Burt's Ronan McDermott joins Donegal's 100-club

Donegal hurling captain Ronan McDermott is set to join an unique club this Sunday when Donegal go toe to toe with Wicklow in the Allianz League Division 2B.

The three time Nicky Rackard Cup winner and 12 seasons on from playing his first game for Donegal seniors, pulls on the jersey for the 100th time in a competitive game.

He also is the holder of a Lory Meagher Cup winners medal. He was on the subs bench when Donegal defeated Tyrone, in the 2011, Lory Meagher final. The Burt man, who turned 28 before Christmas, showed great promise at underage had his first senior outing against Louth, in a league game, in O’Donnell, back in 2011. Donegal were in Division 3A of the Allianz League back then.

“It is hard to believe. I didn’t realise it until I read it somewhere recently,” McDermott said. “The last 10 years have really flown. Andrew Wallace brought me into the senior squad in 2011. I was 17 and I played a number of games in the league and I was a sub for the Lory Meagher final.

“Looking back now, winning the Lory Meagher was the breakthrough really. In the years since we have won the Nicky Rackard Cup three times and we have been promoted to Division 2B, in the league. We won promotion in 2017 and relegated again at the end of 2018, but bounced back the following year and we are back in 2B again, this season.”

The Nicky Rackard Cup final victories were over Roscommon in 2013, Warwickshire, in 2018 and Mayo, in 2020.
“The Nicky Rackard Cup wins were the high point so far and of the three, I think the win over Mayo, was the most pleasing because it was the first time we beat Mayo,” McDermott added.

“They had become our bogey team and to do it in the final in Croke Park, even though there were only a handful of spectators at the game was special.” His trophy cabinet also boasts of three Division 3 A Allianz League winners medal a Nicky Rackard Cup All-Star (2015). He was also named on the Donegal team of the last decade.

Donegal aim to get back on track against Tyrone in Ulster Minor Ladies Championship

Francie Martin's side lost out to Cavan in their opening fixture and had a good challenge match win over Derry in Owenbeg on Saturday

McDermott has played under four managers Andrew Wallace, Ray Durack, Ardal McDermott and Mickey McCann. He chalked up his magnificent achievement despite emigration and working and living in London for two seasons.
Yet despite living outside the country he rarely missed a game. I used to fly home every weekend. It was pretty demanding working long hours and fitting in time to train.

“I used to fly into Belfast on a Saturday evening and then fly out again on Sunday evening or early Monday morning, depending on flight times,” McDermott added.

“My dad (John) or my mam (Majella) used to pick me up at the airport and leave me back again on the Sunday evening or the Monday morning whichever it was. They have been very good to me down the years driving all over the country to games and I owe them a lot. Dad played for the county in the 1990s and is a big hurling man and I had a hurdle in my hand for as long as I can remember.

“My dad and mam instilled a love of hurling in me and I’m grateful because I love the game and I enjoy every day I’m out playing hurling.”

Mickey McCann, the Donegal manager, appointed McDermott captain at the start of the year and he sees the captaincy as a great honour.

“I’m honoured to be captain,” he added. “I have captained teams at underage with both the club and county but this the first time at senior. It is a great honour to captain your county. I’m looking forward to the season ahead and building on the success of recent years.”

After two winning their two opening games in the league against London and Sligo the captain and his team are hoping to consolidate their position in Division 2 B, in the remaining three games and maybe even push for promotion. And that is before they have a crack at a fourth Nicky Rackard Cup success and the step up to the Christy Ring Cup championship. League consolidation begins this Sunday against Wicklow.

“They have got off to a bad start in the league,” McDermott said. “But Wicklow are a traditional division two team and we have a poor record against them. Hopefully, we can turn that around on Sunday. We are in good shape and confidence is high. So it is a matter of going out and putting in a performance.”