The U-20 Development League will leave Donegal in good stead - McGroddy

Johnny McGroddy had a hectic end to 2021 and it certainly hasn’t slacked off in the first couple of months of the new year.

Between college football and Donegal U’20s preparation for their tilt at an Ulster championship, the young Downings star hasn't had a chance to catch his breath since the turn of the year. But he is enjoying every minute of it.

The second year student at Dublin City University was a central figure in Downings’ great championship campaign last season - a campaign that included a Donegal Junior A championship and a run to the Ulster Junior final.

And once Downings signed off it was straight into college football with DCU followed by a call from Donegal U-20 manager Gary Duffy.

This is McGroddy’s third season in the U-20 squad having initially been drafted into the squad back in 2020 by Shaun Paul Barrett, who was then manager.

“I didn’t play in the Sigerson because Downings were going right up to Christmas. But I did play for the second team in DCU and we won the Division Two championship,” said McGroddy.

In all, six of this season’s Donegal panel are Dublin based and they meet up to train once a week in the capital.
Ryan McShane, Drew McKinney, Conor Coyle, Senan Rooney and Donal McBride are the other Dublin based members of the U-20 squad.

“We all train every Tuesday night in Abbotstown,” McGroddy said. “Shane O’Donnell and Oisin Gallen train along with us. We train at home with the rest of the squad on Friday night.”

Donegal have shown good form and won their two opening games in the Leo Murphy Cup, U-20 Development League.
McGroddy leads the attack in the number 11 shirt and is playing well. He is one of the team's main marksmen. He scored seven points in the 3-14 to 0-6 first round win over Derry in Celtic Park. And he posted 0-6 last Saturday in windy conditions against Roscommon at O’Rourke Park in Castlerea in Donegal’s 2-9 to 0-11 win.

“It has gone well so far for us,” McGroddy added. “It is a good league and we are playing against good quality opposition and the real good thing about it is that it gives management the chance to try out players and to build a squad.

“You need a big squad because the game demands a big squad if you are to be competitive in the championship. We feel we have a good squad. The bulk of the team is there from last year and this is my third year. It is all about getting the combinations right and you can do that by playing competitive games.”

Donegal wrap up the group stages of the league when they host Mayo on Saturday afternoon. In their first two outings, Mayo beat Roscommon 1-12 to 1-9 then lost out against Derry 1-9 to 0-11 at the Loup.
Donegal are the only team with two wins from two games and are in pole position to claim the number one spot and a place in the Leo Murphy Cup final.
“We want to win to maintain the momentum we have built in the wins over Derry and Roscommon and also because it will guarantee us an extra competitive game ahead of the first round of the championship against Armagh,” McGroddy concluded.