MATTHEW CROSSAN is hoping Fanad United can stay in touch with Cockhill Celtic at the top of the 4 Lanterns Ulster Senior League.
Ahead of a meeting between the League’s top two on Sunday at Triagh-A-Loch (2pm), Cockhill – who have won the last four League titles – lead the way by two points and have a game in hand.
Resurgent Fanad have lost only once in the League this season and Arthur Lynch’s side could actually go to the summit with a win over Cockhill on Sunday.
“Cockhill have been a different gear and their recent record speaks for itself,” Crossan says.
“They have boys there who could still be playing senior football and some of their boys who haven’t played senior football could step up no bother. Just look at their bench.
“We’re going alright at the minute and we actually thought we were unlucky when we played Cockhill earlier in the season. They had one or two shots and we felt that we had some great chances, we even had two cleared off the line.
“That’s the difference when you play a side like Cockhill – they’ll punish you.”
Mark Moran netted the only goal of the game when they met in September, but Cockhill have a knack of getting the results they crave. With Gavin Cullen’s side still smarting from an FAI Intermediate Cup loss at College Corinthians on Sunday, Fanad might well be facing the Inishowen men at the wrong time.
“It’s about keeping in touch with them and not letting them get away,” Crossan says.
“You don’t want them running away with things – but they have that ability.”
Crossan was something of a surprise signing by Arthur Lynch this summer. He’d left Finn Harps early in the season and was available for work, but it was to Fanad, coaxed along by his good friend Davitt Walsh, he went.
“I wouldn’t have been aware of how they were doing or anything, but I knew they had been disappointed with last season, results-wise,” he says.
“Arthur was the first manager who landed to me. I knew he was a good, honest manager and I knew a lot of the fellas down here. Davitt swung me here. I could have gone to a couple of other clubs, but I went for Fanad.
“Fanad United is a massive name and they have great history down there. We just want to try and get some of that success again.”
Fanad, 14-times champions of the Ulster Senior League, have certainly shown good signs of life again and their youth team is riding high at the top of the Donegal Youth League.
Lynch’s senior team are on a good run of form in the USL since a shaky opening to the campaign.
Crossan says: “Yeah, it’s been a decent start. We’ve come together well in the last few weeks. We were kind of all over the shop at the start. We had a few men away playinG Gaelic and we weren’t sure of what our best team was.
“This past few weeks, we’ve had everyone available for training and the team is more settled.
“There is a great group of lads here. Everything about the club here is good, everyone is very welcoming and I’ve definitely been enjoying it.”
Crossan is the proprietor of Matt’s Takeaway and has three establishments, in Killea, St Johnston and Raphoe, to look after. Hus business interests, ultimately, led to him leaving Harps.
“I wasn’t sure if I’d play again at all, but Sunday football suits me,” he says.
“With Harps, I’d have been away the length of the country on a Friday or a Saturday…even home games at a stage were a problem because I’d have to be back to the takeaway right after the game.
“Now, I’m away at 12 on a Sunday and can be back in for 5 if needs be. I can look after the business a good bit better.
“I just had to make the call and leave Harps. I was injured for a bit and wasn’t featuring much. It might have been different if I’d been playing regularly, but I was arranging things, hiring staff and sitting on the bench so I just had to pull the pin.
“We’re really busy in the takeaways at the minute and the football is going well at the minute, so I feel like I’ve made the right call.”
FIXTURE CHANGES
THE 4 Lanterns Ulster Senior League fixtures originally scheduled for Sunday, Decmeber 11 have been brought forward by one week.
Those games – Derry City Reserves v Letterkenny Rovers; Fanad United v Cockhill Celtic and Swilly Rovers v Bonagee United – will now be played next weekend
The first round of the Knockalla Caravans Senior Cup had been pencilled in for that date but as this competition will not now start until after Christmas, the USL fixtures have been brought forward.
December 11 will now be used for backlog fixtures with Finn Harps Reserves taking on Cockhill Celtic on that date.
FIXTURES
4 Lanterns Ulster Senior League,
Friday, December 2, 7.30pm
Bonagee United v Swilly Rovers Referee – Packie Coll; assistants – Vincent McLoughlin, Marty McGarrigle
Sunday, December 4, 2pm
Derry City Reserves v Letterkenny Rovers Referee – Michael Connolly
Fanad United v Cockhill Celtic Referee – Marty Quinn; assistants – Vincent McLoughlin, Marty McGarrigle
Sunday, December 11, 2pm
Finn Harps Reserves v Cockhill Celtic
