BY RYAN FERRY

Cloughaneely manager Michael Lynch has a young team at his disposal and doesn’t have any huge expectations going into the Intermediate Championship.

The Páirc Naomh Fionnan club won the Cathal McLaughlin Cup in 2021 and had two decent years at senior level before being relegated last term. Their team has changed considerably over the last few years so while they would like to bounce back straight away, Lynch feels they will have their work cut out in the group alone with fixtures against Red Hugh’s, Naomh Columba, Naomh Muire and Milford.

“I think we are a bit young.

“I suppose if you look at the Intermediate there is probably no stand-out team compared to Termon last year.

“There’s probably seven or eight teams that could feel they can win it.

“It’s going to be hard to call a winner. Naomh Muire are probably the favourites on the basis that they are on an upward curve, whereas Buncrana and Malin coming down might take the wind out of their sails a wee bit.

“You couldn’t say for sure that we are going to win or lose any of our games. There’s going to be very little in them.

“Red Hughs lost the league final but they have been going well and Darren and Mark will have them well clued on.

“Glen were beat in the final last year and Milford will see themselves as contenders as well.”

Jason McGee has transferred to Corduff, while Ciaran Coll and Ethan Friel have missed the whole season with cruciate injuries and young Carragher Friel picked up the same injury a couple of weeks ago.

The good news is that John Fitzgerald is fit again and their young players battled hard during the league.

“We set out to be safe in Division 2 and steady the ship a bit.

“With the injuries we had, there was a lot of pressure on the young fellas really on Donnachadh (Ó Baoighill) especially.

“David Geaney, Patrick Doohan, Seamus Doogan and Remy (Moran) have all played a good bit for us.

“They were thrown in and they kept us going and they are learning on their feet.”

It will be a young side that Cloughaneely put out this weekend but Donegal Masters forward Shaun Maguire is still a handful at full-forward.

Lynch said: “He’s going strong.

“I don’t think he has missed a championship game since the early 2000s.

“He’s a great servant for us. He’s probably the most injured man we have and he’s just hanging together.

“By right, he probably should have stopped playing about ten years ago with his hip but we’d be lost without him and he’s still a bit part of it.”

Bainisteoir: Michael Lynch

Captain: Darren McGeever

Last Year: Relegated from SFC

Star Man: John Fitzgerald

One to Watch: Donnachadh Ó Baoighill