Donegal U21 manager Maxi Curran says the demands on rising star Darach O'Connor are too great.

The 18-year-old Buncrana schoolboy missed Donegal's Ulster U21FC quarter-final victory over Fermanagh on Wednesday night and is doubtful for the semi-final on April 2 after pulling a hamstring playing for his school Colaisti Inis Eoghain against St. Eunan's College in the MacLarnon Cup final on Monday. He had played 11 minutes of Donegal's Allianz League game against Down 24 hours earlier.

"The loss of Darach was very, very disappointing in what we feel are very unnecessary circumstances," former senior selector Curran is quoted in the Donegal News.

"For this campaign, we have had Darach for 40 minutes of two matches and one training session since last July. We have been very mindful of Darach the whole way through. His history of injury always cause us a concern.

"Having to be in a situation of playing three matches in four days was always a situation fraught with danger. Ourselves and Colaistí Inis Eoghain suffered for it. He's very young, only 18, and he has a lot to deal with. "These are big games. Darach had to play in the National League, an Ulster final and an U21 championship game in the space of four days and he's still a Leaving Cert student. It's a lot to deal with and it's an unfortunate situation." Tweet

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