Donegal dealt Declan Coulter blow ahead of 2024 campaign

Mickey McCann will not have the services of the vastly experienced Declan Coulter as Donegal prepares to defend the Conor McGurk Cup and gets ready for the NHL at the end of next month. 

Coulter (36) has been dogged with niggling injuries throughout 2023 but had no real time to rest following Setanta’s great run through Ulster - a journey that came crashing to a halt against a superb Thomastown side in Pairc Esler on Sunday. 

A disappointed Coulter said after his side’s heavy 6-26 to 1-8 defeat to the brilliant Tipperary side that he was planning to now take a long rest.

However, he’s reassured Donegal supporters he does plan on wearing the county senior hurling jersey once more later on in the season. 

“I intend to sit out the league,” he said. The body needs a rest, and if the option is open, I don’t plan to come back to the county scene until the Nickey Rackard Cup”. 

Setanta’s amazing 2023 came to a grinding halt last weekend and Coulter admitted the Donegal and Ulster champions were simply outclassed on the day. 

“You have to hand it to them. We thought we might hold them at the start but they were flying. 

“Sometimes you have to hold up your hands and say that they were a much slicker, fitter and better hurling team on the day. 

“But we are still proud of our achievements this year and today does not take away in any way from what we have done this year. 

“As a club we can be very proud of ourselves and will wish Thomastown all the best in the final against Castlelyons from Cork.” 

He added: “It’s still been a brilliant year, for us and we have a very small panel of around 20 but still managed to beat teams in Ulster who had up on 30 of a panel. 

“The club can hold its head high as we have played the game in the right spirit and carried ourselves well and we got to a level that nobody thought was possible. 

“I believe we can build on that.”