BY RYAN FERRY

GWEEDORE Celtic player-manager Michael McKelvey feels his side can be in the promotion picture in Division One, as long as they can make a reasonable fist of the first few weeks.

With the GAA Championship in full swing, the boys from An Screaban won’t be at full tilt for a few weeks.

They dropped down from the top tier after losing a play-off last year to Lagan.

However, there is a steady conveyor-belt of talent coming through which should make them a formidable outfit.

“We were disappointed to go down because it was in our own hands for a couple of weeks and then we kind of lost it,” said goalkeeper McKelvey, who takes over from Paul McBride.

“As most people know, especially in our side of the county, gaelic is going on so for the first five or six games, we’re probably going to be tight on numbers. We’re just going to try and be competitive and we will be hoping to be in the running for promotion come the end of the year. We have a very young team. We were out against Keadue a few weeks ago and our average age was very, very low.

“We had a lot of youth players out there and that’s the way it will be for the next few games.There’s two or three players coming through every year but it’s just that inexperience. We have quality coming through like Joey Coll, Tadhg Ó Baoill and Peter Carragher and we will need everyone.”

Conor Duggan and Ryan Greene won’t be involved this season but Odhrán Mac Niallais will provide some flair in attack.

“I was talking to Odhrán recently and he will be back when the gaelic is over. He was away last year but he has the fitness after playing all summer. Shaun Gallagher is back from Belgium which is good as well.

“I think Tommy (Diver) has gone out to pasture now. He’s been carrying a few niggles. He will always be there if you’re stuck but he’s put his body on the line long enough now. I think he’s more interested in the golf this weather.

McKelvey added: “We played in the Premier Division for three years and hopefully that will stand to us and give us confidence.

“I know the likes of Swilly will be strong.

“We have Convoy on the first day of the season and I have gone down to Convoy plenty of times and you don’t get anything easy there.”