AIDAN McAteer is back for a second stint in charge of the Gaeil Fhánada senior footballers after a two-year hiatus.
McAteer spent six years with his home club and guided them to the All-Ireland Junior Gaeltacht title in 2022.
He’s now back in the hotseat again with Bernard McGettigan Snr, Mark Friel, Cathal Martin, and Seamus McAteer.
Aidan McAteer is also managing the Donegal Under 14 Ladies team this season so it’s a hectic schedule at present.
“It’s very busy but there are a good crowd of young fellas there.
“I’m involved with Fanad for a long time and to be honest with you, Fanad is awash with talent, and I’m kind of taken aback with some of the young lads that have come in.
“There are plenty of good lads there. Obviously there hasn’t been much underage success but if you go through the years, we have been getting three or four boys through every season, and it will be the same this year.
“If you’re doing that, then you’re on the right path. There are a lot of good footballers in Fanad but it’s a difficult place to coach at the minute.
“With lads that are working away and in college, there are 19 players who are in our senior squad who aren’t about during the week.
“In my time involved the club, I don’t remember such a big number.
“To be fair to the young lads that are involved, they are very keen to be with the club, and for me that’s a good enough reason to keep it going.
“There are fellas training in Dublin, Liverpool and Edinburgh, and you have boys putting up photos from gym sessions at six o’clock in the morning and ten o’clock at night.
“I’m sure we’re not the only club in that position, but what our boys all have in common is that they want to get Fanad off the ground again for the betterment of the club and the area.”
Division 2 does appear more balanced this year.
Four Masters, Buncrana and Termon all have a good pick and have been strong at this level.
Aodh Ruadh, Naomh Columba, and Bundoran have come down from Division 1 and there are questions over all three of those teams with the way 2024 played out.
Carndonagh and St Mary’s, Convoy have been promoted from Division 3.
McAteer said: “There are a couple of big hitters in there like Ballyshannon and Naomh Columba.
“You have other teams as well like Milford who seem to have their act together.
“The reality of it is there will be no team in the division that will fancy going to Fanad, but nobody will fancy going to Dungloe or Ballyshannon either.
“I expect it to be a tight affair.
“Fanad have been operating in the lower half of that league over the last few years but hopefully we can get our home form tidied up, and we have the Traigh-a-Loch pitch back up and running, and we will try and use it at times this year too.”
Convoy have lost John and Liam Toye from last season but they will be targeting a good start and will be eyeing up the two points in Portsalon.
“Convoy are a good team and we have had plenty of battles with them over the last few years.
“Laurence (McMullan) is still in charge there and any team Laurence is involved with will always show bite.
“I wouldn’t expect anything but a battle from Convoy this weekend.
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