McGinley and Letterkenny Rovers aren't underestimating Castlefin Celtic

Letterkenny Rovers are in search of a treble this Sunday and shot stopper Mark Anthony McGinley is looking to finish the season on a high.

After a 3-1 win over Kilmacrennan Celtic in the semi-final on Sunday, in which McGinley saved a penalty, it puts the side into the Brian McCormick Cup final for the third year in-a-row.

The Rovers number one missed out on last year’s final due to personal reasons as Letterkenny Rovers lost Blake Forkan to injury and third choice ‘keeper Davin Blake came in to help them come from behind and beat Keadue Rovers.

And while it will be his first time contesting this final, the experienced goalkeeper is no stranger to senior finals over his career, from the 2016 Ulster SFC final with Donegal against Tyrone, to as recently as the Ulster Junior Cup final win over Kildrum Tigers last month.

That secured the double for the Leckview men but they can go one better this year should they beat Castlefin Celtic, who had their own great escape in the semi-final against Donegal Town.

“It would be nice to get the third title because I don’t know if it has ever been done before.

“Castlefin went into the game as underdogs on Sunday and went 2-0 down and still came back to win so it’ll not be easy, we’ll have to be up for it so it’s about matching their workrate and desire and if we can do that then we have the quality to beat any side in Donegal and most Junior clubs in the country.

“You only enjoy a final if you win it so hopefully we can get over the line this Sunday.

“It’s about getting a good start and building on that.”

Stephen McConnell’s side have enjoyed a great season to date, although the goalkeeper admits the one blip on their record was their defeat to Mervue United in the FAI Junior Cup.

But they haven’t lost in any other competitions this season, finishing the Premier Division campaign unbeaten.

“Mervue was probably the only game where we didn’t show up but that is kind of driving us on because we’ve looked back at it and thought we should have gone much further in that competition.”

READ NEXT: Ulster FA vows to bounce back after recent period branded an embarrassment 

Part of the reason the side kept their unbeaten record was a late equaliser against Gweedore Celtic in their penultimate league match, which McGinley came up for and was credited for the goal, although there has been a debate in the squad as to whether he got the final touch.

“I was given it on the official report, so I’m claiming it anyway,” he quipped.

“When we got that far to going unbeaten it would have been disappointing not to see it out so it was an important goal.

“But it has been a great season and hopefully we can finish it off on a high on Sunday.”