Glenswilly's Kealan Dunleavy hoping fine league form carries on into Donegal SFC

Sometimes you have to go back to go forward and Glenswilly’s Kealan Dunleavy said a year in Division 2 of the All-County League was a decent learning curve for his side.

Glenswilly were relegated by Killybegs last season from Division 1 but with a fresh-looking team stormed to success in Division 2 this year, winning all but one of their matches in the regulation campaign before beating Naomh Columba to take the silverware home.

This Saturday they are looking to add to the two points they picked up on Sunday last having opened their Donegal SFC with a useful 2-15 to 0-10 home win over Ardara.

“Getting two points on the board early is important, especially when we’re away from home in the second game at St Naul’s,” Dunleavy said. “We’ve played them a few times and it’s gone either way and we got to see them on Saturday against St Eunan’s and they weren’t too far way. They’ve got good players like Peadar Mogan, Stephen Griffin and Brendan McCole of course.”

Glenswilly got those two points thanks to a fine opening day showing in wintery conditions with Shaun Wogan and teenager Mark Bonner scoring the goals, while Michael Murphy and Gary McFadden chipped over nine points between them, five and four respectively.

“We knew coming into championship Ardara were always going to be tough, especially in the conditions there that weren’t good,” Dunleavy added. “At the start, they threw everything at us and to be fair the lads at the back did well under the high ball, when on another day one of them could’ve ended up in the back of the net. It’s great for Mark to get on there and score a goal on his championship debut and that’ll certainly give him a boost.

"Diivision 2 was hectic enough but it was good for the young bucks who came in and we got some results, whereas in if you’re losing a few games in Division 1 the heads might drop a bit. It was good to get a few results under our belt and to get us ready for this championship. We’re enjoying our football and we’re trying to be free-flowing and that’s what you like to be playing. It’s good to be part of it.”