KEVIN CASSIDY: The big day is here

THE big day has nearly arrived. This Sunday in Letterkenny’s O’Donnell Park, Gaoth Dobhair and Naomh Conaill will lock horns in this year’s Donegal senior final.

There has been an air of excitement about home as the club enters into another championship final. Our history and heritage is deep in this competition but of late we haven’t been in as many deciders as we would have liked to be.

On Sunday our lads will be up against it as they face a Glenties team who have been in eight out of the last nine county finals. That level of experience speaks for itself.

They are a team who know how to win big games and any time they feel a wobble, theu introduce the vastly experienced Leo McLoone who steadies the ship and gets them over the line.

They also have the lies of Anthony Thompson, Brendan McDyre and Jeaic Mac Ceallahuí, but it has been the injection of their younger guys that have lifted them this year.

Max Campbell and the soon-to-be Young Footballer of the Year Finnbarr Roarty are driving them forward at will. Inside they have the talented Shea Malone, who is back playing GAA after his soccer stint.

To say that these guys will be difficult to beat would be an understatement – however, that’s a challenge our younger lads will relish. Our lads are driven by captain Dáire Ó Baoill who, for me, had a very good start to the season with Donegal and looked to be really enjoying these new rules.

The experience of Odhrán Mac Niallais and Niall Friel will also be vital. Under that, is a younger generation, led by county panellist Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhríde. We have Eamon Collum who was my inside partner in 2018 when we last won the title.

Eamon took some time out to travel but is now back in full swing. Our leading light this year has been Ethan Harkin who is top scorer in this year’s championship and has been playing some great football. I expect him to be marked out of the game this weekend because the Glenties men are excellent at taking the opposition’s key men out of contention. In order for our boys to win, we will have to generate scores from all over the pitch.

The final is live on TG4 this weekend and I think it should be a good advertisement for Donegal football. Both of these teams are keen and play a nice mix of the running and kicking game.

There are some very talented individuals on both teams so let’s hope for a cracker at the weekend. My heart is obviously saying Gaoth Dobhair but the bookies are saying Naomh Conaill and they are never too far off. It’s over to our lads to beat the bookie.

Elsewhere, there are more county championships heating up with the Tyrone semi-finals taking centre stage. By now, you will be well aware that I am a keen admirer of the Tyrone championship as it just delivers on every occasion.

This year Errigal Ciaran will be hot favourites to retain the title but there has been a lot of talk around this young Loughmacrory team of late so there might be an upset or two on the cards.