BY KIERAN McCARTHY
DANNY McQueen calls it as it is. No mind games here. Drinagh Rangers’ main focus this season is to get their hands back on the Premier Division title.
Before Clonakilty Soccer Club won their first ever Premier league title last season, Drinagh had been the dominant force in the West Cork League, hoovering up the previous three league crowns. But there’s a new king in town, and Drinagh are now the hunter, not the hunted.
‘More often than not, we’re always at the business end but last season we came up short in two or three of the big competitions. Our main aim is getting the league back. We pride ourselves on the league. Any cup after that is a bonus,’ says Drinagh Rangers A joint-manager Danny McQueen, the man in the hot-seat alongside Rob O’Regan.
Drinagh pushed Clonakilty all the way in the Premier title race last season, with it all coming down to the final, title-deciding game between the rivals – Clon’s 2-2 home draw with Drinagh saw them win the league by two points, leaving Drinagh crestfallen. Clonakilty also beat Drinagh Rangers in last season’s Beamish Cup final, 3-2. Tough losses for Drinagh to take, but McQueen has no complaints.
‘A league is a league, the most consistent team wins it and fair play to Clonakilty they finished on top and deserved it,’ he says.
‘We know we were one kick of a ball away from the league. We had draws against Togher and Dunmanway, dropped points, and it’s the most consistent team that wins the league. Clonakilty didn’t beat us in the league but they still won the title.’
With only eight teams in this season’s Premier Division, compared to ten last campaign, there is little room for error. McQueen agrees.
‘It’s going to be more compact,’ he says, with each team to play 14 games.
‘I have advocated this for a number of years, to have less teams and squeeze up the league so hopefully everyone will play when they are at their most competitive.’
McQueen feels Drinagh’s squad is shaping up well, and despite the loss of Daniel McCarthy (Australia) and Tomás Connolly (retired), the addition of new players from their B team – Mike Hennigan, Caolan O’Driscoll and Matthew Murnane – has strengthened options. Still, he points out that a rule change means that Drinagh can’t lean on any of the B team’s players this season, and both teams are in the Premier Division
‘The second team would love to put one over on the first team!’ he says.
‘Last year there was a five-game rule where a fella from the B team could play five games with the A team without transferring. This year that rule is gone, you are either with the As or the Bs, you can’t mix and match. Last year we called up some from the Bs when we were stuck but we can’t this year. We have two squads this season.’
As well as Drinagh derbies in the Premier, McQueen knows every game will count. With only one league game played, an emphatic 6-2 away win against Beara United, the months ahead will be laden with tough tests. The Drinagh manager feels Togher Celtic are ones to watch and Castletown Celtic will be dangerous, but Clonakilty Soccer Club will be the team to beat. They look formidable, he insists. That’s Drinagh’s challenge: raise their levels to dethrone Clonakilty.
‘We have older lads who have won six, seven, eight, and last season was a big blow, and everyone wants the Premier title back. That will drive us on,’ he adds, as Drinagh’s intent is clear: they want the Premier Division crown.
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