McGeever and Glenea looking to settle at PCC pitch

BY RYAN FERRY

GLENEA United are unable to call upon their fortress Páirc Joe pitch this season but Cathal McGeever feels it’s important that they settle quickly at their adopted PCC Falcarragh base if they are to survive in the Premier Division.

Glenea had a strong season last term and won the Temple Domestic Appliances Division One title.

That ensured their pathway back to the top tier but so far they have found the going tough, and have taken only one point from three games.

As a proud son of Glasserchoo, McGeever has seen at close hand for many years how Páirc Joe can be an intimidating venue for opposing teams while also spurring Glenea on.

They have missed those home comforts so far as they have drawn 1-1 with Keadue and lost 2-1 to Donegal Town. Their other league fixture was a 5-0 defeat away to Letterkenny Rovers.

It’s Ulster Cup action this Saturday with Quigleys Point Swifts making their way to Falcarragh and that’s a good opportunity to get a winning run started at the school pitch which Glenea will use for the rest of the season.

“The redevelopment of Páirc Joe started earlier this year,” McGeever explained.

“The last game we played on it actually was against Castlefin when we won the league.

“The week after that it started getting resurfaced and it’s out of action now until the start of next season.

“Hopefully we will still be in the Premier for the return of Páirc Joe.

“We’re playing on PCC’s pitch now and we’re lucky we have it but it’s just not the same.

“Páirc Joe is our home pitch and teams don’t really like playing there.

“When we’re going to PCC at the minute, it feels a bit like an away game because you don’t have the roars coming from the stand.

“It doesn’t have the same homely feel to it but we have to make it work at PCC.

“Your home games are very important in the Premier, especially when you have to go to the likes of Leckview and the Dry Arch which are a torture to go to.

“So you have to capitalise on your home games.”

McGeever had a super season last year and showed his class as the club won promotion.

However, he concedes that the feel-good factor that came with that success has been diluted somewhat by a long list of injuries which is testing their depth.

“We played well last season and only lost two games.

“Coming into this year we thought we would have built up some momentum.

“But we have been down some important players. Blake McGarvey got injured during the summer.

“Ciaran Coll has been out since the middle of last season and won’t be back until after Christmas.

“PJ Doogan got injured against Cranford and he’s been a big loss for us because he would have played nearly ninety minutes in every game last season and is an absolute workhorse.

“We’re losing our main man up top, Calvin Murray now in the next few weeks. He’s heading down under.

“When you’re in the top division, you need to be scoring goals fairly regularly and he’s been our main scorer for the last couple of seasons.

“Blake will hopefully be back soon to fill Calvin’s boots.

“Boys heading away is one thing but injuries is a killer. They’re here watching on the sidelines and you know they’d be a good help.”

While Bonagee, Donegal Town, and Letterkenny Rovers have hit the ground running, the rest of the teams in the division are still waiting to hit their form.

Keadue Rovers are fourth in the table but have only won one of their five matches.

Fanad United who were hoping to push hard to win back the crown they relinquished last season have only two points from a possible nine, while Kildrum and Kilmacrennan are showing no great signs of consistency either.

“In the Premier Division, there’s a strong standard and most teams are on par,” said McGeever who is a fourth year Construction Management student at ATU Donegal.

“You’re always going to have one or two teams who are above everyone else.

“But the likes of ourselves, Fanad, Keadue – no game is going to be easy for anyone.

“It’s just who can pick up the points. Scrappy draws are going to help you to survive.”

Much like Glenea, Quigleys Point Swifts have struggled so far in the Inishowen Football League with one win from four games.

However, league football will be forgotten about this weekend and the pressure will be off both sides in the Ulster Cup.

The game takes place at PCC on Saturday with kick-off at 12.30pm.

“We have a cup game on Saturday and that will be a good time to get a run-out for some of the lads who maybe haven’t played a lot yet and see if they can work their way into the team.

“In the Premier Division, subs are massively important.

“You won’t get too far with just the bare eleven. You have to have a couple of subs who can come on and do the exact same job that the starting boys can do.

“We have the likes of Tarlach Coll and Ronan McGee who are trying to break into the senior team and they are only 18.

“This Saturday is a good chance for those boys if they can get on and express themselves, you never know they could break into the team.”