Donegal senior hurling team manager Mickey McCann. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
By Cian O’Connell
“I come from a parish, Burt, the hurl is just given to you at a young age,” Donegal manager Mickey McCann responds instantly when asked about how his passion for hurling is undiminished.
“They set standards there, and they love hurling,” McCann adds. “That is where it comes from. I was part of a great Burt team that represented Donegal with 15 Burt men, we competed very well. That is where it all comes from; the hunger.
“You just have a love for the game of hurling, anybody that watches would know why, it is so addictive.”
McCann is immersed in the sport. The pain following the 2023 Nickey Rackard Cup Final loss to Wicklow lingered for a while, but McCann is still eager to do his bit for the Donegal cause. “You’re just trying to get better and better, to get Donegal hurling to a different level,” he says.
“That is the aim. For long enough we were down at the bottom. We are hitting higher divisions which is great for us, we've put a lot of hard work in, and the players have got behind us.
“We've a good coach in Gabriel O'Kane, who has been with us since I took the job. We've set standards compared to years gone by, we've an S&C coach on board, we have a good set-up.
“The hard work is done, the young boys have five or six years under their belt now. They are starting to come through for us.”
In the early rounds of the 2024 Nickey Rackard, Donegal have registered two victories. Last weekend’s triumph over Mayo was a particularly encouraging result. “The Mayo match was one we targeted, they were one of the teams to beat in the competition, if you want to win it,” McCann replies.
“So, it was one game we knew would be massive at O'Donnell Park, a home venue for us. Thankfully we came out on the right side and we already had a good away victory against Armagh.
Mickey McCann celebrates following the 2018 Nickey Rackard Cup Final at Croke Park. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
“We have everything still in our own hands, that is the way you need to keep it in these group stages.”
Monaghan are next on the agenda for Donegal, but McCann is optimistic about how his team is developing this year. “Momentum is key in any sport,” McCann says. “Our performance against Armagh was just okay, we didn't perform as good as we could.
“In the second half against Mayo we really showed up. It was level at half-time, so to come out with a seven point victory was very good against a good Mayo team, who cruised through Division Three and they have been playing in the Christy Ring.
“So, we were very happy with our second half performance, it builds a bit of momentum for us. The boys are looking forward to a different challenge against Monaghan, who no doubt will be very defensive and will set a different task for us, but we are looking forward to it.”
At GAA headquarters last June Donegal were beaten by Wicklow in the Nickey Rackard decider. McCann pondered his future. “The key is if the players are keen to keep the set-up and they are willing to work for us again,” he reflects.
“You have to have the changing room with us, that is key, and I felt we had. Last year we were unlucky against a very good Wicklow team.
“We had put ourselves in a great position, we picked up a cruciate injury to our captain Ronan McDermott, who was giving them serious bother.
"We were beat by two points, we did feel like we maybe left it behind us, but all praise to Wicklow, who're a good side.
“I felt we had it in our own hands, so it was hard to take. When we sat down and chatted about it, we said could we try to give this another rattle, to maybe getting Donegal hurling into Christy Ring level.
Mickey McCann in Ulster SHC action for Donegal against Armagh in 2009.
“That is the way it ended up, and we went at it again. It is key to have the players behind you, that is the key thing.”
Another vital aspect is integrating emerging hurlers to feature alongside the experienced and established performers. Competitions such as the Celtic Challenge have been beneficial according to McCann, who believes further can be made. “We keep an eye, we try to bring in a couple every year,” he says.
“We've been looking at them, it has definitely helped, but there is a lot more that needs to be done in some of the weaker counties with hurling. We all know that. I feel it is getting slightly better, but it has to get a lot better if the likes of Donegal is to start getting up to Antrim's level.
“It is definitely going forward, you have more clubs in the county now. So, I feel it is going the right way, but a lot more needs to be done at that level to get the boys up to the level we want them at.”
The work being carried out by clubs in the county matters deeply. “Exactly, for long enough you only had us (Burt), MacCumhaills, and Setanta,” McCann says. “Then St Eunan's came into the fray. Now you have Buncrana, Dunloe, and Ballyshannon.
“You're getting a couple of picks from each club. The extra numbers help, if you get one or two from each club, that is what is happening at the minute. It definitely puts you in a stronger position as a county manager.
“Competition for places is key. In years gone by we struggled for numbers, now we have a panel of 35, playing in house matches of 15 a side some nights.
“That's where it all comes from, boys fighting for spots. It is all coming from the clubs and some of the work being done there. Anybody we feel is good enough, we are just trying to bring them on to the next level.”
Still accompanied by hope, McCann continues to contribute to the Donegal hurling story.