Big day for Dohertys of Naomh Columba with Junior and Intermediate wins

There is no doubting the connection between the Dohertys and Naomh Columba and it was a special day for the family on Sunday with a double celebration.

Eugene Doherty started the ball rolling early in the day by guiding the Junior Ladies to the county title but only after extra-time against Urris in Lifford.

It was then on to the O’Donnell Park for the girls and supporters and they were able to celebrate on the double when Brendan Doherty led the men to the Promised Land of senior football by taking the Donegal Intermediate title against Malin.

In the end it was a comfortable eight point win but the pressure of losing two of the last three Intermediate finals provided an uncomfortable shadow going into the decider.

But when asked about this after Sunday’s win, Brendan Doherty felt it was a good question.

“Sometimes you have to park these things and you have to move on. And that’s what we did. And yet we were conscious that we have come to big days and we didn’t perform.

“The most thing that we focussed on was a performance and it was good enough to get us over the line. Maybe other days it mightn’t have been. But I’m just delighted for everybody,” said Doherty.

Naomh Columba had the wind at their backs in the first half and eventually went in at the break eight up and it was something that was a feature of their games all year the manager felt. “Today was no different. Maybe we did put in the work in the first 40-50 minutes but we are just delighted, so relieved, more than anything else. When you lose finals and come back again, the pressure was on us.”

Asked which was the toughest game of their campaign, Doherty had to take a deep breath.

“Every game takes on a life of their own. It’s hard to say which one was the tightest. We were a point down against Buncrana at the Burn Road with time up. So you would say that would have been the biggest scare we got.”

His side came up trumps when it was needed and the 2-5 they scored in the second half, matching what Malin did, despite playing against the wind was the winning of the game.

They also had to play for 10 minutes in the second half with 14 men as Steven Callaghan picked up a black card.

“The most thing about us is that we never panicked. I don’t think we panicked today as well. Once you have that six, seven point breathing space.”

READ NEXT: Naomh Columba end famine with Intermediate win over Malin

As for representing Donegal in the Ulster Intermediate Championship, Doherty was quick to reply. 

“I think I might be forgiven for not thinking about it.  We haven’t played senior since 2008 so we’ll embrace it and see where it takes us.”

That Doherty name has a special place in Glen GAA. The last major cup to make it’s way to Pairc na nGael was the Dr Maguire in 1990 and they were captained by John Joe Doherty.

This week the Dohertys brought two cups in through on the one day.