Nickey Rackard Cup round four

Warwickshire v Dongeal

Saturday, Páirc na hÉireann, 2pm

By Shaun Casey

DONEGAL make the long trip to Warwickshire this weekend and will be out to extend their unbeaten run.

The Birmingham-based side currently sit bottom of the table having lost all three of their previous ties against Tyrone, Roscommon and Fermanagh.

It’s really hotting up at the top of the Nickey Rackard Cup table, with just one point the difference between the top three.

Tyrone are the leaders at the minute with three wins from three leaving them on six points while Donegal and Roscommon lead the chasing pack, both on five.

Donegal began their campaign in perfect fashion, defeating
Fermanagh and Armagh before drawing with the Rossies in
round three.

They left it late against the Erne County but were more convincing in their five-point win over Armagh.

A draw the last day out against Roscommon leaves the final two rounds all the more crucial for the Tir Chonaill men as the Connacht outfit currently sit in second place on score difference.

Donegal have their captain Ronan McDermott to thank for the side remaining undefeated, as his last-gasp goal earned a share of the spoils and guaranteed an important point.

There were a few worrying aspects of that game for Donegal manager Mickey McCann.

His team led 0-12 to 0-8 at the interval but allowed the visitors back into the game with three second-half goals.

A troubling statistic is that only this weekend opponents Warwickshire (12) and Armagh (9) have conceded more goals throughout the campaign than Donegal (6), who competed in a higher grade during the league, Division 2B

By contrast, Donegal have only hit the net three times, the worst return in the whole competition. They’ve scored one goal per game, with skipper McDermott raising all three green flags.

They could improve that average this weekend as Warwickshire’s goal concession has helped Tyrone and Roscommon build up impressive scoring averages.

A few majors on Saturday would help the Tir Chonaill men chase down the front runners and set up a possible winner takes all clash against the Red Hands on the final day.

If Donegal are to get back to the final of the competition which they last won in 2020, it looks like they’re going to have to win their two remaining games.

They’ll head over the Irish Sea as hot favourites this weekend and should return home with two points safely wrapped up.