Last two winners set for heavyweight clash at St Paul’s

By Michael McMullan

THE last two winners of the Jimmy McConville Cup meet in Sunday as Four Masters put their title on the line against Dungiven.

The Donegal champions are going for a first three in a row since Glen’s golden generation in 2013.

They face a Dungiven side that beat them in the 2022 final with a late goal from Padraig Haran.

Dungiven have five starters still on board with Haran joined by Padraig O’Kane, Kevin Barry Mullan, Darragh O’Neill and Donnach Colgan the others.

Michael McVeigh, Ryan McGilligan and Daithi McCloskey were also part of the panel.

Ulster winners that day in Belfast Joe Dillon and Bobby Butcher will also be on the Dungiven bus this weekend as part of the management team.

Four Masters have nine players that played in last year’s win over Magherafelt in the Ulster final.

Conor Gallagher McCahill also started the defeat to Dungiven in 2022, Turlough Carr came off the bench with Lewis McCaughan the number two ‘keeper back then.

They are joined on this year’s team by Aidan Quinn, Eoghan O’Neill, Cian Gavigan, Alan McHugh, Tomás Carr and Patrick McGonigle who played against Rossa back in January.

Panellists Thomas Lenehan and Ethan McCrea have now forced their way into manager Emmet Gallagher’s starting team with Callum McCrea also among the management.

It has been a busy week in terms of school activity with a number of players involved with St Patrick’s Maghera, St Patrick’s Dungiven, South West Donegal and Abbey Vocational School in the various competitions.

It is even busier for Dungiven who will have a host of players out with Kevin Lynch’s against Cushendall in the Ulster MHC semi-final in Ballinascreen seven days later.

There will be action at Ballinascreen this weekend when Éire Óg of Carrickmore face Sean MacCumhaill’s in the shield final.

The winners will then face Ballygalget in the other semi-final. If it is Éire Óg, there will be a fixture rethink as their seniors are in All-Ireland semi-final action the same day in Cavan against Mayo champions Tuairín.

Ulster MFC – hosted by St Paul’s

Preliminary Round
Ardboe 5-13 Portglenone 0-18

Quarter-finals
1 Southern Gaels 3-13 Bredagh 1-19 AET (Bredagh won on pens)
2 Clontibret 2-20 Derrygonnelly 1-4
3 Dungiven v Four Masters – Sunday, December 14, St Paul’s 1pm
4 Dromintee 2-15 Ardboe 1-11

Semi-finals
Bredagh v Clontibret – Sunday, December 21 – St Paul’s 1pm
Dromintee v Dungiven/Four Masters – Thursday, Dec 26 – St Paul’s 1pm

Final – Thursday, January 1 – St Paul’s 1pm

Ulster MHC – hosted by Ballinascreen

Cup semi-finals – Sunday, December 21
12noon – Ballygalget v Éire Óg/Sean MacCumhaill’s
2.15pm – Kevin Lynch’s v Cushendall

Cup final – 1pm – Sunday, December 28