BY MATTHEW WILSON

ST Michael’s know all about the pain of semi-final defeats in the Donegal SFC and are hoping to beat Gaoth Dobhair at O’Donnell Park on Saturday and reach only their second-ever decider.

Both outfits come into this contest in fine form. The Bridge residents have recovered from their opening day defeat to Sean MacCumhaills to win their last four encounters while Gaoth Dobhair are the only remaining team yet to be beaten in this season’s Championship.

Gaoth Dobhair are one of the aristocrats of Donegal club football and were last in the final in 2023, while St Michael’s are bidding to end a 14-year wait for an appearance in the county’s showpiece.

St Michael’s have fallen at the semi-final stage five times since 2011, most recently 12 months ago when they suffered a narrow one-point defeat to Dungloe.

St Michael’s have a seasoned team and they are desperate to go one step further and reach the county final this Saturday.

“I don’t know how many semi-finals that a couple of us have played in. It’s not ideal when you’re not making it to the final.

“We’ve been to this stage before, we know what it’s like to get beat in it and it’s a horrible place. We’ll be hoping that eventually we will go one further and get to the final.

“Some of us have been to one final but we want to get that monkey off our back that we’re not just good at getting to the semi-final and we can eventually get to the final.”