‘We need to stay in Intermediate’, says Burt boss Ciaran Dowds

Ciaran Dowds says it’s imperative that Burt keep their train motoring on the IFC tracks.

Defeat at Gaeil Fhánada in Portsalon on Saturday evening means the Hibernian men go into the IFC relegation play-offs alongside St Mary’s Convoy, Naomh Bríd and Malin.

Burt were IFC winners in 2016 and Dowds believes they can contest again for the honours soon.

“We have to pick ourselves up,” he told Donegal Live.

“That’s hugely important now that we do that. We want to stay Intermediate. We’re capable of contesting Intermediate and we’re building again.

Strong finish puts Gaeil Fhánada into IFC quarter-finals at Burt's expense

Gaeil Fhánada scored 1-3 in the final eight minutes to defeat Burt and book a place in the last eight of the Donegal IFC.

“We need to stay in the Intermediate to keep building. We’ve had the hot side of the draw again and didn’t catch a break. It’s a matter now of getting over the hurdle.

“We have to end the season positively. We did that last year, beating Convoy in the first play-off game.

“It’s tough now to talk to the players. You’re talking away, but their heads are at their feet. We’ll regroup again this week and get the heads right.”

Burt still had a chance of making the quarter-finals when they took to Fanad on Saturday, but meandered home after a 2-9 to 0-8 defeat.

“We’re hugely disappointed,” Dowds sighed after Liam McGrenaghan and Jimmy Coyle bagged the key goals for Gaeil Fhánada.

“We came here, even with the injuries, with full belief of taking something out of it. We talked about getting the victory and believed we could get it.

“We have belief in this squad and we don’t fear anyone. We were well in it again, but the goals were big turning points.

“We dug in again after the first goal, but they clicked in the late part of the second half. Fanad have real quality all over the pitch and big (Michael) Sweeney is powering all over the pitch. He set up the second goal after 60-odd minutes.”

Burt won the Division 3 title this year and will be in Division 2 in 2023. The Championship draw was unkind, though, and defeats at the hands of Dungloe, Termon and Gaeil Fhánada mean they must navigate the play-offs.

Dowds said: “We have one victory and three defeats, but we played well enough in those defeats. Everyone wanted that quarter-final spot, but only eight of 12 teams could get in. We felt we could be in a good enough position to get a quarter-final.”