Hurling & Camogie

Donegal manager McCann may have to take different view of their Allianz Hurling League semi-final with Wicklow

Donegal senior hurling manager Mickey McCann against Derry during the NHL match played at Ballinascreen on Sunday 6th of June 2021. Picture Margaret McLaughlin.
Donegal senior hurling manager Mickey McCann against Derry during the NHL match played at Ballinascreen on Sunday 6th of June 2021. Picture Margaret McLaughlin. Donegal senior hurling manager Mickey McCann against Derry during the NHL match played at Ballinascreen on Sunday 6th of June 2021. Picture Margaret McLaughlin.

Allianz Hurling League Division 2B semi-final: Wicklow v Donegal (Saturday, Aughrim, 1pm)

Mickey McCann could be watching Saturday’s hurling rematch with Wicklow from the stand after he got a red card from Galway referee Brian Keon for querying a decision in a hotly contested encounter with Tyrone.

As of Friday afternoon McCann, was still unaware if a suspension was forthcoming but is determined to work this matter to his advantage if needed.

“If I get a one match match-ban I will be in the stand but that will give me a better chance to have a look at the lads. And I could maybe take some notes on Wicklow as well," he said.

“I got a red card after I questioned some of the decisions of the referee.

“He was playing advantage when it wasn’t advantage and there was fouls committed in a scoring position and not given.

“He did not like what he was hearing and he gave me a red but to be honest, some of his decisions annoyed both teams.

“I could get a one match suspension which means I could be in the stand.

The biggest plus about Donegal’s narrow victory over Tyrone last week was that they did it without Danny Cullen, Declan Coulter, Stephen Gillespie, Conor Gartland and Gavin Browne.

And while this quintet are expected to be back for the Nickey Rackard Cup, the outstanding Gerard Gilmore looks like he will be out for the foreseeable future after picking up a nasty eye injury against Tyrone.

“But we lost Gerard Gilmore to a nasty injury early on and we don’t know if it was intentional or not as he got the butt of stick went in through his helmet and hit his eye and he got a busted eye socket.

“So Gerard will be definitely be out along with the other five boys for the trip to Wicklow in Aughrim on Sunday.

“None of them will be back and while Stephen Gillespie is back from his honeymoon he has missed aa few training sessions.

“So this is about getting these young boys game time against a good Wicklow team.

“Hopefully we will be a bit closer to them and it is down in Wicklow as they got through on score difference.

“They lost to Sligo at the weekend but I think they had a weakened team out”.

But for Donegal it is another competitive game.

“You would have been looking for a friendly anyway two weeks out from the championship anyway.

“It will be down on Friday night before the game on Saturday and we will get a good look at Wicklow and hopefully give them a better test.

“We could end up playing them four times this year if we were to meet in a Nickey Rackard Cup final.

“They are the team to beat and they are coming to Letterkenny in the last round of the Nickey Rackard Cup and hopefully both teams can be in a position where they are unbeaten and that match would mean nothing and we would both be in the final.

“But Roscommon and Armagh could have a say in that too and it is really a tough competition, but Wicklow are the favourites.

“The Rackard Cup starts on April 16 so there is not much time”