BY CHRIS MCNULTY

BRIAN McIver will step up his search for new blood this weekend as the Donegal manager will attend all four of the RTE Raidio na Gaeltachta Senior Football Championship Quarter Finals, which take place tomorrow and Sunday.

Players from Naomh Conaill, Cloughaneely, Termon, Dungloe, St Eunan's, St Michaels, Gaoth Dobhair and Fanad Gaels will not only be playing to get their teams into a coveted last-four spot - but they will also have a chance to put their dots on the radar of the County manager.

Just over a week after being re-appointed to the post for another year, McIver will take in the four clashes this weekend in a bid to unearth a hidden gem. With a number of players from the quarter finalists having been touted as candidates for the squad in the recent past, the manager will get another chance to assess the options available to him.

McIver is also piecing together his backroom team for next year and, although refusing to be drawn on the matter when he spoke to the Donegal News during the week, it is believed that the manager has already had talks with a couple of former players in relation to coming on board.

1992 All Ireland winner Martin Gavigan, it is understood, has turned down the chance to join the backroom team while the name of St Eunan's clubman and '92 panelist Mark Crossan was being strongly touted this week as a potential candidate.

McIver, however, would not comment on the speculation and said that there will be 'no names or no decision' in relation to his backroom team in the immediate future.

Meanwhile, a growing number of grassroots followers have been questioning the return of the Ballinderry man. This week, the Donegal News received a letter from ardent Donegal follower Dessie Kelly from Castlefin, that said the current Donegal team 'are light years behind in terms of tactical preparation and team play.' (The letter is carried on page 10.)

The letter from Mr Kelly was one of a number of communications made to this newspaper in relation to the matter this week. With the next meeting of the County Committee coming up on Monday fortnight (September 1st), manager and Board might well come under stern scrutiny from a number of discontent clubs.

When contacted by the Donegal News on Wednesday evening last, County Board Chairman Sean Kelly said that while the delegates would be entitled to ask questions, their comments needed to be reflective of the position of their club and not the delegates' own personal opinion.

"Every club has the right to ask questions," he said, "and I am sure that Brian McIver will be at the September County Committee meeting and will be prepared to answer any of those, as I will myself as Chairman.

"Anyone who talks at County Committee must be talking on behalf of their club. Clubs will need to discuss the issue before it is raised at County Commitee.

"We said last year that when Brian was re-appointed for three years that we would hold a review at the end of each of the three years. We had a brief and frank discussion on that last week and following that Brian offered the decision that he would like to stay on."

The manager's immediate concern now is to mould his squad once more and the four games he will take in this weekend will see him begin the trawl for talent. With the Championship now at the straight knockout stage, it really is sink or swim time for the remaining challengers for the biggest prize of all in Tir Chonaill football - Dr Maguire.

The action begins tomorrow evening at 6.15pm with the meeting of Naomh Conaill and Cloughaneely in Letterkenny while later in the evening at 8pm in Ballybofey Termon and Dungloe meet in a repeat of a 2003 quarter final that was won by Termon.

On Sunday, the game of the weekend sees the Champions and this year's favourites St Eunan's and St Michael's meeting in a repeat of a semi final of two years ago while at 7pm in O'Donnell Park Gaoth Dobhair and Fanad Gaels lock horns.

The semi final pairings will be decided after the Gaoth Dobhair v Fanad game with the draw to be conducted live on RnaG.

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