Pauric Bonner says Killybegs content to get on with it without big hitters  

Pauric Bonner says Killybegs’ main aim this term is to make the jump back to Division 1 of the All-County League. 

The Dungloe man helped steer the Fishermen to a 2-8 to 1-6 opening day win away to Red Hughs last Saturday. 

Bonner - who previously bossed Glenswilly - has already made peace that he’ll be without county men Hugh McFadden, Eoghan Ban Gallagher and, possibly, Evan Broderick, for a large chunk of the league campaign. 

However, he says the aim is to still make an immediate return to the top tier and if they fall short of that ambition, there’ll be no excuses. 

 “It’s wide open,” he said on what looks like an extremely claustrophobic Division 2 landscape. 

“Sides will take points off each other. Teams will be missing county players, ourselves included, so you just wouldn’t know how it’ll pan out. 

“But we’ll get on with it. We have a really hungry squad and we won’t be worrying about who we have or don’t have. Others will get a chance because of that.

“We’re getting fitter and stronger. And with more light in the evenings now to work together, we’ll only get better”.

Next up for Killybegs is a home clash with Cloughaneely this coming weekend. The visitors to Fintra lost to Dungloe, 2-12 to 1-7, first time out so Killybegs will be hoping to make it two from two there. 

“We haven’t been together that long as a squad. It’s six or seven weeks since I came on board so I’m only getting to know the lads, really. 

“We haven’t had a lot of time to work on things. We kept things narrow against Red Hughs and we felt up top we’d have enough to win the game. That’s the way it turned out so we’re happy with how it went.  

“We’re looking forward to Cloughaneely now, at home, next weekend. We want to aim for promotion and to do that you need to be winning your home games”.