Doherty confident Convoy Arsenal have the quality to stay in Division One

Convoy Arsenal’s return to Division One has begun in a challenging manner, but boss Johnny Doherty is content that they have enough to stay up.

The Orchard Park side had a real battle with Kerrykeel ‘71 last season for the Division Two title, as they were overtaken on the last day with a 2-1 defeat in Rabs Park.

“Promotion back to Division One was always our aim from the start of the season and when we had our team assembled, we would have been disappointed not to get promoted with what we had.

“It was obviously disappointing not to win it because we went down to the third last game still unbeaten, and when you get that far unbeaten without winning a league, you almost wonder how it’s possible.

“But we have to take the positive, and promotion was that.”

Given Kerrykeel are sitting top on 19 points, with Convoy on four from seven games, it shows there is little between a lot of the teams in the second tier.

A win on the opening day against Gweedore Celtic gave them a good start, but they have since drawn with Ballybofey United and lost their other five games.

“So far, we’ve played seven, and there are probably two games we know we deserve nothing from.

“The other five games, we won one and drew one, and the other three we probably could have got something out of.

“We were playing well enough, but even just half mistakes we were getting punished for, but that’s what happens when you go up a division, the margin of error becomes smaller, and the boys are seeing that now.

“But last year we had a settled team from the start of the season, and the balance was good, and the team nearly picked itself.

“So far this year, there have always been two or three missing and a different couple the next week.

“But in recent weeks, we have been getting boys back, and I’d be positive. I’ve seen enough there in certain games, and I think we have enough quality to stay in the division.

“There haven’t been too many ins or outs, but different reasons we’ve and it’s frustrating because when you’re in games, you’re thinking ‘how did we not get something out of that’. 

“It has been frustrating because I don’t think there is a lot between the teams in this division so far.

“I don’t think there is a team that are way better than us, and on their day, any team can beat each other.

“Kerrykeel have had a great start, and I’m sure Hughie (Walsh) is delighted with how they’ve started.

“The two of us pushed each other the whole way last year so I don’t see why we can’t start getting points on the board like they have.”

Convoy have a real mix in their squad this year, with a large proportion of the side being made up of Under-21s.

But they have experience in the likes of Luke Kelly, John A Kee, Lee Smyth, Darren Harvey, and Calvin Bradley, all leading by example.

But Doherty has been trying to push the youth into the side in the past couple of years, helped by the addition of a Saturday team this year in Division Three.

“There are a lot of young boys in the squad, and last year we probably used ten or eleven teenagers through the season. From the start, that was the whole plan to get as many young boys on board as possible, and last year was the time for that.

“It sends a message to the younger lads, then at Under-18 and 16, that if they’re good enough, then they’ll get to play.

“We have a Saturday team this year as well, and Luke Harkin is looking after that, and we’re working closely together.

“He’s using a lot of boys aged 16 or 17, and it’s a great pathway for them to move to Sunday football then.

“We didn’t have an under-18 team for a couple of years until two seasons ago, but we’ve had two good teams, and the 16s coming through are going well.

“So our thinking is with all these boys, and you can only name 20 on a Sunday, and if they aren’t getting the football, then they might have went somewhere else, and you might never get them back.

“So keeping them and having the Saturday team is big for the younger lads to get that experience of senior football.

“Already, there are a few players who have stepped up from Saturday to help us out.”

Convoy face Gweedore United in the league this Sunday, with the visitors coming to Orchard Park sitting bottom of the league.

A defeat could move Convoy to the bottom of the league after eight games, but Doherty feels that they have the ability to stay up, and Sunday will be an important match in proving that.

“I made no bones about it, any team coming up a division, you have to be realistic, and the main thing is trying to stay in the division, and if that happens, then you can try and build on it.

“But I think any team that goes up, the main focus is staying up, and from day dot we are hoping to stay in the league and build on that.

“Going down would be disappointing because I think we have enough quality to stay in Division 1.

“We have enough youth that going forward, it’ll only get better, and we can improve and learn from it, and next year, they’d hopefully know more about what the league is.

“Looking at the table, it almost looks like a six pointer. Gweedore, I’m sure, were affected by the Gaelic, and when you get off to a bad start, it’s hard to get the momentum going. We played them two years ago, and they were a very good team, and I’m sure they still have very good players.

“They’re probably thinking they have plenty of time to turn it around as well, the same as ourselves.”