Big two lead the way at the top in Donegal

By Michael McMullan

COUNTY champions Naomh Conaill and St Eunan’s are the top of the tree as the Division One league campaign heads for a finale.

Eunan’s are a point ahead of Martin Regan’s side with both teams having three games left to play.

The top two will contest a league decider and have yet to meet each other. The Letterkenny men are guaranteed a spot in the final, with Naomh Conaill needing at least a draw at home to third placed Ballyshannon this weekend

Malin, Kilcar and St Michael’s also have an outside chance to making the final.

All teams have their county players back in the fold but it was former Donegal ace Dermot ‘Brick’ Molloy who hit the all-important goal when sprang from the bench in Naomh Conaill’s 2-7 to 0-11 win over Gaoth Dobhair in Magheragallon.

Two penalties from Hugh McFadden helped Killybegs to just their second win of the season, a 4-8 to 0-17 victory over Downings for whom Lorcan Connor and Johnny McGroddy hit a combined tally of 11 points.

At the bottom of the table, the bottom two – currently Killybegs and Cloughaneely – would be relegated with the third team from bottom into a play-off to stay up.

Cloughaneely host a Downings team this weekend who are still in the relegation mire. Downings have also an upcoming game with a Glenfin team who can be sucked into a battle in the basement.

In Division Two, Glenswilly are the pacesetters, winning all of their 11 games to date to catapult clear of second placed Naomh Columba.

Michael Murphy was among the 10 different scores in Glenswilly 0-16 to 0-6 win over Red Hugh’s but the story of the day was the return of Gary ‘Copper’ McFadden who landed 0-4 to give them a boost ahead of the upcoming championship.