By Niall Gartland

IT’S fair to say that former Malin footballer Michael Bryne is now exerting a positive influence on the sidelines as manager of the club.

This is his first season in charge of the club and he’s already got something to show for it as he’s successfully steered them out of Division Two and into the top flight of Donegal football.

They can afford to take a leisurely approach to their final group stage clash this weekend ahead of a league final against Downings or Sean Mac Cumhaill’s, and it’s been some turnaround after finishing mid-table in Division Three last year.

Following a restructuring of the leagues in Donegal, Malin, who are the most northern-based team in the country, were slotted into Division Two and they’ve absolutely excelled under their new management, spearheaded by Michael Byrne.

Asked if they aspired for promotion from the outset of the season, Byrne said: “Possibly it was beyond our expectations – last year we didn’t set the world alight in Division Three, and with the restructuring of the leagues where it went from four leagues to three, we were pushed up to Division Two.

“We had a meeting in December and we talked about applying ourselves so we could be the best we could possibly be.

“We decided not to have a ceiling on our ambitions but we probably didn’t think we’d be in a position where we would be promoted to Division Two.”

Division One football is a tough proposition but Malin have some recent experience of competing with the big boys in Donegal.

They reached the semi-finals of the Donegal Senior Championship in 2013 and 2016 before going through something of a rut, but they’re putting in a Trojan effort under Byrne and his sideline assistants Charlie Byrne, Darren Duffy, Seamus Paddymor and Stephen Farren.

“The aim will be to establish ourselves in Division One but obviously that isn’t easy to do. If we could stay up next year it will be an absolutely massive achievement and something we can build on.

“We’ve younger players waiting
in the wings who can freshen things up next year and they’ll all be needed.

“One of the reasons we’ve done well this year is that we’ve used a lot of players and it’s created a great bond in the camp.”

Malin will finish off their regular season with a clash against Milford this weekend before taking on Downings or Sean Mac Cumhaill’s in the Division Two final.

“Whatever happens, promotion has been achieved and they’ll take a great deal of confidence heading into their Intermediate Championship campaign as well.

“The league title would be a lovely way to finish it off. We’re waiting to see who we’ll play and it’d be the icing on the cake if we win that one, and then we’ll look ahead to the championship.”