‘It is very difficult to pick a first 15’  says Gaoth Dobhair Reserve manager Ivers

Most managers of club reserve teams are just happy to have 15 players but for Gaoth Dobhair Reserve boss, Donal Ivers, it is a major task picking a first 15, such is the talent at his disposal.

Ivers will manage the Gaeltacht club in the Senior B decider on Sunday when they take on Aodh Ruadh in MacCumhaill Park in the curtain raiser to the senior final.

Donal captained Gaoth Dobhair all the way through at underage but he moved to Dublin and fell out of football and is now working as a Civil servant. 

He took the Reserves four years ago and is the current club secretary so it is a very busy schedule. 

Donal has a very youthful side, who are backboned by the U-21 county champions of last year and also have the force of nature that is Kevin Cassidy. 

“The average age is 22 and ‘Cass’ is the only man bringing up that average. 

“But one thing I will say about ‘Cass’ is that you can get a lot of players who finish up at senior football and then do not support the young fellows coming through. 

“But we have ‘Cass’ now and he brings some experience to that dressing room and “the fire is still in the belly and  he wants to win.” 

Donal is also hoping that the senior experience gained last year by Eoin De Búrca and Fionnan Coyle, who went to the US and won a championship with Boston, and now they are back and giving Gaoth Dobhair a great boost. 

“Danny Curran got injured during the season but is back playing Reserve now.” 

“We were beaten in the final by a senior team from Mayo in the Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta competition and that was a good boost as we learned a lot from it.” 

There is a fantastic atmosphere in the parish these days. 

“There are people ringing you up looking to put up flags outside their houses. 

“It is great and it is good for the young lads and it shows where Gaoth Dobhair are at the moment and we have a good mix between youth and experience. 

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“It is evident that we will be here for the next ten years at least and I can see this first 15 in the Reserves going on to play senior football, the talent is that good. 

“We won last year’s U-21 championship and there are only three players from that panel who are overage this year and they are favoured to take another title this year. 

“Both squads train together and the competition for jerseys there is crazy. 

“It is a great time for football in Gaoth Dobhair and owing to the quality and the numbers, it will be very difficult to pick a first 15. 

“So it must be a real headache for Ronan (MacNiallais, senior team manager).” 

On Sunday, they face an Aodh Ruadh side who have been impressive in their march to the final, although Gaoth Dobhair beat them fairly well in an earlier round.

"That won't count for much on Sunday and they still have Michael ‘Sticky’ Ward (46), who is still a great forward.

"We know we are facing a tough test, but it is one we are looking forward to."

Ivers has plenty of connections in the south of the county as his grandfather, Jim Ivers, came to live in Bundoran in the late 1960s and had a family of fifteen with eleven girls and four boys. 

“My grandfather was from Cork originally, moved to Howth to work and then moved to Bundoran and some of the family are still living in Bundoran. 

“He was also the former Director General of the Law Society of Ireland. 

“By coincidence, Donal’s father is also Jim and he has been living in Gaoth Dobhair for many years and he married Mary Woods from Gaoth Dobhair.”