Naomh Conaill turnover St Eunan's in SFC final and show why you never write them off

In what could be defined as a role-reversal from how the season panned out last year, Naomh Conaill showed their durability and powers of recovery to pip St Eunan’s in the Donegal SFC final.

Naomh Conaill 1-9
St Eunan’s 2-5

When you scrape back the dusting surface of their latter day duopoly, one thing's for certain - that’s that predicted lines are seldom adhered to. In 2005, few gave Naomh Conaill a chance in hell when they strode through Fintown for their first final in 40 years but they went back through it with the Dr Magurie Cup.  

In 2012, Naomh Conaill - the better team - lost and three years later, St Eunan’s - the better team - lost. Last season, with Naomh Conaill gunning for a rare three-in-row and firm favourites, they were hammered by 10 points. This year, all the talk was of St Eunan’s and yet, Dr Maguire is going back to Glenties through Fintown. 

In his post match speech, Kevin McGettigan, the Naomh Conaill captain, remembered all of those 10 who had lost their lives in the tragedy in Creeslough last Friday week. A minute's silence when you could hear a pindrop as far as Barnesmore took place beforehand.

The soft sending off of Shane O’Donnell in first half injury time was something that will fill the weary post-mortems in Letterkenny, when the St Eunan’s forward pushed over Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí. O'Donnell followed up with what could be best described as a weak fling of the arm.

It came when everyone else seemed to be pushing everyone else and there was a look of bemusement on the face O'Donnell and even some of the almost apologetic Naomh Conaill players as he made his way from the field after referee Mark Dorrian, having consulted with linesman Val Murray, reached for the red card. St Eunan's were far from their best all day, yet might well point to that exact moment as to why they were pipped. Over in Glenties, they won't look into it so much.

Faced with a massive wind, it was Martin Regan’s Naomh Conaill who, despite a two-point deficit by the interval and even before O’Donnell’s travails, would’ve been more encouraged. Whereas in the final last year which Rory Kavanagh’s side barely had a glove laid on them, this time Naomh Conaill were gobbling up the turnovers and their vocal support was living off that. 

The boys in blue scored the first two points, with Mac Ceallabhuí and Brendan McDyer piercing shots into the breeze, although St Eunan’s, with their first even half-meaningful attack managed a goal. Conor O’Donnell played a quick ball forward to his brother Shane on 13 minutes and with Eoin McGeehin proving a willing run across the front, was found before rounding Stephen McGrath to put his team 1-0 to 0-2 in front. 

It might’ve lifted St Eunan’s, who moments later scored a sublime point from Niall O’Donnell as they looked to be approaching their groove. However, Naomh Conaill, picking their method of attacks intrinsically and finishing them well, soon levelled at 0-4 to 1-1 with a Charlie McGuinness free and then a top-class long ranger from McDyer.

Only late in the half did St Eunan’s again show anything of the form that saw them installed as heavy favourites, with Niall O’Donnell’s free and then a simple Coalan Ward lob ending with McGrath in the Naomh Conaill goal tipping over from Aaron Deeney. Then came the sending off and although St Eunan’s were 1-3 to 0-4 in front, their lead - and how they got there - was far from convincing. 

Naomh Conaill were surrendering kick-outs and giving St Eunan’s possession over two-thirds of the field, but when it came to times of engagement, they knew when to press the button. Thompson, their leader from centre-field, also started to make his stamp on things to  become an increasingly important factor.

He opened the second half scoring with a free and, on 40 minutes, with the wind now a more considered factor of the Naomh Conaill offence, Odhrán Doherty put in a tantalising diagonal ball into the autumnal sunshine, which might've caught out Caolan Ward, and McGuinness gathered into his chest comfortably to shoot past Shaun Patton.

Naomh Conaill, from two down, were two up at 1-5 to 1-3 and St Eunan’s had to wriggle their way out of the shell and wriggle fast. Sean McVeigh, on 42 minutes, scored their first point of the second half, although McDyer, at the other end, planted another long-ranger to maintain the cushion of two. Thompson, from a free on the right, put them 1-7 to 1-4 up with just over 11 to play.

That third quarter meant that for the first time, St Eunan’s were pulled out of their comfort zone and although still controlled, with the time ticking down there was a sense of urgency in their movement of the ball, although Naomh Conaill were well set. 

Chancing something different, Niall O’Donnell put the ball in from deep on 50 minutes and although McGeehin got hands on it, his spill fell to teammate Kevin Kealy, who spun in a flash to stab into the bottom corner to level to scores - St Eunan’s 1-8 Naomh Conaill 2-5.

Now, it was anyone’s game, with, in retrospect, the Naomh Conaill answer to that setback perhaps the standout facet. Again it was Thompson they turned to. Again it was Thompson who answered their prayers, with a brilliant 51st minute score.

St Eunan’s were still in it and worked an opening when substitute Conor Morrison burst through and punched over to level it again with seven to play. Again, there was a hot potato moment. Thompson, with absolutely no hangbacks about having to take the mantle of responsibility, did it again to give his side a 58th minute lead.

Then, it was to the trenches with St Eunan’s having the ball for over two minutes in the three allotted minutes of injury time and eventually, when someone had to, McVeigh was the one who had the go and could only watch on as it drifted to the right and wide. 

It’s the sixth title for Naomh Conaill since that breakthrough in 2005 and another chapter has been written. You may as well keep writing, because writing them off hasn’t worked.

St Eunan’s scorers: Eoin McGeehin 1-0; Niall O’Donnell 0-2, 1f; Aaron Deeney 0-1, Sean McVeigh 0-1 Kevin Kealey 1-0; Conor Morrision 0-1. 
Naomh Conaill scorers: Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí 0-1, Charlie McGuinness 1-1; Ciaran Thompson 0-4, 3f; Brendan McDyer 0-2

St Eunan’s: Shaun Patton; Conor Parke, Caolán Ward, Aaron Deeney; Darragh Mulgrew Conor O’Donnell Snr, Kieran Tobin; Sean McGettigan, Kevin Kealy; Ciaran Moore, Shane O’Donnell, Sean McVeigh; Padraig McGettigan, Niall O’Donnell, Eoin McGeehin. Subs: Kieran Tobin for Park (half-time), Conor O’Donnell jnr for P McGettigan (41), Conor Morrison for Devine (43), Eoin Dowlin for S  McGettigan (53)
Naomh Conaill: Sephen McGrath; Kevin McGettigan, AJ Gallagher, Jason Campbell; Ethan O'Donnell, Anthony Thompson, Eoin Waide; Ciaran Thompson, Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí; Brendan McDyer, Odhran Doherty, Eunan Doherty; John O'Malley, Charlie McGuinness, Keelan McGill. Subs: Leo McLoone for O Malley (57), Marty Boyle and Dermot Molloy for O Doherty and McDyer (60+3).
Referee: Mark Dorrian (Gaeil Fhánada)