BY CHRIS MCNULTY
BARRY Dunnion will make his long-awaited return to the Donegal shirt tonight in a challenge game against Wexford in Letterkenny, while Brendan Devenney was back in training with the county this week in a bid to make the final squad ahead of the Championship opener with Derry on June 1.
Dunnion has been sidelined since picking up a groin injury last summer, but recently returned to action with his club, Four Masters, in the All County League. While he didn't take part in Tuesday evening's training session, the Donegal News has been informed that he could play some part in tonight's game that is in aid of the Alan Doherty.
Donegal fans will be heartened to here that the All-Star nominee of 2006 is close to a full recovery with the showdown with Derry now just three weeks away. Having missed such a large chunk of the last twelve months, Dunnion will be eager to get in on the action tonight in a bid to stake a claim for a place in the first fifteen.
Another man bidding for a place in the panel is St Eunan's captain Brendan Devenney, who returned to county training this week.
"The situation with Brendan is that he had two weeks to prove his level of fitness and having done that he was back at training on Tuesday night," said McIver. "The Championship game at the weekend allows him another chance to do that and we'll make a decision thereafter."
This week Brian McIver noted that he had filled 29 of the 30 places on his panel, but was waiting on clarification as to whether or not he was limited to the 30 before he confirms his selection. With injury recently ruling Rory Kavanagh and Leon Thompson out, Devenney should be back in the reckoning for the Ulster quarter final in just under a month's time.
competitive action
Tonight's game against Wexford is the final chance for fans to see the team in competitive action ahead of the Derry game, although with the club championship on this weekend, players from these clubs will not be featuring tonight.
While the game offers McIver a chance to run the rule over the squad, the main aim is to raise funds for the Alan Doherty fund and this week the Donegal manager appealed for the supporters to turn out in their numbers.
"It is a great opportunity for the people of Donegal and the people of Letterkenny to show their support for Alan," he said.
"He has shown tremendous courage over the last while and at every opportunity represented Donegal with the jersey so this is a great opportunity for people to come out and support him.
"Also, if the weather stays good it is a good chance to see a great game of football."
Michael Doherty, who picked up an injury in Malin on Sunday, is expected to play some part tonight. With Rory Kavanagh sidelined for some time, McIver is also likely to be altering his options at centrefield and with Kevin Rafferty and Neil Gallagher on club duty this weekend tonight's selection will be an interesting one.
"It is a chance for players to stake a claim for starting jerseys for the Derry game and we will use it to give some youngsters a run, but we will be as strong as we can be even though we are limited with the club championship on," said McIver.
For more see the Donegal News online pdf editions
