Home from home as Glenfin's Ross Marley helps DCU overcome ATU Donegal

As the crow flies the distance between Pairc Taobhoige in Glenfin and Convoy is around about 15 miles although Ross Marley ended up in DCU to get playing at the Donegal GAA Centre.

The Glenfin player was part of the Dublin college’s panel and came on as a late substitute for Termon’s Jamie Grant as they opened their Sigerson Cup campaign in style, with a 4-15 to 1-7 win over ATU Donegal.

“It’s actually my first time having a competitive game here,” Marley, who is studying PME post primary teaching and was on his way back for teaching practice in Whitehall, said afterwards.

“I’ve trained here a few times so getting out there and playing was a bit of an experience. There was a worry beforehand it might be called off with the sideline being wet, although the rest of the pitch was fine really. It held up well there.

“Some of the lads from Dublin were giving out a bit wondering where it was, by the time we got to Strabane. We’re well used to it as we're doing it twice a week to and from college. It was a nice experience to take your friends from college up to your own county. We were very happy to do so."

Marley and Grant are joined in the DCU squad by Shane O’Donnell of St Eunan’s, Oisin Gallen from Sean MacCumahill’s, Oisin Cannon, who plays for St Michael’s and Downings’ Johnny McGroddy.

“The Donegal lads at DCU probably have that little advantage of being familiar with the players from Letterkenny. We knew who we should be looking at, although next week we’re playing Queen’s and we don’t know too much about them at the minute.”

DCU pipped ATU Donegal in the HE Senior Football League Division 1 quarter-final in Drumcondra in November on a 4-14 to 218 scoreline, although had big-hitters like Galway’s Rob Finnerty, who scored 2-3, back tonight.
Dubliner Lorcan O'Dell was impressive in scoring 1-4 and Cork’s Conor Corbett bagged 1-2.

“In the league game, there was an argument that said Letterkenny might’ve beaten us so we knew coming into this game that we were going to get a serious challenge,” Marley added. “We’re lucky as some of the players we've got back in since then are high quality and that was enough to get us over the line there.

“It’s good to have them on your team and it’s tough having to train against them. They put in a good showing today and that was the game won. We’re lucky to have them.”

Before Christmas, DCU manager Paddy Christe said his team had “unfinished business” in the competition and are hoping to honour the memory of Red Óg Murphy. The young Sligo star was a key member of the DCU team that fell at the Sigerson semi-final stage to University of Limerick last February only to tragically pass away in April.

“We’re not looking too much into that as there’s quite a bit to go but it’s something that’s at the back of our minds all the time,” Marley said. “There’s no point lying about that.”