IT APPEARS AS though Gaoth Dobhair will take their place in the semi-final of the County Under-21A Football Championship as Kilcar opted not to travel to Letterkenny today.
Kilcar senior team manager Barry Doherty was this week critical of the scheduling of the quarter-final by the Donegal CCC (Competitions Control Committee) with his team preparing for an AIB Ulster club championship semi-final against Derry kingpins and reigning provincial champions Slaughtneil on Saturday evening at Healy Park in Omagh.
“We’re representing the county but the county are putting obstacles in our way,” Doherty told <em>The Irish News</em> this week. “We take the U21 championship very seriously in Kilcar and have done well in it the last number of years. But the senior side takes preference.”
Last week, Kilcar’s seniors enjoyed a fantastic 1-16 to 1-6 win over Scotstown in the Ulster quarter-final and following day 10 of their panel were involved in a 5-11 to 4-6 victory for the club’s Under-21’s against St Michael’s. Stephen McBrearty, Conor Doherty and Andrew McClean are vital parts of both Kilcar sides.
“The reality is that when they came off the pitch in Clones the last day… less than 24 hours later on the Bank Holiday Monday they were involved in an U21 club championship fixture,@ Doherty added. “Still, we didn’t complain. I know the competition has to be played.
“But there has to be changes to how we roll out fixtures. We have to find better times of the year to accommodate this competition.”
Kilcar decided not to make the journey to O’Donnell Park today, meaning the Under-21B clash between Termon and Milford was therefore the only contest at the Letterkenny venue.
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