Walsh hails his ‘good wee unit’

BY RYAN FERRY

GLENSWILLY minors claimed an upset when they defeated Gaoth Dobhair in the semi-finals last week and they are aiming to repeat the dosage in today’s decider with Four Masters.

Gaoth Dobhair were expected to advance to the final but Brendan Walsh’s Glenswilly had other ideas and finished strongly to win by 0-15 to 0-13.

Now they are keen to back that up and see off Four Masters and claim the silverware.

“That’s the big question, can we get over the line,” Walsh told the Donegal News this week.

“Four Masters are a serious outfit. We have put in a big season so far.

“The boys have worked really hard. Training has been going well.

“We had a good win over Gaoth Dobhair in the semi-final but we will probably need a bit more to get past Four Masters.

“At this time of the year, pitches are getting wetter and the conditions are tough so you don’t know what it will throw up.

“You have to adapt and get on with it and sometimes in the last ten or 15 minutes, tactics goes out the window and it’s just whoever wants it the most.

“We’re hoping when we’re coming down the home stretch, we will be in a position to win it.”

Walsh has plenty of good support on the line and Gary McFadden. Ryan Diver, Eddie Crawford, Michael Murphy, Noel Scott and Mick Murphy have all helped out throughout the year.

They have a well-balanced side with a number of players who lined out in the senior championship this season.

Matthew Enright played full-forward for the Donegal Under 17 team while Under 16 player Matthew McGinley and Jonah Cannon (Under 15) have played their part in reaching the final.

“Pauric Devine, Shane Tinney, Paddy Ward and Liam McGinley were all incredible for the seniors this season in their first year up.

“Even when they were playing seniors, they were at minor training every night to push the boys on.

“We have three Under 16s playing as well and they are certainly not looking out of place either.

“It’s a good wee unit. The boys work hard as a team.

“The last day Shane Tinney got ten points, and hopefully on Monday somebody else will step up for us.”

There’s no doubt that Four Masters are a strong outfit and if they win today, they will be tipped to win Ulster once again.

However, Naomh Conaill asked them serious questions last week in the semi-final and that will have been the starting point for Walsh and his management team as they began their preparations.

“We were playing after Glenties and Four Masters last week and we only got a glimpse at it but I think there was just a kick of the ball between them at the end.

“Four Masters have great players and a great squad but they can only play 15.

“If our boys do what we think they can do then hopefully they won’t be too far away.

“We played them in Glenswilly in the group stages of the championship and there wasn’t much in it.

“If those boys like (Conor) McCahill and the Carrs (Turlough and Tomas) get up a head of steam, they will be hard to peg back but hopefully we will start well.

“If we’re with them going into the final ten minutes, you never know what might happen.”