Donegal on the championship trail
27.05.10
Return of Brian McIver
makes for intriguing subplot
Report, Inishowen Independent
DONEGAL welcome Down to MacCumhaill Park on Sunday as
the county gets its championship season under way.
Aside from Brendan Boyle, Donegal have a clean bill of
health ahead of Sunday’s match while Down are missing
four key players, and their captain Ambrose Rogers is
rated doubtful.
With Boyle injured, the biggest conundrum facing Donegal
manager John Joe Doherty surrounds his centrefield
combination. Neil Gallagher has just returned from a
facial injury and the big Glenswilly man will form one
part of the midfield duo. Kevin Cassidy, Rory Kavanagh,
Christy Toye and Barry Monaghan are contenders for the
number 8 shirt, with Kavanagh thought most likely to
fill it, despite playing in only two competitive games
this year since returning from Australia in April.
Down manager James McCartan is messing Aidan Carr, Aidan
Brannigan, Kevin Duffin and Dan McCartan and those
question marks over Rogers' availability are based on
his recent return from a broken bone in his foot.
Antrim sensationally dumped Donegal from the Ulster
Championship in Ballybofey last year, something that
will no doubt be writ large whenever John Joe’s football
obituary comes to be written. But the past is, as they
say, a different country.
“Last year was disappointing, although we did build up
momentum during the backdoor,” said John Joe Doherty on
Saturday at a press conference in Ballybofey. “You can’t
look past the first round game. It was hard to focus
last year because everyone in the county was saying
‘Antrim will put up a fight, but you’ll beat them.’
“This game with Down is entirely different. There’s more
of a focus this year for the first round. I feel a
hunger and the boys are determined to give it a go.”
Intriguingly, Doherty’s predecessor Brian McIver will be
in the red and black of Down on Sunday as he is part of
James McCartan’s backroom team. McCartan, though, is
playing down the former Donegal manager’s involvement.
“Brian brings so much to us but I think every team tries
to make the other team favourites in any way they can.
In that way I think Brian’s role as Donegal’s former
manager has been overstated a bit. Donegal will be
trying to use Brian’s involvement with us as added
motivation.”
By virtue of beating Donegal in the League Division 2
meeting earlier this season, Down enter the game as
favourites, but with so many of their first choice
players missing they may find it difficult to repeat
that win on Sunday. The return to Donegal colours of
Rory Kavanagh and Christy Toye, as well as the influx
from the U21 All-Ireland finalists, should contribute to
a Donegal win.
Meanwhile, Charlie Mulgrew’s minor team, featuring a
number of Inishowen players, will play Down in Sunday’s
curtain raiser. That game throws in at 12 noon. |
Ticket Information
This is not an all ticket game. Tickets will be needed
for the Stand only. The stand will be presold and the
prices are as follows: Covered Stand - €27 / £23;
Uncovered Stand Adult - €25 / £21 (This is a family
area); Uncovered Stand Juvenile - €5 / £5; Uncovered
Stand Senior Citizen - €15 / £13 (There will be 50 of
these made available to each county). Admission to the
Terrace will be pay in on the day at the following rate:
Adult - €15 / £13; Juveniles U16 are free; Senior
Citizen - €10 / £9
For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the
Inishowen Independent. |
|
