The Donegal Football Club Championships throw in this weekend.

There should be plenty of entertainment at Senior, Intermediate, and Junior level.

We’ve picked out some players that weren’t on the Donegal panel this season to keep an eye on.

Ryan Greene (Dungloe)

Dungloe enjoyed a memorable 2024 season as they progressed all the way to the SFC Final.

They put up a decent fight against St Eunan’s but fell short in the final.

The Rosses men probably didn’t have the depth they needed but they have tried to add to that this year with Luke Clerkin back fit and Patrick O’Donnell stepping up.

They also have been boosted by the return of Ryan Greene.

The former county minor played in 2023 before heading away again and he’s a sharp forward who knows where the net is.

He could have an effective role to play this autumn in the Dungloe forward line alongside older brother Conor.

Bobby McGettigan (Termon)

With the new rules now in play, the midfield battle is as important as ever with all kick-outs having to go out past the arc.

Termon are better set than a lot of teams as they have a host of tall, rangy, athletic players to call upon.

The Burn Road club took the league campaign by storm and they are certainly a side to keep an eye on.

The championship will be a step up but their young players are determined to make their mark.

McGettigan has played a lot of football at full-forward and was a handful on the edge of the square for the county under 20s a few years ago. However, it’s in the middle of the field that he’s likely to line out this season.

McGettigan has a huge frame and it will take a good player to win ball over him.

Termon’s first match is against Killybegs and how McGettigan fares out against Hugh McFadden could go a long way to deciding the match.

Conor McCahill (Four Masters)

McCahill, pictured right, is an exciting forward who is comfortable playing close to goal and they aren’t overly plentiful in Donegal.

He’s highly-rated having played county minor for two seasons while he was with the county under 20s this season.

McCahill also played a starring role as Abbey Vocational School progressed all the way through to the MacRory Cup Final earlier this year.

He is fast and strong and well able to kick scores off either foot.

McCahill did miss the end of the league through injury but it’s hoped he will be back in time for the championship as Four Masters look to better their quarter-final appearance from last year.

Cathal Fee (Naomh Muire)

Naomh Muire reached the semi-finals of the Intermediate Championship last season and they are tipped to take another step forward this time around.

They have already won promotion to Division 1 and have had a strong, settled side all season.

Eoin Martin, Daniel Devlin, and Harry Harden are all reliable score-getters but they have added to their forward line this year.

Cathal Fee played for the London junior team last year but has been based in Donegal this term as he studies in the North.

He has brought pace and dynamism to the Naomh Muire forward line and has been contributing scores regularly.

Fee could be the missing piece of the jigsaw for Naomh Muire.

Donnachadh Ó Baoighill (Cloughaneely)

Cloughaneely have been patiently awaiting the coming of age of Donnachadh Ó Baoighill, pictured right, for a few years now.

Son of one of their best ever players, Denis, he has been a leading man for the Pairc Naomh Fionnan club at underage level coming up through the ranks.

He is another player who has played two years of county minor football and was involved with the Under 20s this season even though he has another two years at that age grade.

Ó Baoighill announced himself in senior football with a hat-trick against St Naul’s earlier in the year.

And he continued on with a string of impressive performances and really stepped up to the mark when John Fitzgerald and Blake McGarvey were injured.

They should be available for the championship, and Ó Baoighill is a sharpshooter who will take watching in the Intermediate.

Eoin O’Donnell (Milford)

Milford have lost some key defenders heading into the championship but they will still be looking to be competitive.

They have a tough opener away against Naomh Columba and will have to be on it from the first whistle.

One man who has stepped up to the mark for Milford this year has been Eoin O’Donnell.

The former county minor is a versatile player who can play in any line in the middle eight.

If Milford are to have any joy in the Intermediate then they will need O’Donnell in form and providing scores.

Kealan Dunleavy (Glenswilly)

Glenswilly are a team who will have high hopes heading into the Club Championship.

They have plenty of good young players with the experience of Caolan Kelly, Michael Murphy, and Gary McFadden added into the mix.

The Pairc Naomh Columba men used a lot of players during the league this season and finished fourth in Division 1.

One of the stars of their campaign was Kealan Dunleavy who excelled in the middle of the field.

Dunleavy was part of the Donegal panel in 2023 and appears to be getting back to his best now.

He has pace and strength and is a man that could be in for a big championship.

Christy McLaughlin of Malin takes on Oran Winston of St Eunan’s.

Oran Winston (St Eunan’s)

The Winston name is synonymous with the St Eunan’s club and Oran is the latest man to don the black and amber at senior level.

He has made great progress over the last couple of years to force his way into the reckoning with ‘Eunan’s.

The O’Donnell Park club had somewhat of a mixed league campaign but still just missed out on a league final berth.

They were always going to be gearing up for the championship and have five county players to bring into the fold in the next few weeks.

Winston, pictured left, benefitted from seeing a lot of game time in the early part of the season and was excellent driving forward from half-back.

He will be keen to hold onto his starting place and make an impact for St Eunan’s in the Club Championship.

Paddy McElwee (Downings)

Downings retained their Senior Championship status at the first time of asking last year and will be looking to kick on again in 2025.

They will be disappointed that they were relegated in the league.

However, they showed enough during the early part of the season to suggest they can be competitive in the coming weeks.

They performed well against St Eunan’s, St Michael’s and Termon and will always be hard to beat at home.

Key to their chances will be the form of Johnny McGroddy and Paddy McElwee.

They are the two danger men and McElwee has been excellent as the focal point of the attack.

There’s little doubt that he will be closely watched in the coming weeks but the former Donegal underage star will take some stopping.

Max Campbell (Naomh Conaill)

Such is the longevity of some of Naomh Conaill’s elder statesmen, it tends to be very difficult for young players to break into the senior team.

The Davy Brennan Memorial Park residents have an abundance of options and will be pushing hard to get their hands back on the Dr Maguire Cup.

Finnbarr Roarty was straight into the team last season and now they have another exciting wing-back who will be available.

Max Campbell was on Derry City’s books for a while but has committed to Gaelic Football now and is a good prospect.

He has all the football skills, and is well able to win kick-outs as well.

Campbell is still a minor but will be pushing hard for a place in the Naomh Conaill team.

Odhrán Mac Niallais(Gaoth Dobhair)

Mac Niallais is much more experienced than everyone else on this list but he is a terrific player.

Gaoth Dobhair didn’t have MacNiallais, pictured right, last season as he was in Australia and they missed his guile and class.

The Magheragallon club were still able to progress as far as the semi-finals and weren’t far off eventual champions St Eunan’s.

It was somewhat of an underwhelming league campaign for Gaoth Dobhair but they have got good players who should be able to up the ante for the championship.

Mac Niallais will be a two-point threat and he could be in line for a strong championship.