Sean McVeigh back in fold as Mickey McCann names strong panel for McGurk opener 

Declan Coulter is back in the Donegal hurling quad as they prepare to take on Derry in the quarter-final of the Conor McGurk Cup at the Donegal GAA Centre on Saturday (1.30 pm). 

The Setanta star had stated before Christmas that he was taking a break but appears to have had a change of heart over the holidays as he is back in training with his fellow Setanta colleagues, who all returned this week. 

St Eunan’s star Sean McVeigh is also back in the squad and is picked in the starting line up after taking a year out in 2023. 

Meanwhile, St Eunan’s duo Peter Kelly and Cathal O’Brien have all been added to the squad while Oisin Grant from Buncrana has also returned. 

But one man who is definitely out for the year is Richie Ryan, through a combination of a serious injury and studies, while Michael Donaghue is rated as pretty doubtful 

And while team captain Ronan McDermott is out for this competition and the NHL, he is expected to be back in April. 

The vastly Coulter and Danny Cullen are named amongst the subs in a 29-man squad along with Sean Ward, Steven McBride, Oisin Marley, Josh Cronolly McGee, Bernard Laverty and Dean Harvey, and the only Setanta men starting are Gerry Gilmore and Ruairi Campbell. 

Manager McCann confirmed the additions and absentees and is preparing for a tough battle with a Derry side who fielded an U-20 outfit, which beat Armagh earlier this week. 

“Declan Coulter is back in training again which is good to see and we also have Sean McVeigh back again, which is a huge lift. 

“And Peter Kelly is an exciting young hurler that we have been looking, at while Cathal O’Brien played at centre back for us in a recent win by 2-19 to 0-8 over Fermanagh in a challenge match. 

“He has to work on his fitness a bit and Declan Coulter also got some game time in that match. 

“Oisin Duffy is back training too, but Richie Ryan is out for the year and Mick Donaghue is very doubtful while Ronan McDermott should be back for the Nickey Rackard Cup. 

“But Derry have been a bit of a bogey team for us so we are expecting a huge challenge. 

“The only time we have ever beaten them was in the NHL in 2018 and we had a number of close calls with them but have always ended up just a bit short. 

“They fielded their U-20s against Armagh so we don’t know exactly what we will be facing but their U 20s are a big strong side as well and they are always very physical.” 

He added that Derry U-20s and won the All-Ireland B final title last year and have quite a bit of quality in their sides. 

“They are always an imposing side and at this time of the year they are very hard to beat on heavier pitches. 

“We don’t know exactly what Derry side will be coming with but we will need to have our house in order.” 

Donegal: Luke White; Ciaran Curran, Ciaran Bradley, Gavin Browne; Jack O’Loughlin, Stephen Gillespie, Conor O’Grady; Brian MacIntyre, Ryan Hilferty; Sean McVeigh, Conor Gartland, Liam McKinney; Peter Kelly, Gerard Gilmore, Ruairi Campbell: 

Subs; Cathal O’Brien, Conor Griffin, Cormac Finn, Oisin Kelly, Josh Cronolly McGee, James Monagle, Sean Ward, James Hartnett, Oisin Marley, Dean Harvey, Declan Coulter, Danny Cullen, Bernard Lafferty, Steven McBride.