Buncrana and Malin in action
13.05.10
by
Damian Dowds, Inishowen Independent
THE gates of the lion’s den swing open this weekend as
Buncrana and Malin start their senior championship
campaigns with first round first leg ties away to Gaoth
Dobhair and Four Masters respectively.
The local sides are big outsiders in both matches but
their managers are relishing the battle ahead.
“While we got the result last weekend, we didn’t play so
well in Ballyshannon,” manager Louis Walsh said of their
1-9 to 0-10 victory over Aodh Ruadh on Saturday. “We
played much better in defeating Glenfin a week earlier.”
Malin enter the game with a clean bill of health.
Patrick McColgan and Damian Harkin have slight niggles
but should be able to play.
With five players based in Dublin, Walsh admits training
has been challenging. “While the fellas in Dublin are
training in Islandbridge, it isn’t ideal as you can’t
work on things midweek and then put it into practice on
the pitch the following weekend. But lots of clubs face
similar problems so we have to be getting on with it.”
With Anthony and Paddy Kelly driving the team on from
midfield, Charlie Byrne anchoring the defence and Declan
Walsh returning re-energised after this exploits with
the county U21s, Malin have quality players all over the
pitch, but Louis Walsh recognises the scale of the
challenge they face.
“We’re complete underdogs but that’s not a bad way to go
into a match like this,” he said. “Four Masters have
lots of big name players and the likes of Paul Durcan,
Barry Monaghan, Barry Dunnion and Karl Lacey in the
county senior squad, and former county player Michael
Doherty has been in high scoring form of late. But we’ll
give a good account of ourselves on Saturday night.”
Buncrana haven’t played since they drew with Fanad in
the league three weeks ago, and while that lack of match
practice may hinder them, but player manager Stephen
McGonigle doesn’t want to hear of any excuses.
“We got our first point of the season down in Fanad,
which isn’t an easy place to get a result, and it would
have been nice to build on that and get another game but
it wasn’t to be.”
“Sean Coyle and Caolan McCann have done really well,
while Gavin McConnell is having one of his best ever
seasons,” McGonigle said. “Things have really picked up
in training and I can’t fault the workrate of the
players.”
“Going to Magheragallon will be very difficult, the
Gaoth Dobhair team is sprinkled with players who have
represented the county at different levels, but there’s
no pressure on us whatsoever.”
Buncrana inflicted one of only two league defeats on
Gaoth Dobhair last season, and McGonigle is hoping that
his charges can repeat the feat on Sunday.
“We’re going to work really hard and stay in the game
for as long as we can and try to put ourselves in a
position to win it, like we did at the Scarvey last
year. If you’re ten points down with ten minutes to go
you’re out if it, but if the margin is only three or
four points it’s a different story.”
Meanwhile, Moville will host Naomh Columba in the
preliminary round in the Carrick Field on Saturday
night. Moville have struggled in Division 3 so far this
year, but manager Eddie Devine will be hoping that his
side can recapture some of the form that saw them win
last year’s Junior Championship. |
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