Naomh Conaill battle hard in extra-time to overcome Four Masters to reach SFC final

Naomh Conaill make a return to the Donegal SFC final after a hard fought four point win over Four Masters in O’Donnell Park.

There was never more than three in it and both sides led by that amount, Four Masters going ahead early on with Seanán Carr (3) and Kevin Muldoon (2) pointing, but Shea Malone’s two point free had Naomh Conaill 0-7 to 0-6 up at the break.

The impressive duo of Max Campbell and Ethan O’Donnell had them three clear, but Four Masters kept coming back through Turlough Carr and Alex McCalmont.

And while Malone put Naomh Conaill ahead on 60 minutes, Muldoon levelled the game with the last kick to bring it to extra-time.

And as the Donegal Town side went three clear early on in the third period, a Kevin McGettigan goal swung things, and they kicked four points in a row to set up a repeat of the 2023 final with Gaoth Dobhair.

Naomh Conaill had a lot of the ball early on, and while Max Campbell pointed, it was their only score from four attempts before Four Masters got a shot away.

And the Donegal Town men got going once they got their first, Turlough Carr pointing and Seanán Carr fisted over less than a minute later.

Seanán got another as he curled over from out on the left, and the jinking runs of Kevin Muldoon, along with his pace, helped him create the space to get a first score.

Finnbarr Roarty fired over at the other end from a tight angle, but another burst of pace from Muldoon allowed him in for another score.

John O’Malley kicked two close range frees, the second as Lewis McCaughan was penalised for taking too long with his kick out, while a great driving run from Kieran Gallagher saw him fist over and level things.

Seanán Carr got a third score to restore their lead, but it was quickly wiped out by a Shea Malone two pointer.

Four Masters then had a couple of poor wides as they went ahead on that tally with five to four at the break, but it was Naomh Conaill who led on the count that mattered at 0-7 to 0-6.

That lead was extended twice within a minute of the restart, Campbell cutting in from the right to point, before Ethan O’Donnell got on the scoresheet after a 1-2 with Charles McGuinness.

Muldoon had a shot go wide as he tried to go for goal, while Kevin McGettigan was just hounded out in time as he looked in a dangerous position.

Malone and Turlough Carr traded scores, and Alex McCalmont added another from off the ground as he was almost dispossessed to leave two in it on 40 minutes.

Anthony Thompson pointed next from just inside the arc, but McCalmont responded with a good score.

A Seanán Carr effort dropped short to Patrick Reid, and Naomh Conaill did well to block his shot, but Turlough Carr fired over a super two pointer to tie the game again.

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But as a Naomh Conaill free was brought forward, Shea Malone kicked another two pointer.

Frees from Seanán Carr and Conor McCahill levelled the game on 59 minutes, but Malone got another point from play at the second attempt, after a goal saving block from Oisin Reid, to go ahead in the first of five minutes added.

And while many in a packed O’Donnell Park began to make their way out, Four Masters got their chance as time was up, Muldoon again creating space for himself and curling over on his right foot to take it to extra-time.

And they took that momentum into added time, McCalmont and Seanán Carr kicking scores before they had three efforts fail to go between the posts.

A sensational bit of skill from Seanán Carr, flicking it over the Naomh Conaill defender before pointing put his side three clear, but from Stephen McGrath’s long kick out, Four Masters got caught out and Kevin McGettigan raced forward, firing low to level the game.

McDyer then kicked a free to take a one point lead after the third period, and he added one from play a minute after the restart.

As Malone and Gallagher added points, it looked over at a four point lead, but Callum McCrea fisted over on 78 minutes to leave a goal in it.

But Malone added another point, while Killian Faulkner’s late wide was a 17th effort that failed to split the posts for the Donegal Town men as they will have been left to rue missed chances, with Naomh Conaill making a return to the final.

Naomh Conaill scorers: Shea Malone 0-8,2tpf; Kevin McGettigan 1-0; John O’Malley 0-2f; Max Campbell and Kieran Gallagher 0-2 each; Brendan McDyer 0-2,1f; Finnbarr Roarty, Ethan O’Donnell and Anthony Thompson 0-1 each.

Four Masters scorers: Seanán Carr 0-6,1f; Turlough Carr 0-4,1tp; Kevin Muldoon and Alex McCalmont 0-3 each; Conor McCahill 0-1f; Callum McCrea 0-1.

Naomh Conaill: Stephen McGrath; Ultan Doherty, AJ Gallagher, Max Campbell; Kevin McGettigan, Anthony Thompson, Finnbarr Roarty; Kieran Gallagher, Ethan O’Donnell; Brendan McDyer, John O’Malley, Odhran Doherty; Jeaic MacCeallabhuí, Shea Malone, Charles McGuinness.

Subs: Jason Campbell for McGettigan (blood-sub), Leo McLoone for McDyer (46), Mark McDevitt for Thompson (49), McDyer for O’Malley (et), Keelan McGill for Campbell (blood-sub), Seamus Corcoran for O Doherty (72), O’Malley for McGuinness (75), Dermot Molloy for K Gallagher (79).

Four Masters: Lewis McCaughan; Aaron McCrea, Dylan Kennedy, David Monaghan; Callum McCrea, Oisin Reid, Caolan Loughney; Richard O’Rourke, Patrick Reid; Kevin Muldoon, Turlough Carr, Conor Reid; Seanán Carr, Conor McCahill, Alex McCalmont.

Subs: Joe Leape for Monaghan (55), Killian Faulkner for P Reid (57), Cian Gavigan for Kennedy (75)

Referee: Enda McFeely (St Mary’s, Convoy)