Mulligan and Dungloe hurlers aim to continue ‘fairytale’

They say good managers get their teams to play in the image of their own personality.

Well, if that is true, then youthful Dungloe hurlers are matching the passion and sheer desire of their boss Ronan Mulligan, on the hurling field of Donegal.

Mulligan is in his second year in charge after leading his young charges to a Donegal JHC final in a “fairytale” final where, despite a heroic effort, they just lost out to a more experienced Carndonagh.

On Saturday, they lock horns with 2019 champions Aodh Ruadh, a tie that Mulligan admits could be a “feisty affair”.

“The two best teams are in the final and we already had two fairly tight tussles and it should be a feisty final,” Mulligan said. “And you could have a cracker”

Last year was a bit of fairytale stuff for us in the club’s very first year and the lads were very inexperienced, but we still put up a great show after a bad start against a much more experienced Carndonagh side.

“That was a lesson in experience, but we left ourselves a lot to do after he had a poor opening 15 minutes,” Mulligan said. “We were just not able to get those vital scores in the end”

Twelve months on, they are older, stronger wiser and the junior hurling league in Donegal has “certainly helped to develop these lads skills”.

Mulligan said: “We have more games and that helps to gain experience, but we are still a very young team. Aodh Ruadh are much more experienced, but we will just go out and give it a real go”.

“The Rooney brothers Oisin and Senan of course, will be a real threat to us and we need to be able to deal with that threat.But we will be setting up to win the game, but Ballyshannon has experience all over the field.

“They are well seasoned, but our fitness is good as well. But, on the day, it is not all about speed. It comes down to who wants it badly enough, hunger and desire are powerful motivators.

“There is a great buzz among the boys and around the town and they are very focused on doing the business on Saturday. And hopefully we will get the breaks”.

And Mulligan agrees that Ritchie Ryan is something special.

“Any team would be glad to have him and is a great ambassador,” Mulligan added. “He is a great example and bench mark for the boys”.

Dungloe also have Thomas and James Hartnett, Odhran McGonagle, the jinking Sean McGee and Brendan Boyle to boost their efforts.