Gweedore Celtic aiming for topflight return - Tomás Diver

Tomás Diver says Gweedore Celtic want to ply their trade back in the Donegal Junior League Premier Division. 

The side slipped through the relegation trapdoor back in 2018 and their experienced attacker admits their struggles to bounce back since have been frustrating ones. 

However, having just passed the midpoint in the Domestic Appliances Division 1, the Donegal League’s second tier, Diver and his teammates currently sit joint top with Swilly Rovers on 25 points apiece. 

Rovers do, however, have a game in hand on their title rivals so Diver knows they have to keep the pressure on away to Letterkenny Rovers on Sunday.   

“We’re really happy with how it’s been going,” said Diver. “For us, at this moment, promotion remains the big target. So we’re just looking to maintain the kind of consistency we’ve been showing so far. 

“We had Letterkenny Rovers at home in the first game of the season and they turned us over with a last minute goal. They also had our number in the cup. They’re a young, energetic outfit that has some really good quality. 

“It was a disappointing opening to our league season, that loss. But to be fair to all the lads, since then, we’ve really knuckled down. The numbers have been excellent at training and I suppose when you’re picking up points and in contention at the right end, it’s that little bit easier to keep the interest in it.

“Odhran MacNiallais has committed for the season and he’s brought serious quality to the thing. We’ve a few older lads like myself knitted in between some really good young fellas. It’s a nice blend”.  

Paul ‘Rua’ McBride’s men go into the weekend’s clash unbeaten in the league since that opening day defeat and off the back of a 5-0 drubbing of Letterbarrow Rovers - a game in which Diver netted his team’s entire quota on the day. Letterkenny Rovers currently sit in fifth place, seven points off the pace currently being set at the top. 

But Diver says Rovers have the quality to trouble anyone on their day and it’s a game they simply cannot afford to not be at their best in. 

“Like I said, they already have wins over us in the league and the cup. And they have a group of young lads that I’m sure want to impress and progress onto Ulster Senior League level with their club. 

“They’re on their own patch and with those results picked up against us earlier in the season, they’ll see Sunday’s game as a real chance to close the gap themselves on what’s above them”. 

Diver, at 39 now, continues to lead the line in impressive fashion for his club. Having hit Letterbarrow for five last time out, he modestly says that was just one of those rare days when everything seemed to just land his way. 

“That isn’t a regular occurrence, believe me!  It was one of those Sundays when everything fell my way. Days like that don’t come around too often so I’ll take it!