Setanta boss expecting another tight battle with St Eunan’s

By Michael McMullan

SETANTA manager Mark Marley feels there will be a puck of a ball between themselves and St Eunan’s on Saturday.

The O’Donnell Park clash will be the seventh time the clubs have met in the Donegal Senior Hurling final in the last decade.

St Eunan’s were winners in 2021, which was also their last title win, but it was Setanta who pulled away when they met in last year’s final.

It took late goals from Donegal star Josh Cronolly McGee to open the gap in a 2-12 to 0-13 win.

When the sides met in the group stages, 14-man Setanta needed another Cronolly McGee goal to earn a draw.

“We were probably lucky enough to get the draw but we could’ve nicked it as well, so there is very little between the two teams,” Marley told Gaelic Life.

Both clubs have a host of players on Mickey McCann’s Donegal squad. In Marley’s view, there will be no surprises this weekend.

“The boys know each other well,” he said.

“If the two teams are on it on Saturday, it’s going to come down to a moment of magic, maybe a bit of brilliance.

“It will come down to the last puck of the ball but hopefully we can come out on the right side of it.”

It is Setanta’s 10th final in succession and they have a recent Ulster Intermediate title on their roll of honour list.

It takes consistency to come back year after year and to put themselves in a position for challenging for the county title.

Quality

“It shows the quality we have in the club over the last 10 years,” Marley said.

“To be knocking on the door year in and year out, it’s good. You have to praise the players and the club itself; everybody is putting in effort.”

Marley was involved with the club’s underage teams from U12 to minor before coming on board with the seniors under Gary McGettgian.

Kevin Campbell and Niall Cleary were involved for two seasons with Marley taking over as manager for the 2025 season.

Looking at his panel of players and the constant challenging for success, Marley puts it down to two things – hunger and quality.

“Last year is gone, this is a new year and here has been one objective, to win your county title,” he added.

“It all comes down to hunger, the boys are training hard, we have a good crowd of players over at the Donegal senior squad and that helps too.

“You have to make the most of your career,” he added, pointing to where the players generate the hunger from.

“You play for 10, 15 or 20 years if you are lucky, so you have to make your opportunities count and the boys know that, so that’s probably an element in it all.”