Donegal manager Declan Bonner has insisted that his side's Dr McKenna Cup semi-final against Monaghan on Sunday is in jeopardy of not taking place due to a fixture clash, with up to 13 of his panel also involved in Sigerson Cup action this weekend.
Donegal defeated Derry at Celtic Park by 1-10 to 0-08 on Wednesday night to top Group A in the Ulster pre-season competition, with the margin of Armagh's defeat to Tyrone at the Athletic Grounds ensuring that Monaghan now lie in wait at the semi-final stage.
Both Dr McKenna Cup semi-finals have been scheduled for noon on Sunday, with Tyrone poised to face Down at the Athletic Grounds and Donegal due to face Monaghan at a venue as yet to be confirmed, just a week after Bonner's charges edged a thriller in Ballybofey on a 1-12 to 0-14 scoreline.
However, the Donegal boss has cast doubt on whether his side will even contest the fixture unless a change of date can be facilitated, saying they only had 23 players in their squad last night.
"We won't have a team," Bonner told the Donegalsporthub website.
"We have 13 players playing Sigerson. That's exactly where we are. I stated this very strongly on Sunday. Something needs to be done. We just don't have the numbers."
The first round of the Sigerson Cup takes place this weekend, with Donegal's Dr McKenna Cup rivals also likely to face a number of selection headaches.
Bonner, who accepts students on scholarships must line out for their colleges, has proposed alternatives, including moving the semi-final to Tuesday or Wednesday night.
Listen to the RTÉ GAA Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
