Finnbarr Roarty relishing first Naomh Conaill SFC final challenge ahead

Naomh Conaill defender Finnbarr Roarty was pleased with his side's extra-time win over Four Masters as he prepares for a first Donegal SFC final in two weeks.

For Roarty, who is up for the Young Player of the Year gong and received an All-Star nomination, the Gaoth Dobhair showdown will be his first senior final in just his second year in adult football.

A disappointing quarter-final defeat to St Eunan’s ended their campaign last season earlier than usual, but they have made up for it so far this year.

And his importance to the team, along with other young guns Max Campbell and Shea Malone, shone through as all three impressed on Sunday’s 1-19 to 0-18 win over the Donegal Town side.

“A lot of people say we’re an old team, but we kept battling to the very end.

“It’s my first semi-final and now a first final. Naomh Conaill have been in something like eleven semi-finals in the past twelve years, so it was what we were looking for.

“Last year, ‘Eunan’s were just a different breed, but we set out our goals this year and hopefully in two weeks time, we can get over the line. But we know it won’t be easy, Gaoth Dobhair are playing very well.

“Shea is a great asset. He was with Sligo Rovers the last three years and he was in and out with us at underage so he’s savage to get back this year, he’s hitting five or six points every game.

“But whatever about the young boys, the older lads are still going so well too.”

Naomh Conaill didn’t have it easy against the youthful Masters side, who brought the game to extra-time with a last minute Kevin Muldoon score.

And Martin Regan’s side went three down at the start of extra-time, but Kevin McGettigan’s goal got them back on track and they hit the next four points to ease the tension.

“It’s good to get the win, when you get over the line, you don’t really care how you do it at the end of the day.

“It was the same last week against Termon, we made it hard and they are a good team, but it’s all about who gets the last score.

“Tops to Four Masters, the young blood they have and their energy levels are through the roof.

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“I know the scoreline says we won by four points, but it was in no way an easy four point win. They were three points up with a few minutes to go in the first half of extra-time and then we got the goal.”

Four Masters will have been disappointed with their conversion rate, with 13 wides as well as a couple short and one off the post, but Roarty put that down to his teams defensive abilities.

“You can also say that it’s good defending from our side, if someone hits a wide usually it means someone put on a bit of pressure so I’m happy with the result and the team, we dug deep.”