BY RYAN FERR
TERMON manager Caolan McDaid hopes his team can learn the lessons from 2025 and start the group phase better this time around.
The Burn Road side were fortunate to squeeze through to the knock-out stages last year after losing three of their four group games.
However, they then sparked into life as they dethroned St Eunan’s and then should have beaten Naomh Conaill before being pegged back at the death.
That displayed the potential in the team and after a solid league campaign they go into the 2026 Club Championship in a decent spot. However, McDaid stresses the importance of getting points on the board early this season.
“We had a lot of momentum last year coming up from Intermediate and Division 2. We won the Donegal Gaeltacht and got to the All-Ireland Final and then we went and won Division 1 which is the kind of thing we wouldn’t be used to with Termon.
“We were trying to keep the momentum going all season but we hit a lull in the group stages.
“We went up against a Killybegs team with a lot of experience of playing in the Senior Championship and we weren’t ready for what they brought.
“We re-set after that and could take belief from some of our performances.
“But ultimately it’s a results business and we didn’t get over the line against Naomh Conaill.
“Hopefully we have learned from that and we want to start the group phases much better this year.”
Termon have had to contend with injuries to Ricky Gallagher and Enda McCormick during the league, while Oisin Harkin, Cormac Brady and Evan Keown headed to America for the summer.
County panellist Cian McMenamin is being managed after a couple of challenging years while Aiden Sweeney is home from Canada.
Conor Black and Ruairi Connaghan are pushing hard after previously focusing on soccer while minor Shea Boyle has shown signs of promise.
There’s sure to be plenty of interest in Termon’s opener away to Glenswilly before they host Glenfin.
McDaid said: “We have two good local derbies.
“They are two teams that we haven’t drawn too often and they are strong sides.
“We won’t be putting too much of a focus on them and will be looking mainly at ourselves to make sure we are right for the game.”
Manager: Caolan McDaid
Captain: Ryan McFadden and Jack Alcorn.
Last Year: Quarter-finalists
Star Man: Cormac Gallagher
One to Watch: Shea Boyle