We know what we have to do in Roscommon - Donegal's Danny Cullen

It is win or bust for Donegal when they face Roscommon in the final round of games in Division Three of the Allianz Hurling League, in Dr Hyde Park, this afternoon, Saturday.

For Donegal, a win is a must in this battle between third-placed Donegal and table-topping Roscommon, with Mickey McCann’s charges bidding for a swift return to Division 2 of the league.

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Roscommon (9) are ahead of Donegal (8) and Wicklow (8) by one point, with Wicklow heading Donegal in the head-to-head to take second place.

With Wicklow playing a Louth side with nothing to play for as they cannot move either up or down in the table, the Garden County are expected to bring their points tally to 10 points and promotion.

This leaves the meeting of Donegal and the Rossies as a high-stakes shootout. A share of the spoils will do for Roscommon, but nothing short of the two league points on offer will suffice for Donegal.

“Promotion has been the goal all year, and after losing the last day to Wicklow, a win in Roscommon is a must,” said Danny Cullen, who is in his 23rd season in a Donegal senior jersey. 

“It is certainly not going to be easy. They are playing well and are unbeaten. Our form was good until the Wicklow game, but on the day, except for 15 or so minutes in the first half, we never got into the game,” said the veteran and one of the county’s most stylish and decorated hurlers.

The Setanta clubman missed the Wicklow game, serving a one-match ban after being shown a red card against Louth in the previous round.

“There has been very little between ourselves and Wicklow in recent years, and it is a similar story with Roscommon. We have beaten them, and they have beaten us, and the two of us have been up and down between 2B and 3A in the league. 

“Having played in Division 2B for a number of seasons, we want to get back up again. It is a better standard of hurling, playing at the higher standard is the only way you will improve as a hurler. 

“So it is fairly straightforward. We know what we have to do so as to be playing in Division 2 next season.”

It is a changed time for Donegal hurling since Cullen played his first senior game in the green and gold all of 23 years ago.

“My first game was against Armagh, in O’Donnell Park. I was 16 at the time. It was a league game in Division 3A. Denis Murphy, from St Eunan’s, was the manager. Denis was from Wexford, and I don’t recall much from the game except that we were beaten. 

“Arnagh were one of the top teams in the division at the time, and Donegal were not going well at all. “

Danny recalls that current Donegal manager Mickey McCann, Ciaran Dowds, Jude Campbell, Darren McDermott, and Colm Breathnach were the big-name players in the Donegal team at the time.

While Donegal continued to play Division 3 hurling, success came in the form of the Nicky Rackard Cup championship. After losing the 2006 Nicky Rackard final, Cullen went on to claim the laurels with wins in the Nicky Rackard finals of 2013, 2018, 2020, and 2024.

In his 23 years in the Donegal shirt, Danny Cullen has played under seven managers - Denis Murphy, Darren McDermott, Eamon Campbell, Andrew Wallace, Ray Durack, Ardal McDermott, and Mickey McCann. 

In all, the Setanta clubman played in six Nicky Rackard finals, winning four and losing two.  The other Nicky Rackard final defeat, as well as 2006, was the 2023 decider against Wicklow. 

For Cullen, the big leap forward in Donegal hurling was playing in Division 2B of the Allianz League for the first time in 2018.

And by and large, Donegal have been playing Division 2 hurling ever since, until this season.

“For me, the big breakthrough for Donegal hurling came with promotion to 2B.

“It is what has prolonged my career and why I’m still playing. It is a much higher standard of hurling, and that is why a win on Sunday against Roscommon is so important for Donegal hurling.”