We’re good enough to win Ulster – McCauley

BY DÁIRE BONNAR

AFTER winning their first Donegal championship title at the start of October, attentions turn to Ulster for Naomh Pádraig Uisce Chaoin and boss Daniel McCauley feels they are more than capable of going the whole way.

The Ture men beat Carndonagh by 2-12 to 0-8 in the county final and it was just rewards for the side who were back in the gym last November, with McCauley alluding to over 120 sessions between gym work and training since then.

“To get that first trophy was brilliant after the year they had but in fairness the Thursday after the game there were over 20 men back. The hunger was there and we’re ready to go again on Saturday.

“A few of the boys mentioned about it being bonus territory but back in January I said to them that we’re good enough to win Ulster, there is that good a panel there.

“We’re treating this in that we want to win it and I wouldn’t have it any other way, Donegal is done and dusted and this is a new championship and we’re going in to give it our all. The quality of players we have there with the likes of Caolan McColgan, Johnny Toye, Drew McKinney, Kevin Lynch, there is a savage quality there and they are more than capable of winning the Ulster title if we hit the right notes like we did against Carn’.

“It is on the day as well and we are into the unknown but we’re going to embrace it and enjoy it. If we get over this weekend then we’re fortunate enough that if we do win then we can get to Páirc Esler on Sunday and see our semi-final opponents.”

The win over Carn in the Donegal final came four weeks ago and while it gave McCauley and his staff a chance to watch the Antrim final the week after to size up their opponents, the boss admits it was difficult to learn much from that game as Naomh Comhghall defeated Naomh Eanna in tough conditions.

“I went up and watched the final but you could tell nothing from that day, there were hailstones and a heavy wind, the game probably shouldn’t have been played and it was really hard to judge.

“But from what I did see, they are a really dogged and determined side and they have very good levels of fitness, I was impressed by that and if they have the skill level as good as their heart then we can’t be complacent.

“I didn’t get to learn too much from the game because the conditions were that bad but they haven’t been beat all year in Antrim so we have to respect that.”

That break has allowed some players to get back up to speed as McCauley deals with some injury worries for Saturday’s double header, which sees Buncrana face Ballela in the Ulster Junior Hurling quarter-final beforehand.

“The u-21s has been a blessing in disguise because it’s been four weeks since we played but they have had three games and we have eight or nine men involved in that panel.

“The likes of Drew McKinney has got very good game time over the last few weeks, we were nursing him back and he just got back to full speed for the final and now he’s looking really sharp.

“We have three doubts for the weekend, our ‘keeper Oran McCauley hurt his Achilles’, Eunan Mullen came off in the final and has ligament damage. Eunan would be 60/40 in favour in playing then Kevin Lynch would be the opposite, he has a scan to see the damage on his foot, we’ll give him to Saturday and see how he is, we don’t want to risk him because we have a strong panel there.

“Peter Grant is part of our panel and he’s a hurler for Buncrana so it’s a big day for Peter, I was delighted that it was a double header because Peter is a great young fella and I wouldn’t have wanted him making a choice so he can play for Buncrana first then join us after.

“When Buncrana won the Intermediate hurling title he jumped straight in the car and was in Ture for throw-in when we played Moville, he’s so committed to both clubs and he’s an all-round great lad.”