BY GERRY McLAUGHLIN
As success stories go, they don’t come any bigger in Donegal hurling than that of one Liam Óg McKinney.
For the past three to four years, Liam Óg McKinney has been a long, lean dark arrow of destruction for his club Burt and his county of Donegal that claimed the Nickey Rackard Cup last year.
And not only was the dashing McKinney named on the Champion 15 but he was also named as Nickey Rackard Cup Player of the Year just before Christmas.
It was a great year for Donegal as they took a record breaking fourth Nickey Rackard Cup where a great second half comeback yielded a 3-17 to 0-22 victory for Mickey McCann’s men.
McKinney played a big role in that victory – his searing solo runs opening up gaps for others while he is also a deadly marksman.
However, by any standards, getting the Nickey Rackard Cup Player of the Year was a massive accolade for any player and even more remarkable when you consider that the Burt phenomenon is just 21 years old.
McKinney hit a jaw dropping 1-22 in the Nickey Rackard Cup campaign last year and has been a key figure for the county this year. as they take on Derry in a relegation shoot-out in Letterkenny.
Their last game in Letterkenny resulted in an historic win over Kerry.
And if McKinney and Donegal can re-produce that fine form then they might just stay in Division 2 for the first time in their history.
With Tyrone already relegated, it’s hard to see how they will have the required motivation to stop Kerry winning and moving onto six points.
Donegal and Derry are both on four points apiece so it is effectively a winner-takes-all battle in O’Donnell Park as two teams go down which seems a bit harsh on counties like Donegal who are climbing the ladder.
“We don’t seem to be able to get over Derry, but it is always very close between us,” said McKinney.
“It is all or nothing and is a real championship clash and we are just looking forward to it.”
Donegal’s last match ended in defeat away to Kildare while Derry had a shock big win away over Meath in a game where Christy McNaughton, son of the legendary Terence ‘Sambo’ McNaughton had a real stormer.
McKinney knows well that Derry carry loads of threats all over the park.
Cormac O’Doherty is a fine marksman while Shea Cassidy, Cathal Murray, Meehaul McGrath, John Mullan and Gerald Bradley present big threats in a physically strong Derry side.
“It is great to have them at home in Letterkenny -a place where we have a pretty good record, and we are hoping for a big crowd to roar us on.”
“We have not beaten Derry even though we ran them close a few times.
“They beat us last year in O’Donnell Park and there was not much in it and they are usually a bit more developed but at senior level it has evened out a bit in the past few years.
“They have some fine players and Meehaul McGrath was going very well with Slaughtneil last year.
“Cormac O’Doherty is just coming back from injury and maybe it’s a good thing for us that Brendan Rogers, Shane McGuigan, Chrissy McKaigue and Karl McKaigue are not lining out for Derry senior hurlers.
“Derry would be a much-improved team with them on board and even that Slaughtneil club team on its own would hold its own with many counties.”
Donegal had a huge win over Kerry, but a few early soft goals conceded against Kildare did not help their cause as they do what they always do-play better in the second half.
“That win over Kerry was massive and historic and a great boost to us and we had a decent crowd there and we finished it out well.
“Then I think because it was the week after we beat Kerry that we were not as switched on as we might have been, and we gave away a few soft goals and it was poor defending for two out of the three goals.
“We did come back well and we are a second half team but I think I would rather be a second half team than a first half team.
Today’s match will be a real dog-fight to stay in Division Two and a pretty full strength Donegal have been boosted by the return of veteran Declan Coulter to action.
“It’s good to have him back and he brings so much experience and know-how and we have a pretty full deck to play from.
“But I must say that Division Two has been a great experience this year.”
It will be even greater if Donegal can avoid defeat and stay up in Division 2!
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