Donegal Junior A Football Championship 2026

What to Expect

Junior A is the third tier of Donegal’s club football pyramid, below senior and intermediate, and it is contested by the county’s smaller rural clubs. Promotion is the prize, and the grade has a track record of sending sides up: Carndonagh won the 2025 Junior A final at O’Donnell Park and are now competing at intermediate level. Round 2 of the 2026 championship is played on Sunday 16 August, following a full round 1 card on 8 and 9 August.

Round 1 went the way of Na Rossa, who beat Naomh Ultan 2-17 to 0-18 in Dunkineely, Moville, who took Pettigo 2-11 to 0-15, Naomh Colmcille, who put away Robert Emmets 3-12 to 1-6 in Newtowncunningham, and Letterkenny Gaels, who beat Naomh Mhuire Conmhaigh 0-19 to 0-12 in Convoy. Junior football draws smaller crowds than the senior grade but the intensity is the same, and most clubs run a tea and sandwich stall at the pitch on championship Sundays.

Good to Know

• Sunday 16 August, 2:00 PM: Letterkenny Gaels v Naomh Bríd, Páirc na nGael, Letterkenny
• Sunday 16 August, 2:00 PM: Na Rossa v Pettigo, Na Rossa
• Sunday 16 August, 2:00 PM: Robert Emmets v Naomh Ultan, Castlefinn
• Sunday 16 August, 4:00 PM: Naomh Pádraig Leifear v Naomh Mhuire Conmhaigh, Naomh Pádraig, Lifford
• Sunday 16 August, 4:00 PM: Moville v Naomh Colmcille, Moville
• Normal club gate admission applies and there is no advance ticketing for group games
• The group stage feeds into quarter-finals, semi-finals and a county final later in the autumn
• Check donegalgaa.ie on the morning of the game, as junior ties are the most likely to be re-fixed

Getting There

Letterkenny’s Páirc na nGael and the east Donegal grounds at Castlefinn, Lifford and Convoy are all within a short drive of the N14 and N15, and Lifford sits on the border crossing to Strabane. Moville is out on the R238 in Inishowen, about 45 minutes from Derry. Na Rossa lies off the R262 in the west of the county and needs a car. Parking at all of these club pitches is free and on site or on the road outside.