Odhrán Mac Niallais not returning to Donegal fold for New Year

Donegal will not be having the services of star forward Odhrán Mac Niallais as they lock horns with Monaghan in Sunday’s Dr McKenna Cup opener in Ballybofey.
And the gifted Gaoth Dobhair player will not be available for the NFL either, which means Declan Bonner and Donegal will have to plan without the talented player.
By any standards, this is a blow to Tir Chonaill for whom MacNiallais has been consistently outstanding over the past few years
And he showed glimpses of his greatness in the marathon county final affair between Naomh Conaill and his native Gaoth Dobhair.
This unwelcome news comes after it was confirmed before Christmas that promising forward Oisin Gallen is out injured for the next few months while towering midfielder Jason McGee looks likely to miss the entire NFL which begins at the end of the month.
Veteran Paddy McGrath will not play any part in the league either.
On a brighter note star forward Patrick McBrearty looks set to be available by the end of the month when he is due to come back from the States.
And flying wing back Eoghan Bán Gallagher has finished his rehab and is back doing “light training.”
“Eoghan Bán has worked very hard to get back and he is working with the strength and conditioning sector.”
Bonner confirmed the unavailability of MacNiallais saying he would “not be available for the Dr McKenna Cup or the NFL”.
But the team boss has brought in another raft of youngsters who will be very keen to grab starting slots for the visit of Banty McEneaney’s Monaghan.
Conor O’Donnell and Aaron Deeney of St Eunan’s and Jeaic MacCeallbhui and Ethan O’Donnell from Naomh Conaill along with Andrew McClean are among the first timers looking for game time.
And Bonner agreed that it would be a pretty youthful selection to take on Monaghan
“Yes those lads would be in the running to start but we still have to look at what’s coming down the line for the League," said Bonner.