BY RYAN FERRY
Former Donegal senior football manager and County Chairman PJ McGowan feels there is no comparison to be had with last year’s league and believes Jim McGuinness’s team should push to reach and win the Division 1 Final.
Donegal started the 2025 league strongly but lost their final three games as eyes moved towards a big Ulster Championship clash with Derry.
It’s a similar story this season as Donegal won their first four matches but after drawing with Galway and losing to Roscommon, they could miss out on a final spot in Croke Park on March 29 if they are beaten by already-relegated Monaghan.
McGuinness has said he is ‘not bothered’ about reaching the league final but McGowan (pictured) feels that such is the exposure that Donegal have encountered this year, that there isn’t much left to guard.
“I don’t think there’s any comparison to last year,” said the Sean MacCumhaills man.
“I feel our attitude and approach was pretty good last year in that the Ulster Championship was coming hot on the heels of a National League Final date.
“Looking at this year, there are four weeks between the National League Final and the outing against Down who are riding the crest of a wave as well and will be very hard to beat.
“It’s going to be an interesting scenario in Letterkenny (on April 26).
“I get the impression from some people of a dismissive attitude towards the league final.
“We have only ever won one National League title before and there isn’t a player on the squad that has a league medal.
“And I think we owe it to supporters who travel the length and breadth of the country to get to a league final and win it if possible.
“I think it depends on our attitude and we should go all out to win the league as there is ample time between the Down game.
“At this stage we have been on TV that often, I don’t think anyone has much to learn about us.
“If we are concerned about how Down might look at our performance in a league final coming up to championship, I think we’re forgetting about the fact that we have been exposed so much and we are well-known.
“Look at the amount of games that were televised last year and again so far this season – there’s not an awful lot to learn about Donegal.
“If our players play to their potential on the day, I don’t think Down will live with us but that’s not to say you can dismiss them.
“They have won all their matches in the league and have been promoted. They will be no pushover and traditionally Down are a county you can never say you will put away easily. It’s going to be a tough game but I don’t think we have anything to fear in terms of exposure before that.”