Naomh Muire and Malin eager to go one step further and reach IFC decider

When it comes to knowing your opposition, there will be fewer who know the ins and outs, footballing-wise and personally, better than Naomh Muire manager Danny O’Donnell knows the Malin team.

O’Donnell has been a teacher in Carndonagh Community School for three decades, and the majority of the Connolly Park squad have come through the Inishowen school.

“I’ve been up here a long time, and I have great respect for the Malin club and the players. I’ve probably coached the majority of that team at some stage at senior level of the school.

“One thing about them is that they play for the jersey and they’re very proud of their club and the club are very proud of them.

“We’re going to have to deal with that at the weekend, and I’m having to deal with the chat all week in school. Maybe Monday, some will be happy and some won’t, but that’s the nature of the beast, and that’s what we play and manage in football for, these big games.

“We know it’s a big challenge for us, they’ve been knocking on the door in the Intermediate championship for a number of years, they got to the final two years ago, and they were very unlucky in the semi-final last year, so maybe they feel it’s their time.

“I know they’ve lost a number of players from last year, but they’ve brought in some good quality young players, and that’s the challenge for us. If we match them for hunger and desire, then it’s a 50/50 game after that.

“I would have coached Darragh Douglas, Ciaran O’Neill, Sean O’Neill, Taylor Bonner, and a lot of the younger boys. The older lads, I probably wouldn’t have coached as much, Paul (Gallagher) probably came through the school as well, I’ve been there that long!”

Naomh Muire had a mixed bag of results in the group phase, winning well against relegation semi-finalists Na Rossa and Cloughaneely, while they were defeated against the top two and semi-finalists on the other side of the draw in Red Hughs and Naomh Columba at home.

But they showed their strengths with a seven-point win over Milford in the quarter-finals in a windy Dunfanaghy at the weekend.

“When you win a quarter-final against a good team like Milford in the conditions both teams played in, then you’d be very happy with parts of the performance.

“When the goal opportunities came along, we were able to take them. You’re never going to be completely content, and there are things to work on for the semi-final and that’s what we’re looking to do this week.

“We’re not pulling up trees as such, we won two local derbies away but came up short against Red Hughs, and we wouldn’t have been happy with either performance when we lost. But getting to the quarter-final was always the key, and you’re looking to press the button from there, and that’s what we did, and we’re hoping to improve and do the same thing again.”

Naomh Muire are working with a near fully fit squad as Daniel Ward is their only absence, while Harry Harden and Adam O’Brien missed earlier rounds but have since returned.

And it’s a tight turnaround for the men from the Banks, with just the six days recovery from their win over Milford.

But after missing out on a final spot after losing to Termon in the semi-final last year, they will be hoping to go a step further in the Burn Road this Saturday at 5.30pm.

“We’re seeing a lot of teams losing players at different stages due to the nature of the amount of games we’re playing and the game is a different ask but thankfully we’ve been a bit fortunate.

“This Malin team is battle-hardened, and they’ve played numerous Inishowen derbies and had very competitive, close games, so we’ll have to get to the pitch with them.

“It’s a hard championship to win, and the teams that do win it tend to go on and do well in the senior championship. You look at Dungloe, then Downings and Termon, and what they’ve done since winning the Intermediate.

“We got to the semi-final last year, and we were disappointed with how it unraveled. We recovered well and got promotion from Division 2, which is something we didn’t set out to do, but we got it, and that gives us confidence.

“We’re going in feeling ready, and the disappointment of last year, we’re hoping it will give the lads extra motivation. You’ll have two very motivated teams, and that’s what we’re expecting in the semi-final, so it’ll come down to performance on the day and maybe a bit of luck.”

For Malin, they may have got the extra day rest having been the first semi-finalist confirmed, but they will have felt all the effects as they battled through extra-time to defeat Inishowen rivals Naomh Pádraig Uisce Chaoin.

A 1-18 apiece draw after 60 minutes led to an extra 20 minute period, but they came through by 3-22 to 1-25 by the end of the game.

Having drawn against the Muff men in the group phase, another close contest was expected and Paul Gallagher’s men eventually got the job done.

I had a feeling it was going to go to extra time,” Gallagher said after the game.

“Especially after the drawn game the last time.

“It was tight, tight going, and both sides had men down with cramp.

“We played part of the second half a man down with the black card. We'd come from four points down ourselves, and knew we had the football in it if we didn't panic and could get the ball to the shooters.”

Gallagher will have gotten the chance to see some of their potential opponents on Sunday with the extra days rest, but having made this stage in the last two years and having success and failure, they will be looking to get over the line as they did in 2023.

“I hope I'm not as nervous ahead of the semi-final!” Paul laughed.

“We spoke about it at the start of the year. A lot of our players have played in the championship semi-final, adn that's what they want to get back to.

“Even though we have lost eight players from last year's championship team, the rest of our players stood up. Fair play to them.

“The likes of Josh Conlon, Christy McLaughlin, Sean O'Neill all stepped up, Ciaran Doherty at full back too. They've taken on the mantle the older boys used to carry. 

“They've good heads, they're very good in the dressing room before matches and in training.

“We'll be glad of the extra day's rest. There's a lot of sore bodies after extra time tonight, but the win will ease that a bit.

“We need to manage them this week and make sure the training is appropriate for the load they're carrying and hopefully we're firing again next weekend.”