BY RYAN FERRY
KERRYKEEL ’71 boss Hughie Walsh says survival in the Temple Domestic Appliances Division One is still the aim even as they prepare for a top-of-the-table clash with Cappry Rovers at Rab’s Park on Sunday.
Walsh’s charges won the Donegal Physiotherapy & Performance Centre Division Two last season.
That was a fine triumph but the good times have continued to roll and now the club are dreaming of back-to-back promotions as they currently lead the way in the second tier, on goal difference from Cappry.
Walsh admits he has been thrilled with the team’s progress but he’s not getting ahead of himself.
“I would have bit your hand off to be in this position at the start of the year.
“It’s been an enjoyable season so far.
“We have prepared well. We have signed a few players and to be fair the boys have all worked hard.
“Wee Marty (McAteer) takes training every Wednesday night up in Milford and we have the guts of 15-20 boys there every night.
“It’s a big step up. Our first game was against Cappry away and we were minus about 12 players that day.
“We got off to a bad start but once the gaelic finished, we have been able to get a full team out every week, and that makes a wild difference.
“We have probably been lucky as well with injuries. When we were playing Milford we were down three or four players but we still had good men to come in and other than that we have nearly all of our men every week.
“The aim at the start of the year was to stay in the division and that’s still the aim.
“We’re not going to get too carried away because there are no bad teams in our league.
“Gweedore United have been struggling but they have men back now and went and beat Rathmullan.
“It’s very competitive. We’re happy enough with where we are at the minute. We will keep plugging away and see where we end up.”
Walsh knew the team would need reinforcements as they made the step up and he’s been delighted with how the new signings have integrated into the set-up.
“Darragh O’Doherty came in from Fanad.
“Oisin Shiels has joined us and he hadn’t played for a couple of years.
“Jimmy Coyle is back this season and he’s playing well, and Davitt Walsh has signed with us too which is good.
“Our goalkeeper from last year, Shaun ‘Horse’ (Friel) did his Achilles and he’s still not back. Brian Gallagher has signed from Fanad and he’s done very well.
“Kevin Loughrey got injured at the end of last season and he only recently came back so he’s like a new signing for us.
“We have bolstered the squad just and every time you look around to the bench on a Sunday now you have options and that’s a massive help.”
In the past, there have been runaway leaders in the First Division with teams cut adrift at the bottom, and it wasn’t particularly well balanced.
However, that doesn’t appear to be the case this year.
“It looks like it could be a top five or top six but the games are so hard to call, it mightn’t stay like that.
“Cappry are a serious side, Castlefin are a serious side, Milford are good as well.
“Rathmullan are well improved from last year. Ballybofey are sitting near the bottom but they play good football.
“Teams will take points off one another. No side will run away with it this year.
“It will probably go down to the last game of the season.”
The fact that Kerrykeel prevailed in a tough run-in last year could be a major advantage for Walsh’s men as well as the family feel to the club.
“Hopefully it would work for us.
“Last year we had a serious battle with Convoy.
“It was neck-and-neck for the whole year. Convoy then went five points ahead with seven games to go and we fought back.
“We played each other on the last day of the season and it was a massive game for both teams.
“Hopefully that bit of experience will stand to us.
“It’s all about team work. If you have men that will go to the well – I don’t like that saying – but if every player gives it their all for the man beside them then you’re going to be hard to beat.
“We’re a small club. We have Marty and Callum (McAteer) who are father and son, ‘Sparky’ (Mark Friel) and Brandon (McClafferty), who are father and son, Killian (Friel) and ‘Dandy’ (Shane Sandliands), who are father and son.
“James and Shaun Kerr are brothers, ‘Sparky’ and Johnny (Friel) are brothers.
“We are very family orientated. We like to stick to a local team.
“Sometimes if you’re stuck, you might have to go looking for a goalkeeper, but other than that we want to be playing local lads.
“The team was set up to provide local soccer in the area and we try to keep it like that. We’re all friends and that stands to us.”
Cappry Rovers only survived in Division One last year via the relegation play-offs but there is a stronger feel to their team this year.
They have only lost one league game so far and Walsh believes that they are a formidable outfit.
“Cappry are a very good side. They are well organised and Jamie Doherty has been there for years.
“They have a couple of young gaelic boys back so they are strong.
“For me, they are favourites for the league.
“This year they are playing all their games at home with their pitch sorted and that makes a big difference as well.
“It’s a big game for us. If we can get something from it we would be happy.”
