Davin Flynn has linked up with Setanta
Once again, the County Board, plans to lay on quite the treat for hurling fans in Donegal as both championship semi-finals will feature as a double header in O’Donnell Park today.
At 5.30pm, Burt – who came out on top in the qualifying stages – will go up against Sean Mac Cumhaills. Those sides met just last weekend and it was the men from Inishowen who came out resoundingly on top, with a 5-22 to 1-10 victory. No doubt though, the Ballybofey side will be licking their wounds after that heavy defeat and will be looking for payback.
That will then be followed by a replay of last year’s final as title holders, Setanta will once again go up against St Eunan’s. This time though, it’ll be in the Letterkenny men’s backyard.
In anticipation of these two games, former Limerick inter-county goalkeeper and Donegal under-21 manager, Tom Hennessy, spoke to the Donegal News and gave his prediction on the outcomes of both.
Of the first game he said, “Burt are the stand out team going into these semis. You can’t really judge from last weekend’s game as I’m sure if you gave both sides the option then neither would have wanted to play it; knowing that they’d meet again in a more important fixture whether it had been win, lose or draw. Burt have been playing well though and they’re deservedly first seeds coming out of the group. Based on form, then you’d have to say they should win.”
He didn’t completely rule out Mac Cumhaill’s either though, saying, “To be fair to them, if they had everyone available and firing at both cylinders, they could do it. They were county champions two years ago and if they could reach that form again then it’d be hard to see past them.”
“Burt though, have Padraig Doherty, Stephen Gillespie, Ronan and McDermott and Enda McDermott making up the spine of a strong team,” he said, “They’ve been there and done it before. They bring it every year and they make Burt very strong.”
In the second game he described it as, “A battle between the youth of Eunan’s and the classy skillachicos of Setanta.”
“Setanta were the best team in the championship last year,” he said, “They won it and they won Ulster. I was at the game when they played Ardmore (of Waterford) and I think they had the better hurlers. They were just outfoxed by lads used to playing in a more difficult county. Any team that has Danny Cullen, Davin Flynn and Declan Coulter lining out – the best players in the Nicky Rackard winning team – will be hard to beat.”
“St Eunan’s have been building, building, building though and they’re getting better every year,” he added but he still predicted, “Based on form, you’d have to say Setanta. But hurling is a game which can turn very quickly. I know that myself having been five points up in an All-Ireland final and then losing by five. I’d say Burt and Setanta should win but, either way, we’ll know who the county finalists are by 8.15pm on Saturday.”
He concluded, “Whatever happens, it’ll be a great spectacle and great value for spectators to get to see the two games. It promises to be a very good day out.”