‘Competitive’ Dunlewey hoping for some luck

BY RYAN FERRY

DANIEL Cannon is pleased that his Dunlewey Celtic side are proving more competitive this season but feels his team should have more to show for their efforts so far.

Dunlewey were relegated from the Old Orchard Inn Saturday Division Two league last year, but have been holding their own in the Finn Travel Division 3 this term under the guidance of Daniel and Christopher Cannon.

They have only five points from six games but have lost three games by the odd goal and drawn two so Cannon feels they could stay in the mix in the top half of the table if the rub of the green starts to fall their way.

“When myself and Christopher took on the team at the start of the year, the main target was to try and be competitive.

“There’s no point in going out and getting beat 5-0 or 6-0.

“At least if we’re competitive we can go out and enjoy the game

“This year we have been very competitive but haven’t got the points we would have liked.

“We lost to Ballybofey and it could have gone either way, drew with Convoy, and then beat Drumkeen 3-0 which was a good result for us.

“We went up to Cappry and were 2-0 down and got back to 2-2, and they went on to win 4-3.

“We drew 2-2 with Castlefin, and then Milford last week were very strong at the start.

“We came back into it and pulled two goals back and had maybe one chance to level it.

“We’re being competitive which is the main thing. If we had a wee bit more luck we could have a few more points on the board.

“The luck will come but our next three games are important just to make sure you can keep the motivation there.”

Veterans such as Brendan McGeady, Daniel Coll, and Shaun McCafferty are still providing great service to the club and give their all for the Glentornan Park residents.

Cannon said: “It’s hard enough to get numbers.

“We have a lot of teams around us like Gweedore Celtic, Glenea, Gweedore United and Keadue.

“It’s really an ageing team that we have. We have a lot of boys who are pushing forty. There’s five or six fellas that were playing when we were in the Premier Division and they are still probably the main nucleus of the team.

“We need more young fellas coming through, and have a few in this year.

“Seosamh Ó Dubhcáin has come in and Cian Gallagher has joined from Gweedore United, and he has four or five goals already.

“There are another few young lads, and we will be getting Eamon Collum, Daniel Roarty and Fearghal Delaney back now that the gaelic is over and they are important for us.

“The numbers were short for the last few years and we were barely fielding some weeks.

“We need to try and keep the club going because it would be a real shame to lose it, even from a social aspect and mental health.

“It’s good to get out for a wee run and have a bit of banter with the boys especially with everything that’s going on these days.”

Drumoghill Reserves have had a decent start to the league and are four points ahead of Dunlewey.

However, it should be a well-balanced clash when they go toe-to-toe at the Moss on Saturday (kick-off, 1pm).

“We’re probably starting too late in games.

“We don’t switch on until half-an-hour in.

“We have found ourselves two goals down in some of those games.

“If we could get out of the blocks early and nick one or two ourselves.

“The Moss isn’t an easy place to go. We have had many a battle with Drumoghil and they are a tough team to play against.”