ONEGAL goalkeeper Luke White is hopeful of putting in a much better performance than their last effort against Derry as they begin their Christy Ring campaign today.
Donegal began their Division 2 campaign with a narrow loss to Meath in Trim as they let a lead slip late on before a loss to league champions Down.
They got back on track with a convincing win over Tyrone before a famous victory over Kerry left them in a good position to stay up going into the final two games.
But a quality Kildare side won well and their showdown match was in O’Donnell Park against Derry in a game where they fancied their chances to get a result and stay up.
However, they found themselves 0-15 to 0-3 behind at the break and were beaten by 20 points to end the campaign on a sour note as the side were relegated.
“It was a mixed bag really,” White said.
“Coming up everyone expected us and Tyrone to be going down but we eyed up certain games and we expected it to go down to the Derry game on the last day.
“We played well against Meath and very well for a lot of the game against Down.
“It was a good win against Tyrone and Kerry so it was positive.
“We were happy going into the Derry game and if we lost by a couple of points and put in a performance it would have overall been a good campaign but we probably gave them too much respect on the day and they got a run on us.”
“The Kerry game was great to get the result because it does show Donegal hurling in a positive light and that day will always stand out for a lot of players but the relegation put a bit of a dampener on it.
“But in hindsight we did have a good league and the Christy Ring is the one we’ve been eyeing up.”
The Wexford native, who won senior county titles with his native St Martin’s in 2017 and 2019, is living in Malin and has played for the county side since 2020, starting in nets for their third triumph in the Nickey Rackard.
Due to Covid, they didn’t get promoted to the Christy Ring for the following year, so it’s a first attempt at this level for a large number of the panel.
But the Carndonagh Community School teacher feels they are better prepared now after last year’s triumph than they would have been four years previous.
“We won the league and the Nickey Rackard in 2020 but didn’t go up so this is the first crack at the Christy Ring and it’s exciting.
“I actually think the team has come on a lot since that, the younger lads have developed like Steven McBride, Conor Gartland and (Liam) McKinney.
“It’s unbelievable the standard that has come through, it’s probably helped that some lads fear that there are some older lads in the team and they’re coming towards the end but out of nowhere you have those lads I mentioned and Ruairi Campbell and this year Oisin Kelly has come in at corner back and there seems to be players popping up everywhere.
“We’ve brought a few players up from the U20 panel and we’re getting 30+ at training which is great.
“When I first came in you would’ve been pushing it to get 24 so the intensity in training games has gone up.”
The focus from league to championship does change slightly for Donegal from avoiding relegation, to being hopeful of aiming for the final of the Christy Ring.
They do have three tough away games, starting with Derry and ending with Meath, two of the favourites, while home ties against Division 3 pair London and Wicklow fall either side of an away game against Tyrone.
And with the first game against the Oak Leaf men this Saturday, a bit of revenge could be on the cards as they look to start with a win.
“We were looking at the games as a group and there wasn’t much between the four of us in the league of Derry, Meath and Tyrone. I know we lost by 20 to Derry but we don’t feel we’re that far away from them.
“London were in Division 3 final and they’re going very well and Wicklow were competing near the top so there aren’t any easy games.
“It’s a tricky one with the away games but I don’t think it matters where we play Derry, we know we have to improve on the last day.
“Meath away on the last day, we’d have liked to have them at home but we don’t have the two long trips so there are pros and cons but we’re happy enough.
“There is very little to be said (about Derry), we looked where it went wrong and we clipped about six wides in the first 20 minutes and we let it drift away too quickly.
“It’s probably the best time to play a team after taking a beating and to get our heads back at it.
“We know the format, if you lose two games you’re probably out of contention for the top two so we know if we lose, then the next three we will have to build and try to get win after win before the final game against Meath, but I think there will be plenty of upsets to come.
“We’re going in with full intent to beat Derry but the performance is a key aim first and foremost.
“We did well in the league and we have a panel where if we get injuries then we know that the strength in depth is there and it’s about putting it together over the next few weekends.”
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