that has just been, they will surely see it as progress. They felt they had done themselves justice in 2023 but were reasonably consistent throughout the campaign. They finished sixth in Division 2 and enjoyed a great weekend in Cork in June as they won the All-Ireland Junior Gaeltacht title. There was a mixed bag against their Rosses rivals with a win over Dungloe and then a loss against Na Rossa, but the team regained their composure in the Championship, and had a great win over Milford in the quarter-finals. They also asked a lot of questions over Termon for fifty minutes before a needless black card saw them unravel. Danny O’Donnell is staying on for another year and the Lower Rosses men will feel they are firmly in the conversation now to win the Cathal McLaughlin Cup.
21. Milford (23)
It was an improved season for Milford in 2024 and yet it still feels like they didn’t quite scale the heights that they could have. They beat Termon in the league but narrow defeats against Killybegs, Buncrana and Four Masters saw them finish fifth in Division 2. James McGinley’s team came through the group stages of the Intermediate with seven points out of a possible eight, but their form did dip during that period. That said, they will have been highly frustrated with the manner of their defeat against Naomh Muire when they didn’t match their opponents for intensity. Glenswilly man Johnny McGinley has joined the management as a coach and his fresh eyes could help next term.
22. Naomh Pádraig, Uisce Chaoin (29)
It has been a memorable campaign for Naomh Pádraig and it still isn’t over yet. The foundations for their success were set in Division 2 of the league when they gave a really good account of themselves as they stayed up comfortably. The sad and untimely death of Evan Craig was a huge blow to the club but the players have been really determined to honour his memory. They won the Donegal Junior Championship in style, and soon added the Ulster crown and now they are dreaming of All-Ireland glory. The long campaign might have some impact during the 2025 season but if they get things settled again, they definitely will be a team to watch in the Intermediate Championship, and Cillian Doyle will add to their attack.
23. Cloughaneely (10)
It proved to be a miserable year for the Cloughaneely senior team as emigration and injuries really took their toll. They only won four of their league matches in Division Two and were sweating on their survival. There was a decent showing against Glenswilly in the Championship but with county star Jason McGee unable to play, they just never built up any sort of momentum and were relegated to Intermediate football once again. There was some cheer late in the year as their Under 21s won the ‘B’ Championship and those young players look likely to lead the charge going forward. Donnacadh Ó Baoighill is an exciting forward who will add to their attacking artillery in 2025.
Cloughaneely’s Blake McGarvey (left) under pressure from Shaun Coffey.
24. Bundoran (22)
Bundoran are a club who are just struggling to build up any real momentum at the moment. They endured a tough campaign in Division 1, and even though they beat neighbours Aodh Ruadh, they were well off the pace and were relegated. The Championship was better and they defeated Burt and Red Hughs and got a decent draw against Malin. However, with Jamie Brennan absent at a family wedding, they came up short in the quarter-finals. Ryan Barrett got injured on county under 20 duty last year and he should make a welcome return this term, but Timmy Govorov has transferred out and they will miss his leadership and darting runs.
25. Gaeil Fhánada (20)
After making the Intermediate semi-finals in 2023, Gaeil Fhánada will be frustrated with how things played out this year. The league wasn’t spectacular but they got the results they needed to beat the drop. Their Championship draw appeared kind but while they defeated Na Rossa, Gaeil Leitir Ceanainn stunned them in Portsalon and as a result, Fanad failed to make it through to the knock-out stages. Finbar O’Neill has stepped aside after one year at the helm with Aidan McAteer returning to the hotseat. The experienced Seosamh Mac Ceallabhuí has been brought in as a coach, and the team will feel there is scope for considerable improvement.
26. Carndonagh (34)
There was no doubt that Carndonagh underperformed in 2023 and they got things back on track for the most part when Michael O’Donnell took on the reins. Their senior team cruised through to the Division 3 league glory, and their reserves were also motoring nicely which created a real feel-good factor. They didn’t have Conor O’Donnell until the latter stages of the championship but all was going well until they were blown away by Muff in the final. Perhaps they weren’t tested in the manner they would have liked in their passage through but it was still an underwhelming performance. That said, they can take positives heading into 2025 where they will be raging hot favourites in the Junior ‘A’ competition. Sean Carroll is a highly-rated youngster to keep an eye on.
27. St Mary’s Convoy (31)
Convoy began life without their two best attackers in Paddy Dolan and Joe McGill in 2024 but it didn’t take too much from them initially. They were able to put a solid run together in the league and won promotion. They were beaten by Carndonagh in the Division 3 final but things were still looking decent heading into the championship. St Mary’s were short-changed as two teams didn’t field against them and while they did defeat Naomh Bríd and Urris, once again they weren’t able to stop Carndonagh in the Junior semi-final. It will be a challenge to have the firepower to stay up in Division 2 next term but they will be one of the contenders for the Junior crown once again.
Convoy’s Oran Paterson under pressure from Niall Quinn.
28. Red Hughs (24)
Red Hughs had to plan without Jack Gillespie in 2024 as he was based in Coventry and they never managed to replace his scores. Benny McDevitt came in as manager and there was no lack of effort. The team improved late in the league campaign but left themselves too much to do and were relegated from Division 2. They were competitive in the championship and a win over Burt helped them squeeze into the last eight where they lost to eventual winners, Termon. Cathal Doherty and Jonny Carlin have transferred back to the club in recent weeks and they will be a help if they stay at home.
29. Burt (30)
Burt were frustrated that they couldn’t managed to claw their way out of Division 3 of the league and they would have fancied themselves if they had made the play-off but it wasn’t to be. Their Championship form was hard to gauge. They lost to Bundoran and Red Hughs in games they would have wanted to win, and then pushed IFC finalists Naomh Columba and Burt close before losing. Once again they finished in the relegation play-off, and a win over Gaels sealed their survival, but there are only so many times you can flirt with the trap door. Both Burt’s reserves and under 21s reached finals which augers well for the future, but their hurlers will have their eyes on winning the county championship as well and it’s challenging to perform on both fronts.
30. Naomh Bríd (33)
Naomh Bríd will take a lot of learning from the 2024 season but ultimately they will be disappointed with their outcome. It could have been different if they had won promotion to Division 2 and they came very close. They had Cloughaneely on the ropes in the promotion play-off but ended up losing on penalties. Their Junior ‘A’ campaign started ok but they were well beaten by both Carn and Muff by the end of the championship. They do have young players and have a county minor forward in Eoghan Gallagher who can play next year which is a real boost at junior level. However, experienced forward Darragh Brogan has transferred to Ballymun.
31. Na Rossa (26)
Na Rossa were another team that went into the 2024 campaign off the back of a super season the previous year, and there was always likely to be somewhat of a hangover. So it proved, as Division 2 was a struggle although they did beat Red Hughs and drew with Fanad before being relegated. They started the Intermediate Championship with a bang with a derby win over Naomh Muire, and while they lost their other three matches, the Madvagh men did survive thanks to a victory over Letterkenny Gaels. As always with Na Rossa, numbers at underage level are light, and stalwart John McDyre has moved to England which will have an impact. Brian McCabe, who coached the team last season, has taken on the managerial reins for 2025.
32. Naomh Ultan (32)
It was a similar year to 2023 for Naomh Ultan this term. It appears that they don’t quite have the strength-in-depth to compete during the league and they finished seventh in Division 3. However, when they get their strongest team out in the Junior ‘A’ Championship, they have shown that they are a formidable side. They were the only side fit to defeat Naomh Pádraig Uisce Chaoin in the Junior Championship, and went on to top their group. However, they then lost to Muff in the semi-finals on a day when their discipline let them down. The Dunkineely side won’t be able to call upon Jack Hegarty but they will feel they have enough quality to be right in the mix for the Junior title in 2025.
Darragh Murrin on the ball for Naomh Ultan.
33. Urris (35)
Urris had a mixed league campaign as they won five of their eleven league matches. They got the better of Moville, Gaeil Leitir Ceanainn, Robert Emmets, Pettigo, and Naomh Ultan but were never really in contention to make a push for promotion. They were competitive in the Junior ‘A’ Championship, beating Lifford and Moville, and put it up to Muff and Naomh Ultan before going down tamely against Convoy in the quarter-finals. A real high for Urris in 2024 was that their Under 16 team won the Division 2 Championship. It will be a few years before those players come through but talent is on its way if they can keep things together until then.
34. Gaeil Leitir Ceanainn (27)
It was not a year that Gaeil Leitir Ceanainn will look back on with any fondness. They were out of the promotion picture in Division 3 from the first few weeks, and only won four of their 11 matches which was a poor return, even allowing for the fact that Ronan Frain was involved with the county squad. Paul Melaugh and Oisin Cannon stepped down in the middle of the championship, but against the odds they claimed a great win against Gaeil Fhánada. However, it wasn’t enough as they dropped down to the Junior ranks once again. The club have been proactive and have appointed a good management team headed up by Aidy Glackin, and they will feel
they can pick things up significantly in 2025.
35. Moville (28)
Moville just came short in their bid to win the Junior ‘A’ Championship in 2023, but they never got near that level this season. The loss of Ciaran Diver to London was a huge blow, and they just couldn’t replace that type of quality. The league was ok and they picked up a good win against Burt which dented their promotion ambitions. There was hope that they could lift things for the Championship. However, it never happened and they only won one game as they failed to make it out of their group. The Carrick Field men will take heart from how Carndonagh bounced back from a similar scenario 12 months previously, but it could be a period of rebuilding for Moville.
36. Robert Emmets (39)
After failing to win any league matches in 2023, Robert Emmets won three games this year against Naomh Ultan, Lifford and Pettigo. It was always going to be tough going in the Junior ‘A’ Championship, and the failure to field against Convoy was a blot on their copybook. They did battle well before losing against Naomh Brid, but Carndonagh were a class above. That said, the Castlefin side did finish the campaign in style with an emphatic victory over Naomh Colmcille. Their young players are currently on an S&C programme with Antoin McFadden and will look to make further gains over the winter months.
37. Naomh Colmcille (37)
There were signs of real promise for Naomh Colmcille early in the year. They picked up seven points in the league, defeating Pettigo, Robert Emmets, and Lifford, while they drew with Urris, and were reasonably competitive against some of the top teams in the division. At the same time, their minors were motoring nicely and won the Inishowen section of the league. Things didn’t run as well in the championship and they failed to win any of their games which was undoubtedly disappointing, but there are some chinks of light breaking through again with a decent group of minor players.
Naomh Padraig, Lifford’s Martin Mongan sees his effort blocked by Conor Browne on Gaeil Leitir Ceanainn.
38. Naomh Pádraig, Lifford (36)
In some ways, it will have been a frustrating year for the Naomh Pádraig, Lifford players. They were good enough in the league to take victories against Urris and Moville, but were beaten in the matches they might have been expecting to win against teams from the lower echelons of the division. Naomh Pádraig then found themselves on the tougher side of the group, and they never really got to the pitch of things before conceding against Moville. All in all, Lifford have shown over the last two years that they can lift it against the stronger teams but are just struggling to find the right consistency.
39. Pettigo (38)
After winning the Senior ‘C’ Championship last year, it was always going to be tough for Pettigo to build on that. They only won one match in the league and that was against Lifford. The border club conceded a championship match against Convoy but their goal was to win one of their games in the group phase and they did that with a narrow triumph against Naomh Colmcille. Ronan Maher has been a county minor for the last two seasons and will be eligible to play in 2025, but he is returning from a cruciate injury and it might take him some time to get back into the swing of things again.
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