Conor Gartland to set new record as he's named Donegal hurling captain for 2024

Burt star Conor Gartland will captain Donegal senior hurlers in 2024 manager Mickey McCann has confirmed. 

The 20-year-old is the youngest player ever to captain a Donegal senior team in either hurling or football beating the previous record set by Michael Murphy, who was 21 when Jim McGuinness famously handed him the armband back in 2011.  

Gartland will now lead a new-look Donegal this Sunday as they open their Allianz National Hurling Division 2B campaign away to Wicklow, in Aughrim, throw-in, 12.30pm. 

A combination of non-availability and a number of long and short-term injuries means McCann will field up to six new faces in this opening-day clash with the Garden County.

“I was counting the other night and we are without seven players that went down by two points to Wicklow in last year’s Nickey Rackard final in Croke Park,” said McCann, who is looking forward to his seventh season wearing the senior manager’s bib.    

“Ritchie Ryan, Michael Donoghue and Christy McDermott have dropped out of the squad because they are simply unable to give the commitment.

“We have also been badly hit by injuries. Danny Cullen underwent surgery on a shoulder injury on Saturday, which more or less rules him out for the entire league. 

“Ronan McDermott is still recovering from cruciate surgery so he is also out of the reckoning for the league. Declan Coulter is to have a procedure on a knee injury and Daire Ó Maoileidigh is struggling to shake off a calf injury. Padraig Doherty is also injured and is going to miss the first couple of games.”

Setanta’s Bernard Lafferty and new recruit Cathal O’ Brien, from Offaly, who lined out for St Eunan’s in last year’s Donegal senior championship, are unavailable for the trip to Aughrim. 

Donegal will play five games in the league, three away and two at home. After this weekend's away trip to Wicklow, Donegal also have away encounters against both Tyrone and  Roscommon while they are home to Derry and London. Both of those games are in O’Donnell Park.

And because of the revamping of the Allianz League next season, this year's Division 2B campaign has a different format. 

The top three teams at the end are promoted to a new Division 2 and the remaining three teams are automatically relegated to a new Division 3.

Donegal, beaten Division 2B finalists last season, will be anxious to finish in the top bracket in what is their fourth straight season  in that tier. 

“Yeah, now that we have established ourselves as a Division 2B team the aim this season is to make the top three and play in the new Division 2 next year,” explained McCann.  

“With so many experienced players missing it is going to be a tough challenge. But it is a challenge we are looking forward to and the fact there are so many missing it gives the younger lads a chance to put their hands up. 

“We have blooded a lot of young lads in the last few years. Lads like Ruairi Campbell, Liam McKinney and Conor Gartland so it is their time now to shine and I’m confident they will do”.

Donegal have also been boosted by the return of former Nickey Rackard Cup winning captain Sean McVeigh. The St Eunan’s club man took last season out but he is back and played well in the Conor McGurk Cup. 

Wicklow have only appointed a new hurling manager this week, just days out from Sunday’s opener. Former county hurler John Bosco O’Brien has been handed the reins following the departure of Casey O’ Brien and his management team in recent weeks.