Donegal League Oscar Traynor squad
By Liam Porter
Kildrum’s Damien Crossan has been ruled out of the Donegal League Oscar Traynor squad ahead of this weekend’s local derby with the Inishowen League on Sunday afternoon.
“Damien has a groin strain and is definitely out for this weekend anyway, we have a few other wee niggles, but while I think everyone else should be okay for the weekend, Damien is definitely ruled out,” Donegal manager Brian Dorrian said this week.
Inishowen travel to Drumoghill for Sunday’s game on the back of a win against Sligo/Leitrim in their opening encounter and the reigning champions will be looking to progress through the group stages at Donegal’s expense.
“Inishowen set the bar high when they reached the final two years ago and they upped it again by winning the competition last year. That said it took a very late goal from them to see us off last year and while I know they have strengthened again, so have we.”
Dorrian believes his Donegal team is better equipped now than they were last year and having won 5-0 on their travels against Cavan/Monaghan, they go into Sunday’s game on the back of an excellent start.
“It took us a while to get settled on the 4G pitch in Cavan, but once we did we were very good value for the 5-0 win. If anything it could have been more. Darren McGeever had a few cleared off the line and Kyle Black had a few chances as well near the end.”
Dorrian will be hoping that the Inishowen defence is as generous to his troops as they were to Sligo/Leitrim on their opening encounter when they shipped four goals, but he knows his team will have to be at their best to keep Diarmuid O’Brien’s men at bay.
“They are normally so good at the back I was surprised to hear that they had conceded four goals, but it just goes to show you the kind of team they are when they can still go up the pitch and score seven and take the points.”
With both teams sitting on three points and the other two teams in the group in action on Saturday night, they will know exactly what’s needed when they take to the pitch.
“We’ll have an eye on the other game, but our focus will be on the game on Sunday. We are better prepared now than this time last year, we trained twice this week and we have a good squad of players available. Hopefully home advantage will tip things in our favour now and we can take all three points on Sunday,” Dorrian concluded.
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere
SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT EDITION TODAY
and get access to our archive editions dating back to 2007(CLICK ON THE TITLE BELOW TO SUBSCRIBE)