BY RYAN FERRY
LETTERKENNY Rovers are on the cusp of Donegal Junior League Premier Division glory this Sunday.
Stephen McConnell’s side are five points clear at the top of the table with just two games remaining.
It would be a real shock if they couldn’t get the points they need from here to retain the title they won last season.
However, Rovers boss McConnell is adamant that it has been a challenging season and he’s expecting no favours at Central Park on Sunday (kick-off, 1pm) as they search for a clinching victory.
Keadue Rovers stand in their way but the Rosses side are not yet sure of avoiding relegation so there’s plenty at stake for them as well.
“Yeah it looks good but you have to go and earn it,” McConnell told the Donegal News.
“Nobody hands you league titles.
“And when you look at our remaining two games, we’re going up against teams that are down fighting for survival. Nobody is officially down yet so there’s a lot to play for.
“I know it’s a cliché and I swear I’m not just saying it for the sake of it but we haven’t had an easy game this year.
“It’s the toughest Donegal League ever and anyone in it is saying the same.
“Teams have been taking points off each other all season.
“You saw two weeks ago that Glenea went up to Kildrum which is probably the hardest place in the league to win and they got the three points.
“That shows the levels and you can’t take your eye off the ball.
“If you told me at the start of the year that we would need two points to win the league, I would have snapped your hand off.
“Thankfully we’re in that position now and it’s up to us to make sure that we keep our discipline and professionalism and go and get the job done.”
Rovers still have another game against Kilmacrennan Celtic if they do slip up on Sunday but they don’t want it coming to that.
Indeed it could have been a nervous few weeks for Rovers if they hadn’t drawn with Bonagee United in their last league outing.
Bonagee were 2-1 up against their local rivals but Shane McNamee’s late equaliser was massive.
“That day came down to the belief that we have in our squad. We’re never out of a game.
“I felt in the last twenty minutes that day that we more than deserved a goal but when it’s coming to two or three minutes before the end of the game, you’re thinking is it ever going to come?
“We got it and I firmly believe if we had played another two or three minutes that we would have won it.
“It wasn’t the first time this season. We played Donegal Town and Lee McMonagle scored the only goal of the game in the 83rd minute.
“We beat Kilmacrennan in the 95th minute with a Ryan Longeran goal.
“Big moments like that define leagues and Shane McNamee’s equaliser that day was well-deserved but also very Letterkenny Rovers.
“The belief that we have instilled was there and we’re never out of a game. It was a massive result that day.”
Shane McNamee has added to Rovers’ firepower as has Simon McGlynn while Kevin McGrath and Caolan Kelly have added to the group this season.
However in the most part, there has been no great change from one year to the next and that consistency has helped the Leckview outfit.
“It’s the same group of guys really.
“Chris Malseed obviously retired with an ACL injury towards the end of the season but he still does be about the odd time.
“We have added Shane McNamee and Simon McGlynn who were with the club before.
“Zach Gorman missed all of last season with an ACL injury and he’s back in it.
“So they have all really been ex-players coming back to boost us and it has lifted the levels.”
Rovers do come into the game off the back of a defeat as they lost 3-1 to Cockhill Celtic in the FAI Junior Cup last week but McConnell wasn’t downbeat when he reflected on that outing at the Charlie O’Donnell Sports Grounds.
“We gifted them soft goals but I felt we did enough in the game to win it.
“Hands down the second half performance was the best we have played under my management.
“We could have scored five or six but unfortunately the ball wouldn’t go into the net. We hit the post, had ones cleared off the line and their ‘keeper made point-blank saves.
“On another day it would have been there for us but we will take it on the chin and we will look forward to playing Cockhill again in the third tier.
“We are looking forward to more matches like that because it was a brilliant game for the neutral.”
Rovers won’t be winning the FAI Junior Cup and they also missed out on Ulster Cup success but the league title and Brian McCormick Cup are still up for grabs if they can produce a big finish to the campaign.
“This is the fourth season that we are trying to be playing right up until the final game of the year.
“We are in a Brian McCormick Cup semi-final. We have been in the last three finals and we would like to get back there but obviously Donegal Town are not going to make it easy for us.
“They are a very good side. They are probably one of the best sides in the league. We have beaten them twice this season but by the odd goal.
“We want to win trophies but they are not easy won.”
Keadue Rovers had a blip at the start of March as they lost 4-1 to St Catherine’s and then 4-0 against Bonagee but other than that, they have only lost two games by the odd goal and drawn eight matches so they have shown they can battle hard for points.
McConnell said: “At home this season, we drew 0-0 with Keadue.
“They gave it to us that day so look we know what to expect going down there.
“It will be the exact same again. They are a well drilled side and well-coached and have a lot of experience.
“They had several players in that Oscar Traynor team as well and the Interprovincial team.
“The league table is being unfair to them because in my opinion they shouldn’t be down where they are at.
“They need the points as much as we need them so it’s going to be all to play for on Sunday.”