DESPITE having two ten-point wins under their belt in the Championship, St Michael’s still aren’t assured of top spot in Group 3.
Eddie Harkin takes the in-form Creeslough-Dunfanaghy representatives to Pairc Taobhoige to meet Glenfin, who have still a chance of making the quarter-finals and, should they defeat St Michael’s, taking the number one spot themselves.
St Michael’s came back from the concession of an early goal against Four Masters on Saturday evening to score a big 3-12 to 2-5 win at Tir Chonaill Park, having defeated Cloughaneely rin their opening game.
“We’re happy with the scores we’re racking up, but the thing is that you can’t take these points into the quarter-finals with you,” Harkin told Donegal Sport Hub.
“We want to win the group and it’s a good thing that we can’t take the feet off the gas this weekend.
“We think that getting the top spot is very important but, in saying that, there will be no easy games here when you think that you could have St Eunan’s and Gaoth Dobhair going in as second-placed teams.
“It doesn’t matter that we’re putting up big scores now – we have to keep up that form from here on.”
Bar Martin Breslin, Harkin will have a full panel from which to select.
Breslin sustained a broken collar bone in Donegal town after a collision with Jason Duignan (pictured above) and will be out for around six weeks.
Harkin said: “Martin is a very good worker for us. He’s a good runner and has been putting in a big effort. We’ll miss him.”
St Michael’s surrendered that early goal last weekend and Harkin has called on his side to shore up the leaks, even if Leo McHugh’s goal had a stroke of good fortune about it.
Harkin said: “They got a goal early on and it was disputed. It was a slip we made and we’d hope for no more of those for the rest of the Championship.
“The goal kept them in the game up until half-time. You can’t afford those kind of mistakes in Championship football.”
They go to the foot of Alt na Paste seeking a win that will secure the first place they crave and the game is a repeat of a 2011 semi-final won by St Michael’s in Letterkenny.
Liam Ward called last week for Glenfin to show a little fight and pride – and they did just that with a 1-12 to 1-11 win in Cloughaneely.
Mark McGinty junior netted the goal for Glenfin, but he’s one man who won’t be featuring on Sunday.
McGinty departed for Dubai this week, but a hamstring injury would’ve prevented his participation in any case.
Gavin McDermott is a major doubt for the hosts because of a troublesome ankle although Ward remains hopeful that the defender can line out.
Glenfin headed into Sunday’s game on the back of a 14-point League defeat to St Naul’s.
Ward said: “We just needed to do ourselves justice. Last week was always going to be tough for us, but thankfully we showed the qualities we wanted and we’re still in the hunt.”
Glenfin tossed the formbook out the window in Falcarragh and, although they’ve it all to do against one of the favourites for Dr Maguire, Ward’s men have a chance of making the knockout phase.
Ward said: “Going into the last group game and it’s in our own hands – that’s a great place to be in.
“We’re up against one of the strongest teams in the Championship and St Michael’s have been performing very well. We know that we’re up against it, but if you want to be competing at senior level this is where you want to be, the top teams coming to Glenfin for these big games.”
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