A good season can get even better for Naomh Bríd

It has been a good season so far for Naomh Brid and their rookie manager Declan McCafferty, but they are not finished just yet.

This Saturday, McCafferty will take his team through the Gap to go head to head with Letterkenny Gaels in the Junior A championship semi-final at the Crossroads in Killygordan. 

Four games into the championship and Naomh Bríd have chalked up four straight wins to top their group and automatic qualification for Saturday’s last four clash. 

“It has been a good season so far, albeit we missed out on promotion to Division Two,” McCafferty explained. 

“We missed out by two points to Red Hughs after losing only two games, which was also very encouraging.” 

A member of the club's 2008 Junior Championship team that lifted the Dr McCloskey Cup, McCafferty, and this current crop would love to break that duck this term. 

“We were in the promotion race right to the end. Unfortunately, we picked up a number of injuries at the wrong time and lost in the push for promotion.

“I would still look at it as a good league. We blooded a number of the young players like Aaron McGrory, Jack O’Hara, Eoghan Gallagher, and Oisin Brogan that have come through from the minor team. 

“They are all regulars on the team, and the older lads like Gearoid Gallagher, Gary McCafferty, Liam Duffy, and Eoin Rushe have a huge lift.

“Calum Gallagher also returned this season after a few seasons away, and for the first time in a number of years, he is injury-free and in good shape, and as a result, is playing good football.

“And Damian Cleary joined us from Aodh Ruadh and has been a big addition to our defence”. 

Their four group wins were over Urris, neighbours Pettigo, St Mary’s, Convoy, one of the other semi-finalists, and Naomh Padraig of Lifford.

“The injuries began to clear for the start of the championship, and we put in a number of big performances, and we ran up some big scores and we feel we are in a good place heading into the semi-final”.

Naomh Brid also beat Saturday's opponents Letterkenny Gaels, in the league, in Trummon. 

“It was a high-scoring game, and we eventually won by three points. But it was a game that could have gone either way. 

“Letterkenny Gaels are a good side and are putting up big scores as seen from their last few games.

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“But we have been scoring well and apart from Kyle Breslin, long-term injured, we have everybody else available”.

Callum McCafferty, Gearoid Gallagher, and Oisin Brogan had been carrying knocks in recent weeks. But they are all back fit again and good to go. 

“We are all looking forward to Saturday. It is our first semi-final since 2008, the last time we won the championship. 

“We played in the intermediate championship for a good few years after ‘08 and have only returned to junior in recent years.”