IT’S FAIR TO say that times have been testing for John McNulty and the Kilcar Under-21s since they booked their spot in the county final on November 14th.
It’s eight weeks ago now since Kilcar defeated Ardara 2-7 to 1-3 in Glencolmcille to reach their third Donegal Under-21 final in a row.
After St Eunan’s semi-final with Aodh Ruadh took until the fourth attempt to be played, the final has been called off twice in the last three weeks, but will go ahead at Sean MacCumhaill Park this evening (throw-in 8.15pm).
“Ach, we’re just glad it’s going to get played at this stage, but it really doesn’t suit great this week,” says the Kilcar manager, McNulty.
Two of his leading players, Stephen McBrearty and Eoin McHugh, are sitting exams at IT Sligo today and have another exam scheduled for tomorrow.
“How is that fair?” McNulty wonders.
“Say, if we win the final, they’ll just have to leave straight away. But anyway, whether we win or lose, there’s the fact that they’re humans and are in the middle of important exams here at the moment.
“I’m sure St Eunan’s are the same. It’s not fair on these boys. We also have another four boys in doing exams as well.”
Jason Campbell, Eoghan O’Donnell, Jordan Mooney and the goalkeeper, Michael Cunningham, are also in the middle of exams and there have been other distractions, too.
Ryan McHugh is playing for Ulster University, Jordanstown in the Dr McKenna Cup, while also training with the Donegal seniors; Stephen McBrearty and Eoin McHugh are with the Donegal seniors and there are others involved with the Donegal Under-21 and minor panels.
“It’s a hectic time of the year,” McNulty says. “From that point of view, it would have been good to get this game done and dusted before now. It hasn’t been easy lately.
“It’s disappointing because the competition has kind of been diluted. From that day in Glen that we beat Ardara, you’ve got to ask why it has taken until now to play the final.
“I know the weather has been bad, but there would have been pitches playable for that other semi-final and for the final.
“I’ve just been so frustrated with it.”
Long-term injury victims Martin Byrne and Christopher Cunningham have played no part in the campaign so far and won’t be involved in the final either as Kilcar chase the title they relinquished against St Eunan’s in 2014.
“This is a very important competition,” McNulty says.
“That 18 to 21 age group is very important. It’s vital that we keep the players in their clubs at that age. They’re what I’d call ‘the danger years’, if you like. It’s so important that they play with their clubs in those years – it’s like an incentive for them to go back.
“Maybe if there was no under-21 competition and they were only playing reserve football there’d be more likelihood of them saying: ‘I’ll not bother’.
“Also, the experience of being in a county final and trying to win it is something that will really stand to the players in the future. The winning mentality is something you can’t bottle so you have to make the most of it when it comes.”
Kilcar are coming with a good production line of late. McBrearty and the McHughs are the obvious stellar names, but there are others: Aodhán McGinley has played for the county minors; Andrew McClean and Conor Doherty were on the Donegal minor squad in 2014 and are now with the Under-21s; and Daniel Lyons is training with the Donegal minors at the moment.
“What I look forward to is these boys producing their best performances,” McNulty says.
“They all have superb quality. Them playing at their best is great to see. That’s what I hope to see in the final.”
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