Carr and Mogan to speak - and Shane and Ethan O'Donnell not part of injury-hit panel

With a number of absentees for their Allianz League Division 1 opener against Kerry on Sunday already confirmed, Donegal manager Paddy Carr will talk to Peadar Mogan before the weekend.

Mogan has relocated to Liverpool and is teacher training at John Moore University, although is very much part of the manager’s plans.

“We’re dealing with this separately,” Carr said of the St Naul’s clubman in comparison to the list of injuries. “It’s because of the logistics. He's a very committed guy and we’re due to speak this week.”

Carr confirmed that Michael Langan, Ciaran Thompson and Oisin Gallen will not feature through injury on Sunday at least and that Shaun Patton is not a guaranteed starter, either. Shane O’Donnell - for now - is not part of the panel, nor is Ethan O’Donnell.

“We’re not going to be a full deck,” Carr said at the Donegal GAA Centre of Sunday’s match. “We’ve a number of lads out long-term. Without going into the nature of the injuries, Ciaran is the only one who has picked up a ‘new’ injury but the absence will be weeks and not months.

“Michael Langan and Oisin Gallen were injuries carried into the new year, from late last year but they too should be back in the coming weeks. There are question marks over two or three others but we will make that call after training on Wednesday night. As for Shaun Patton, we’re not sure. I can't predict he will be right for Sunday. I’ll be up till the 11th hour.

“It would be foolhardy to push these lads back into games. We can't put lads into positions where they might break down. We would like to see the squad get stronger the longer we go through the league.

“As for Shane, he has made the decision not to commit for now. We respect his reasons. He’s playing in the Sigerson Cup with DCU at the minute. Ethan has informed us he wants to travel. We are noticing the quantity of lads who want to commit. Our imminent opponents have similar situations. Some will be disappointed they didn't make the panel.”

Paul Brennan, who broke an ankle, is a long-term absentee and Odhran McFadden Ferry is currently recovering from an ACL injury. To date, Donegal have lined out twice under the new management team, both in the Dr McKenna Cup. They lost out 2-14 to 1-10 against Down in Newry, with nine debutants featuring and then five more first-timers featured as Monaghan ran out winners on a 0-15 to 2-7 scoreline in Ballybofey.

“The McKenna Cup is about looking at individual performances more than the team,” Carr said of the two outings to date in a very busy month of January with pre-season inter-county competitions, Sigerson Cup and the spillover of the U-21A Championship.

“If you ask anyone, the overload is really tricky, we have had to rejig at the 11th hour due to factors outside of our control - like ATU Donegal last week with postponements due to weather - and that. We didn;t get any outdoor activity done, that’s not to say we didn’ do anything. The reality is this is the only time of year winter-county teams can give new players a chance.”