Electric Ireland HE GAA Sigerson Cup: ATU Donegal v DCU (tonight, Convoy, 7pm)
ATU Donegal boss Maxi Curran could be facing a double blow with major doubts over two of his key players ahead of tonight’s Sigerson Cup clash with DCU in Convoy.
Towering midfielder Rory O’Donnell will be sidelined with a hamstring injury which he sustained in Donegal’s defeat to Down in Sunday’s Dr McKenna Cup clash in Newry.
O’Donnell started in the middle for Donegal, however, the Milford man left the game shortly before half-time due to injury.
And there is also some doubt about team captain Jason McGee, as the midfielder has been under the weather in recent times.
But ATU can still call on Donegal senior panellists like the in-form Joel Bradley Walsh, Conor O’Donnell from Carndonagh, Kealan Dunleavy and Ryan McFadden.
In all there are 31 players from Donegal clubs on the ATU team.
But the scheduling of the match just a day before Donegal are due to play Monaghan in the Dr McKenna Cup means that some players will have a very hectic programme.
And, the scheduling of the Sigerson Cup at the same time as the Dr McKenna Cup has caused huge headaches for Donegal senior team boss Paddy Carr and DCU boss Paddy Christie, who has no fewer than six Donegal-based players on board in Jamie Grant, Shane O’Donnell, Ross Marley, Oisin Gallen, Johnny McGroddy and Oisin Cannon.
Another headache for manager Curran and ATU Donegal is that the internal U21 championships have been running over the Christmas period, with the final scheduled for this weekend.
So, this is an exceptionally busy time of the year for lads who are 21 or under.
Indeed, there is one Donegal player who will have played four games in six days.
Meanwhile, the winners of ATU Donegal and DCU travel to Ulster University on Tuesday, January 17 while the losers will play QUB away from home.
