TOMORROW EVENING AT the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Letterkenny Rovers take on Crumlin United in the final of the FAI Intermediate Cup.
It’s the first time the side from Leckview Park have made this stage of the competition, with manager Eamonn McConigley having been involved with the only other side from the county to win the competition.
[adrotate group=”41″]Fanad United were winners in 1988 and 1995, as well as losing on the last time a Donegal team made the showpiece of the competition, in 1996.
On Monday, Rovers held a press night and the Donegal Sport Team were there. They spoke to manager McConigley, Terence Shiels, Paul McVeigh, Liam Blake and first team coach Anthony Gorman.
“There’s great character in this team; great camaraderie,” McConigley said. “It’s not all about the Aviva too. We’ve been training at Colaiste Ailigh, which has been measured the exact same as the Aviva.
[adrotate group=”63”]As cliched as it sounds, Rovers have a mix of youth an experience with the likes Shane Bradley and Jonathan Minnock added to the squad this season.
“One thing that shines though at all levels and that’s experience and that goes a long, long way,” McConigley added. “If I was able to put out players of experience, well for me that’s the key. We’re going in against Crumlin. They’re a very experienced side who have been there before.
Shiels is the only survivor from the last team before this year to make the semi-finals of the FAI Intermediate Cup, when Danny McConnell’s side were beaten in a replay in 2004.
[adrotate group=”64”]Shiels rejoined Letterkenny Rovers last year from Drumoghill FC and is delighted to have come back to his hometown club.
“I never really expected this,” Shiels said. “I wanted to play winter football last year and was with Drumoghill. At the end of that, I got a phonecall from Eamonn asking would I come back. I’m delighted I did. I knew Eamonn would have a very professional set-up.
[adrotate group=”62”]“Eamonn has great experience. I’m glad Eamonn asked me back. Letterkenny is my hometown club. Saturday is going to be a big occasion for the club. We just want to go out and play our football and enjoy the occasion. It’s a historic day for the club. It’s a huge achievement.”
McVeigh scored a wonderful goal against Midleton in Round 4 to accelerate Rovers’ interest in the competition this term. the Portsalon native lined out up front when in the colours of Finn Harps and with his college, Letterkenny Institute of Technology, but operates on the wing for McConigley.
“It’s going to take a massive shift,” McVeigh said. “Everyone has a massive shift to put in. We can’t wait now just to get at it. It means a lot to the people of the club. We have go so much support from everyone. That’s why we just want to go on and win it.
“We’ve had a lot of touch games and we went in as underdogs. Saturday will be a really hard game and all you can do is give it a good go. Crumlin are a good side who have been dominating the Leinster Senior League.”
Honorary President Liam Blake remembers when Rovers bought Leckview Park but believes that the current team’s achievement is a good as it gets.
[adrotate group=”37″]“It’s a great achievement now where they are at,” he said. Eamon is a good manager and they’ve played so well in all the matches. He has them going in the right way and they’re geared up for the Aviva.”
Anthony Gorman has nurtured the club’s youth teams in recent seasons and works alongside McConigley.
“It’s a big game and a big stadium,” he said. “Our preparation has been good. They’ve been first class. It’s a great reward for them with the amount of effort they’ve put in since last July. Everyone is very much part of the culture at this club.
[adrotate group=”38”]“The experience takes some of the responsibility off myself and Eamonn. The senior players have their say. They relax players that need relaxing and gee players up that need geed up. All the games we have played have been like cup finals. They’ve all been big games.”
Listen to the podcast in full below …
https://soundcloud.com/donegalsporthub-club-notes/podcast-30-letterkenny-rovers-look-ahead-to-aviva-final-against-crumlin
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