The planned schedule of games for this weekend in the Michael Murphy Sports and Leisure Football Championship has been upended by the escalation of the Covid Pandemic. With many reserve players based in Dublin and request by clubs for postponements, the CCC have suspended this weekend’s fixtures in the Senior and Intermediate B championships and are reviewing the Junior B fixtures.
Closer to home the Naomh Mhuire Convoy club has ceased all club activities because of issues with Covid-19 and the postponement of their Junior Championship semi-final has been a high profile casualty.
All five remaining championship fixtures will be streamed. CLG Dhún na nGall are streaming three of these on a PPV basis. There has, however, been a venue change both to help facilitate this – problems with the consistency of the 4G signal in Burt is a concern after problems arose securing a fixed line broadband connection – and to allow additional spectators to attend and have more space for social distancing in these worrying times. The two semifinals originally scheduled for Hibernian Park, Burt have been switched to MacCumhaill Park. With postponements elsewhere the Ballybofey venue has become available and recent changes to regulations will allow 200 spectators enter MacCumhaill Park, as opposed to 100 in Burt. The size of MacCumhaill Park should also better facilitate social distancing, Similar logic seen the Moville v Downings game switched from Páirc na nGael in Letterkenny to MacCumhaill Park earlier this week.
The fixture line-up now is:
Michael Murphy Sports and Leisure Junior Hurling Championship
Sat, 19 Sep, Venue: O Donnell Park, (Semi Final ), An Clochán Liath v Setanta B 14:30 – this game, instigated by An Clochán Liath, will be streamed on the Dungloe, Setanta and Donegal Facebook pages free of charge.
Sun 20 Sep, Venue: MacCumhaill Park, (Semi Final), Carn Domhnaigh v Aodh Ruadh 14:00 – this game will be streamed by Donegal GAA at a PPV cost of €5. Commentary will be from Aodh Ruadh’s Maurice McLaughlin and Carndonagh’s John Joe Doherty.
Michael Murphy Sport & Leisure S H C Semi Final
Sat 19 Sep, Venue: O Donnell Park, (Semi Final), Setanta v An Bheart 16:45 – this game will be streamed by Donegal GAA at a PPV cost of €5. Commentary will be from Burt’s Damian Dowds and Setanta’s Eamonn Campbell.
Sun, 20 Sep, Venue: MacCumhaill Park, (Semi Final), Buncrana V St Eunan’s 16:30 – this game will be streamed by Donegal GAA at a PPV cost of €5. Commentary will be from Maurice McLaughlin and Donegal Senior Hurling team manager Michael McCann.
Michael Murphy Sports & Leisure Junior A Championship
Sat 19 Sep, Venue: MacCumhaill Park, (Semi Final), Bun an Phobail v Na Dunaibh 20:00 – this game, sponsored by the Downings Bay Hotel, will be streamed on the Downings Facebook page with commentary from Charlie Collins and Andy Connors. It will be free to air.
The free virtual programme for the four Hurling fixtures can be downloaded from DonegalGAA.ie at the link below:
https://donegalgaa.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Hurling-Semifinals.pdf
By Sinéad Breen Donegal PRO Sat 19th Sep
