Bank of Ireland McKenna Cup Section A Round 2: Donegal v Monaghan (Sunday, Ballybofey, 2pm)
IT’S hard to know exactly what type of team Donegal manager Declan Bonner will send out for tomorrow’s Dr McKenna Cup clash with Monaghan in Ballybofey, but the safe money would be on an experimental one.
The Tir Chonaill manager has favoured a youthful approach for the competition and there is little to suggest that the policy will be altered too much for the visit of Seamus McEnaney’s side.
One man not expected to feature is veteran defender Neil McGee but the player himself has said that “the body is good,” so maybe he could get a few minutes before the competition draws to a close.
“Enjoyed might be stretching it a bit because you have to get over Christmas,” was McGee’s reply when asked did he enjoy playing McKenna Cup football. He did, however, say that he is fully focused on giving it another lash after the unfinished business from last year when Mayo ended Donegal’s season on a rainy night in Castlebar.
Monaghan, under the second coming of ‘Banty’, will be keen to build on their win over Derry last weekend. The manager gave plenty of game-time to new faces but there was still room for the likes of Rory Beggan, Colin Walshe, Ryan Wylie, Darren Hughes and Conor McCarthy.
The home side are likely to be trailing when it comes to experience. Aaron Deeney, Conor O’Donnell, Brian O’Donnell, Andrew McClean, Ciaran Diver, Jeaic MacCeallbhui, Enda McCormick and Ethan O’Donnell are some of the new boys who will be hoping for some game-time.
And Cian Mulligan, Conor Morrison, Eoghan McGettigan, Michael Carroll and Tony McClenaghan are all back as well, making this a pretty youthful Dr McKenna Cup squad for Donegal.
“We played against Roscommon and beat them but I would not read too much into it as it was just a matter of getting a wee bit of football,” McGee said of the pre-season preparations.
“All I am doing this stage is just doing a bit of running and trying to get up to the fitness levels and hopefully I will get into proper training over the next few weeks.
“I don’t think I will be playing Sunday and all I am doing at the minute is a bit of running.”
And while McGee says the addition of some exciting new talent is welcome, the big thing is seeing how the players who were introduced last year are developing.
“The Michael Langans, Jason McGees and Oisin Langans, although the latter two boys are out injured, their development will be crucial this year.
“And we have new lads and even if one or two come through in the League it would be good, but a lot of boys have to bide their time and wait.
“The Dr McKenna Cup is really for these new lads and the boys that get their chance and take it will be improving. It is a chance for them to show what they can do and push for a spot in the League.”
It’s a tough opening fixture for Donegal, even with home advantage.
“Monaghan are always hard to beat, no matter what you play them in and ‘Banty’ will bring loads of enthusiasm and drive with him,” McGee continued.
“They are on a new path but have the Hughes brothers, the Wylies and Conor McManus to drive them, although you would expect some younger fresh faces as well.
“There will be a lot of pride at stake to do well and it will be more intense this year as there are no college teams. There will be no dummy teams, and everyone will want to win.
“It is really for young lads and if you play a few good games in the McKenna Cup then the manager can’t really leave you out for the League, which is coming very quickly against Mayo at the end of the month.
“With the League coming so quick, these Dr McKenna Cup games are ideal and you need to hit the ground running for our first match against Mayo.”
McGee may not feature in the McKenna Cup but Tir Chonaill fans would have been relieved to hear that he had signed up for another season.
“Well the body feels good and I sat down with Declan and I did not see any reason to step away and I was happy enough where I was at and with how the club championship went.
“It is at the end of the year that you target but Mayo ended it for us in a do or die game and we lost it.
“Our target is to go one better this year, the first one is to win Ulster, get out of the Super 8s and take it from there.”
