After winning the league title last year, Glenea started this season with a slight conundrum. Anthony McCafferty announced that he wouldn’t be able to commit to the job for the season due to work commitments and the side were forced to find a new manager.
Up stepped Ryan McFadden to take over in a player-manager role for the season. McFadden who is at this stage a stalwart of the club is assisted by Sean Coll, another who has spent his whole career playing for Glenea.
The pair have done an impressive job to date with Glenea currently sitting in second in the league. This Sunday Cappry will travel to Pairc Joe in a battle between two of the leagues tightest defences. McFadden admits he expects nothing easy. “Every game in the Donegal League is tough and Cappry will be no different. We’ll approach it like we do every Sunday, tuned in and ready for battle. The boys are looking forward to to the game.”
Glenea have no fresh injury concerns entering the game something that McFadden hasn’t been able to enjoy much so far this season. “Probably for the first time this all year we’ll have a full squad to select from. Ciaran McGeady is back from suspension and Kevin Mulhern returns after missing out last week with a dose. John McGarvey has signed back from Fanad as well so the squads in good health at this moment in time,” McFadden said.
A win at the weekend would put Glenea five points behind leaders Kildrum and would give the Glasserchoo men a lot of confidence going into the run-in. “There’s no doubt Kildrum are sitting pretty but the Donegal League has never been won in February and I’m sure there’s a few twists and turns to come. It’s up to the chasing pack to keep pace best they can and keep applying pressure,” McFadden admitted.
McFadden captained the side last year and it would’ve been crazy to suggest that the attacker would be the next manager when Glenea defeated Rathmullan 3-0 on the final day of the season. A victory which clinched his side the league. It’s fair to say the young man has took to the job well. “It’s not ideal but it is what it is. The nucleus of squad have been together for several years now. Sean Coll, Kevin Mulhern, John Harley and Lee O’Brien are well used to playing at this level. We all have a good understanding with each other. There’s bags of experience with some nice young players coming through like Kyle McMullan and Nathan O’Brien, it’s a good bunch to work with,” the player-manager concluded.
Cappry have only played one league game since the 19th of November and are without a win in their last two matches. But there is no doubt they will come to Pairc Joe on Sunday with a plan to take all three points. Kick-off is at 2 o’clock with Mick Lagan refereeing what looks to be a tightly contested battle.
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