ALTHOUGH he’s just 20 years of age, defender Dylan Hegarty is one of the experienced players in the Swilly Rovers dressing room.
The likes of Marty McDaid, Laurence Toland and Damien Friel are veterans of the side, but Hegarty comes with plenty of experience in a largely youthful Swilly side that is still searching for its first League win of the season.
On Sunday, the Ramelton men are away to Derry City Reserves in the 4 Lanterns Ulster Senior League.
“We see our’s as a long-term plan,” Hegarty says.
“Gerry (Crossan, Swilly manager) doesn’t come in and expect us to win the League. He wants us to be competitive in games, but we’re realistic.
[adrotate group=”80″]“We have a lot of young lads in the team: The likes of Shaun Crossan and Shay Durning are still 17 and 18, myself and Jordan Toland are only 20 and Ryan Toland is 22.
“The make-up of the squad is young and I think inexperience has cost us. The average age of the squad is very low and that has been a factor so far for us.
“We can be better though. We have switched off and been punished in games recently.”
Swilly drew in the opening League game at Bonagee United and drew with Fanad United and Letterkenny Rovers on consecutive weekends.
However, they conceded seven goals in each of their next two games, both against Cockhill Celic – one in the Intermediate Cup and the other in the League.
“Those games were a big dent for us,” Hegarty says.
“That killed momentum and confidence a bit in us. It was hard to take that, letting in that many goals.
“It hit us going into the Harps game on Sunday, too. If we’d had Harps after those couple of draws, I think it would have been a different story.
[adrotate group=”76″]“We opened up more against Harps. When we drew with Letterkenny and Fanad, we sat it. We might have been bad to watch, but we got results in those games. We should be able to learn from all of that, see where we’re at and improve.”
Swilly have had a change of manager already with Crossan having replaced Aaron Rogan early in the campaign.
Crossan is a coach at underage level at Swilly and also with the Donegal Schoolboys.
Hegarty says: “Gerry has given it all a good lift. He gives 110 per cent. He’s a great coach. He brings a bit of professionalism that was maybe missing. We know the formation, the roles and what’s expected of us now.”
[adrotate group=”46″]Hegarty played twice in the Foyle Cup for Derry City, with the Under-17s and the Under-19s, under John Quigg and Hugh Harkin. The likes of Josh Daniels and Ronan Curtis, now members of the City first-team squad, were team-mates at the time.
Hegarty says: “It was a good experience and the quality was very good. It was different to the USL in a load of ways, but it definitely helped me.
“Against Derry, you don’t know what team you’ll be up against but I’ve never came up against a bad team from Derry. They’ll be young, but they’ll be flying about, passing, moving, they’ll be dangerous.
“Hopefully we can get a win under the belts soon. It’s good to be playing in the USL. There was talk in the summer of Swilly maybe pulling out. It’s competitive, but repetitive in the USL now, but it’s still a good standard and where players want to play.”
RESULTS
Bonagee United 0 Cockhill Celtic 3
Derry City Reserves 2 Fanad United 3
Swilly Rovees 2 Finn Harps Reserves 3
FIXTURES
Four Lanterns Ulster Senior League
Sunday, November 20, 2pm
Derry City Reserves v Swilly Rovers Referee – Packie Coll; assistants – Marty McGarrigle, tbc
Fanad United v Bonagee United Referee – Paul Duddy; assistants – Marty Quinn, Vincent McLoughlin
Tuesday, November 22, 7.30pm
Finn Harps Reserves v Letterkenny Rovers TBC
| USL | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS |
| Cockhill Celtic | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 4 | 14 | 13 |
| Fanad United | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 8 |
| Bonagee United | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 12 | -8 | 7 |
| Derry City Reserves | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 6 |
| Letterkenny Rovers | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 6 |
| Finn Harps Reserves | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 11 | -6 | 3 |
| Swilly Rovers | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 14 | -7 | 3 |
TOP GOALSCORERS (League only)
Cathal Farren (Derry City Reserves) 6
Mark Moran (Cockhill Celtic) 5
Aidan McLaughlin (Bonagee United) 3
Gerard McLaughlin (Cockhill Celtic) 3
Max Karner (Derry City Reserves) 3
Darren McElwaine (Letterkenny Rovers) 3
Tags: