SWILLY ROVERS HAVE SNAPPED UP former Aberdeen trainee Seán Hume ahead of Sunday’s FAI Umbro Intermediate Cup first round clash at Bonagee United (kick-off 2pm).
The 19-year-old center-back played his schoolboy and youth football at Dry Arch Park before making the move to Aberdeen.
Hume’s stay at Pittrodie was brief and the former Republic of Ireland underage international fell out of love with soccer.
A similarly short stint at Finn Harps was followed by Hume resurrecting his Gaelic football career.
Following St Eunan’s defeat by Glenswilly in Sunday’s Senior Reserve Championship quarter-final, Hume put pen to paper at Swilly Park.
In 2012, Hume won an All-Ireland Colleges title with St Eunan’s College when they defeated Waterford’s De La Salle 3-1 in Coolock.
Picture caption: Seán Hume in action for St Eunan’s College in 2012.
“Seán hasn’t played much football of late and we’re not really sure where he’s at, but he obviously had good pedigree when he got the move to Aberdeen,” Swilly manager Jason Gibson told Donegal Sport Hub.
With Ronan Sweeney doubtful because of injury, Hume is expected to form a very youthful Swilly defence alongside Shaun Crossan, Duncan Patterson and Dylan Hegarty.
Goalkeeper Gareth Wade is a doubt due to a shoulder problem, but Swilly’s attack has been boosted by the addition of striker Calvin Mooney, the Derry native making a return to the Ramelton side having been on the books last season.
Gibson said: “We just wanted to add a wee bit to the squad because we’re light enough.”
James McCahill and Daniel O’Donnell missed last Sunday’s 6-1 loss to Letterkenny Rovers in the League Cup through work commitments, but both are back in contention this weekend.
Despite shipping four goals against Derry and six against Letterkenny, Gibson hasn’t been too despondent about their start to the season.
He said: “We’d be happy enough with how the season has gone. We have a very young panel at the moment. We’re doing ok.
“We’re trying to get the players to buy into the direction of the club with developing our facilities and playing local players.”
Bonagee had a season of promise in the interim campaign when they finished runners-up to Cockhill in the League and were beaten by Cockhill in the League Cup final.
Peter Moran is at the helm at Dry Arch Park again – and he believes that the Intermediate Cup can provide a chance for the club to showcase themselves on a national stage.
“The Intermediate Cup, to me, is massive,” Moran said.
“Number one, you get to play the better teams from other counties and it’s also a great chance to get into the FAI Senior Cup. The prestige that comes with it is unbelievable for a club.
Eugene Ferry, their goalkeeper, is likely to miss out, the Derry native set to be excused because of family commitments, with Matthew Gallagher coming into the number 1 spot.
Moran said: “Matthew will go in. He’s doing really well for the youths and we’d have no qualms about throwing him into the game.”
Christopher Moran, the manager’s son, is unlikely to feature while Aodhán Cannon continues to miss out through an injury.
Bonagee (pictured above) have started with a real purpose, topping their League Cup group and Moran is intent on continuing the recent progress.
He said: “We’d be thinking that we can go out and do the business on Sunday.
“We’ve had a great start to the year – but we’ve won nothing yet.
“They’re getting a lot of plaudits, but they need to get the feet back on the ground. So many times we’ve done well, but when they’ve got the compliments they forget about the hard work that’s needed.”
Letterkenny Rovers, Fanad United and Cockhill Celtic have been given byes into the second round.
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