Maxi Curran has injury concerns ahead of DCU Sigerson opener

Maxi Curran admits that ATU Donegal will be up against it when they line out against DCU in Sigerson Cup action on Tuesday evening. 

Rory O’Donnell started in the middle for Donegal in their McKenna Cup loss away to Down in Newry on Sunday. However, the Milford man departed the fray shortly before half-time due to injury. 

Donegal boss Paddy Carr admitted that his medical team were still assessing the nature of the knock when speaking to the media immediately after. But Curran has now confirmed it’s a hamstring issue and that O'Donnell will likely play no part in this year's Sigerson competition. Jason McGee is also a doubt for Tuesday night but Curran still hopes the Donegal midfielder can make some kind of contribution in Convoy. 

DCU, again under the direction of Paddy Christie, have six Donegal players in their midst including Jamie Grant from Termon, St Eunan’s Shane O’Donnell, Ross Marley of Glenfin, Sean MacCumhaill’s Oisin Gallen, Downings’ Johnny McGroddy and Oisin Cannon, who plays for St Michael’s.

“Rory obviously won’t be fit to play now and that’s a big blow,” said Curran. “His participation in this year’s competition is now very doubtful. Jason (McGee), the hope is that he’ll be fit to play some part. He’d been a little under the weather the last week or so but we hope he’ll be able to give us something against DCU. He’s our captain and he’s a real leader for the group. 

“We’ve a really broad mix of lads again this year. Like I say, it’s a lovely competition and our players continue to really buy into it. We’ve been that little bit more hampered this year simply because of the county starting so late and the 2022 U-21 club competition also running so late and into the new year. 

“It’s been virtually impossible to get the entire group together. And it’s been an unbelievably busy time for some of these lads. Logistically, the Sigerson has always been such a difficult juggle. Going back to the time I was involved with the Donegal senior management, we’d lads sometimes playing two games in the one day. 

“In terms of player welfare, you’d think things might have improved since then. But unfortunately that’s not the case. There is still a huge amount being asked of our young players. I might be wrong, but I think Donegal will have one player that come Tuesday night, between all three teams he's currently on, he’ll have played four games in six days. That’s simply a crazy workload”. 

The winners of ATU Donegal and DCU travel to Ulster University on Tuesday, January 17, while the losers must take on Queen’s away from home.

The ATU panel is: Jack McSharry (Na Cealla Beaga), Blake McGarvey (Cloughaneely) Jonathan Toye (Naomh Padraig), Keelan McGroddy (Na Dunaibh), Fionnan Coyle (Gaoth Dobhair), Beanón Corrigan (Geraldines GFC, Co Louth), Dylan Dorrian (Milford), Conor O'Donnell (Carndonagh), Ferdia Doherty (Naomh Muire), Conor Cannon (Naomh Muire), Ryan McFadden (Termon), Jason McGee (Cloughaneely), Bobby McGettigan (Termon), Carlos O'Reilly (St Michael’s), Kealan Dunleavey (Glenswilly), Mark McAteer (Gaeil Fhánada), Jack Gallagher (Glenswilly), Michael Leech (Moville), Cian Rooney (Aodh Ruadh), Darragh Mahon (CLG Bhearna, Galway), Aaron Gillooley (Sean MacCumhaill’s), Anthony Doherty (Carndonagh), Rory O'Donnell (Milford), Darragh McMenamin (Red Hughs), Eoin Dowling (St Eunan’s), Daniel Gildea (Naomh Conaill), Conal Mc Dermott (St Mary's, Convoy), Paul O'Hare (Naomh Columba), Jack Gillespie (Red Hughs), Eoin de Burca (Gaoth Dobhair), Kieran Tobin (St Eunan’s), Joel Bradley Walsh (Sean MacCumhaill’s), Ronan Frain (Letterkenny Gaels), Liam Gaughan (Tourlestrane, Sligo).