WAS Sunday’s win over Donegal in Letterkenny the best ever for St Mary’s?
There certainly haven’t been many better and the four-point success has left the student teachers joint second in Section B and in with a shout of reaching the Dr McKenna Cup semi-finals.
Niall McParland, who lined out at centre half-back for ‘the Ranch’, agrees that the win in an at time feisty affair in Letterkenny was “a big upset” and as well as keeping the side’s McKenna Cup hopes alive the victory has given Paddy Tally’s side a timely confidence boost ahead of their Sigerson Cup showdown against DIT.
“People don’t expect us to turn teams over like that, especially Donegal,” said McParland.
“It was a draw at half-time and we were against the wind in the second half so I thought we had missed the boat.
“But we had a good performance in the second half. They put Michael Murphy on which I thought would be a tough test for us but we stood up to it well. The whole team worked hard and helped each other out.
“It’s nice to see the big names and compete against them, it makes you think that you’re a good side that can mix it with the best of them. We’re the smallest university in Belfast so it’s nice to compete at the high level.”
Glenn clubman McParland acquitted himself well in his personal duel with All-Ireland winner Frank McGlynn on Sunday. The St Mary’s side also included his Down colleagues Ryan Johnston, who came off the bench at half-time to score 1-2 including the match-winning goal two minutes from time, and Kevin McKernan. Meanwhile, another Mourneman, Jerome Johnston, missed the match through injury.
McParland, McKernan and Ryan Johnston are all likely to line out against Eamonn Burns’ Down side in Newry on Wednesday night. Naturally coming up against their native county will be a bizarre experience for all three.
“It will be strange – you envisage yourself playing for Down, not against them,” said third year trainee PE teacher McParland who begins a placement at St Joseph’s High School, Newry later this month.
“But it’ll be good to do it, it’ll be another test for us and we’ll be geared up. You want to hold on to your place against Down so you’ll be starting in the Sigerson.
“DIT will be a tough test but at least we got the home draw so we’re taking them up to Belfast – we’re not afraid, we’ll mix it with them hopefully.”
McParland is one of up to a dozen players unavailable to new Down boss Burns. The Bryansford clubman’s tenure has begun with defeats to Donegal and Fermanagh but McParland is confident that the situation will improve when the panel returns to full strength.
“Down are just struggling a bit,” he said.
“There’s boys playing for Jordanstown, Marty Clarke is playing for Queen’s, us boys for St Mary’s and then you’ve the likes of Benny Coulter and all who haven’t come back in yet.
“It’s a very experimental team and it’s Eamonn’s first year so I wouldn’t be too worried yet, there’s plenty of time.
“The main aims are to stay up in Division One and then compete in the Championship. It will be nice to get everybody back, all in the one boat and then to take each step as it comes.
“It’ll not be easy in Division One but it’s a good way to learn. Learn the hard way.”
