BELTURBET footballer Dillon Donnelly is embarking on a gruelling run challenge over a 10-day period in aid of the Cavan branch of MS Ireland.

Donnelly’s mother was diagnosed with MS in 2014, and suffers fairly significant cognitive difficulties as a result (Dillon says that she may, for example, struggle to change channels on the TV).

However, they’re indebted to the good work of MS Ireland who provide her with weekly physio, so Donnelly is keen to return the favour by raising funds via an extensive running challenge starting on June 4.

It’s a fairly hefty itinerary over the course of the 10 days, but fundraising is going well and he’s confident he can manage it.

“I’m going to be carrying out the challenge with my friend Naoise. So far this year I’ve run about 700km just to practice so I should be fit enough. We’ll be averaging about 25-30km a day but we’ll be going through various villages so we’ll stop for a break for an hour or two.”

Donnelly will run, walk and hike 260km in total starting and finishing on Cuilcagh mountain. The challenge will take him across the length and breadth of the county – from Blacklion, to Belturbet, to Ballyconnell, to Cootehill, to Kingscourt and Virginia…it goes on.

“I’ve been training away all winter but I didn’t go back to group training yet as I don’t want to get injured. I’ll go back in June. One of the boys actually broke his ankle in training so that sort of made up my mind for me. Our managers Peter McKeown and Fra McPhillips have been a great help and Fra’s actually big into running, he’s a member of Carrickmacross Aces, so they’ve been very understanding.”