Luke White says Donegal’s destiny firmly in their own hands

Stopper Luke White insists that Donegal’s qualification for this year’s Nickey Rackard Senior Hurling Championship decider is very much within their own control.

The Carndonagh club man and former St Martin’s, Wexford player says Donegal are within touching distance of a place in this season's final going into the last two games in the group stages of the championship.

“We’re in a good position,” said White - a Leinster minor and U-21 championship-winner with his native Wexford.

Donegal have so far seen off the challenges of Armagh, Mayo and Monaghan in their three opening games in the championship.

This weekend’s opposition, Roscommon away, are also unbeaten following wins over Louth, Monaghan and Armagh and are themselves chasing one of the two final places on offer at the end of the league format of the competition. 

“Roscommon is a good side - we played them earlier this year in the league. They’ll wrap up their league campaign away to Mayo in their last game. 

“We know what we have to do against Roscommon and that is go down there and win. 

“If we do that we are through to the final without having to get anything from the last game against Louth”. 

There are a number of possible final pairings with Donegal, Roscommon and Mayo all still in the hunt. 

But this weekend's fourth round of games has the potential to go a long way in determining the final pairing. 

As well as Donegal facing Roscommon the other big game in the championship this weekend is the meeting of Armagh and Mayo, in the Box-It Athletic Grounds.

A Mayo win would set them up for a ‘winner takes all’ final group game with Roscommon, in Castlebar, next weekend.

A negative result in Roscommon means White and company will have to do the business against Louth, the following weekend. 

The Wee County have lost their three games so far in the championship and they play Monaghan this Saturday.

White is in his fourth season with Donegal and is already a Nickey Rackard and Division 2B League winner with his adopted county. 

He joined Donegal the year after he moved to the county to take up a teaching post at Carndonagh Community School.

“Mickey McCann rang me the first year I was in the county and I joined the Donegal panel but continued to play with my club back in Wexford.

“We had a good club team at home at the time. We won the championship the year before for the second time in three years.

“It was a big decision at the time but travelling up and down for games at weekends and playing with Donegal was too much. 

“I joined Carndonagh and obviously it is on a different level. I had played all my hurling up until then in goals and had won the two championships playing in goals. 

“I also played underage both at minor and U-21, in goals, for Wexford but I began to play outfield for Carndonagh and I loved it. 

“Obviously, it was a different hurling scene in Donegal compared to .

Wexford.

“It is a different standard up here and there are less clubs playing the game for a start.

“But there are a number of really good clubs in the county. And they all have good people that have a great love and passion for the game. 

“They are working very hard to improve the standard of hurling in their clubs and the county and that’s really encouraging. 

“I’ve been lucky enough to have won a Nickey Rackard Championship and a Division 2B League title since I came on board.

“I played in two U-21 finals with Wexford but lost both to good Limerick and Clare teams at the time that are now actually backboning both those senior teams.

“I also won a Leinster minor with Wexford but we were beaten in the All-Ireland quarter-final by Clare “ 

Donegal are already looking forward to playing Division 2 hurling next season - the highest level the county has ever operated at in the league.

And while White accepts that is a big step up, it is a challenge he is already looking forward to. 

“I’ve seen the young lads like Liam McKinney, Conor Gartland, Oisin Grant and Stephen McBride come through and they have been excellent so far. 

“And there are plenty of more young fellas coming up behind that crop. You see them when you play club hurling so the future looks bright.  

“Facing the likes of Kerry and Kildare next year, we know it is a big step up and we have a lot of work to do to get up to that level.”