Dual players returning a huge boost for newly promoted Kerrykeel ‘71

Kerrykeel ‘71 are one of the many teams in the Donegal Junior League that are badly impacted by the crossover with the GAA, but manager Hughie Walsh is glad to get those players back ahead of their second league game.

The Rab’s Park men began their first season back in the TDA Division One a week late as they lost 3-2 to Cappry Rovers, despite taking the lead.

“We had asked for a free week on the first week because the Gaelic was still on and we were under pressure to get the boys out.

“Teams like us are struggling all the time with dual players.

“We were missing nine players on Sunday, and we had no goalkeeper and got two injuries, Marty McAteer did his hamstring after half an hour and played on and could hardly walk, but we did alright.

“It’s a big step up to Division One, but I think we’re more than capable, and we should be able to pick from a full team this weekend.

“We retained everyone from last year, and we signed Darragh Doherty from Fanad and Brian Gallagher.

“Then Davitt Walsh signed last week. He said he wanted to finish playing with his hometown club, and he’s a great man to get in, so that gives us a bit of firepower up front.

“There will be competition for places this weekend now because the boys played very well at the weekend, and the boys coming back will have to wait their turn.”

Walsh’s men won the Division Two title last year on the final day, leapfrogging Convoy Arsenal by beating them 2-1.

“At the start of last season, the aim was promotion. We got lucky that we started off fresh, and we won our first five league games.

“We had a great season. We were working off a squad of 22, and everyone played their part.

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“The boys were on holiday at the start of the season, and they had to wait four or five games to get back into the team. We won every game until we drew with Convoy before Christmas.

“They dug deep and only lost two games to Letterbarrow and Whitestrand.

“Convoy were also flying, and it built up to a last day shootout in Kerrykeel.

“Marty McAteer led the way, and we’d be training in minus five degrees during the winter, but he always made sure we’d be out training when other teams might have postponed and that dedication helped us.”

With nine teams in the Premier Division after Lagan Harps pulled out of the league, while Dunfanaghy Youths are the eleventh team in Division Two, it leaves an imbalance between all three leagues.

It means that two teams will go up automatically, with one team in the promotion play-off.

“But only the bottom team will be relegated to Division Two, with the second bottom team going into the relegation play-off.

“I think Division One this year is going to be a really hard league. I can’t see there being a runaway team, and I think any team will be capable of taking points off of anybody.

“If you can get off to a good start and first of all stay in the division, which is the main aim, but there could be a chance for any team to go up, there are no bad teams that you think you should be beating, and every game is going to be competitive.

“You have a good chance of staying up, but it will be tough, teams will go into the season thinking there is a chance to go up.”

Kerrykeel host Gweedore United in Rab’s Park this weekend for their first home game.

The side is managed by Paul McGee this year, who have been beaten by Milford United and Castlefin Celtic in their opening two games.

“It’s probably the only time a clash with the Gaelic season will be on our side. Gweedore United have the same problem as us. If Gaeil Fhánada seniors were out last weekend, then we probably wouldn’t have been able to field.

“I feel sorry for Gweedore because they have the seniors and reserves in the final, and it’s tough going for them. I’m sure they’ll come out of it as they always do and they’ll still be strong on Sunday.”