Malin chasing the top spot

Malin’s Declan Walsh

Their senior championship aspirations may have been abruptly ended by Kilcar back in the preliminary round, but Malin have still got plenty to focus on as the season moves towards its conclusion.

The Innishowen outfit currently occupy second place in the division two league, four points behind leaders Killybegs with a game in hand. With the table toppers earning automatic promotion, and second place going into the play-offs, the incentive for Malin to keep pressing on is a huge one, according to manager Terence Colhoun.

“First place means you get the cup and you’re up straight away, second place goes into a play-off for third. It’s difficult to keep the momentum going, but full credit to the boys because they have responded very well,” Colhoun said.

“After we went out of the championship, we were down to play Killybegs next who were top of the league. The choice was there either to lay down, or to dust ourselves off and go again. We won that game by ten points down there in one of the best games we’ve played all season.

“But on the other hand we went down to Naomh Mhuire and lost, that was our most disappointing result because they were bottom of the table at that stage. It was one of those days where it just didn’t click for us.

“Apart from that, we drew with Bundoran but we’re currently appealing that result because the referee had it as a one-point win for Bundoran. Come the end of the season, a result like that one could be the difference between finishing first or second.”

The full story is in the current issue of Gaelic Life, published on Thursday July 26. Buy your copy now in your local newsagent, or you can purchase the online version – for only 90p – by clicking here