Gaoth Dobhair and Naomh Conaill looking for early glory in reserve final

Sunday in O’Donnell Park will see two of Donegal’s heavyweights go head-to-head twice as Gaoth Dobhair and Naomh Conaill meet in both the Senior A and B finals.

The curtain raiser for the showpiece final is the meeting of the two reserve sides, with current holders Gaoth Dobhair hoping to make it two in a row.

Both sides have been competing strongly at all levels and their credentials at senior and reserve are well documented.

Gaoth Dobhair have been in the last two Senior B finals, with Naomh Conaill taking the title in 2022.

And while both reserve sides boast players who have lifted the Dr Maguire, youth are pushing on the sides, with the pair both making last year’s Under-21 A semi-finals, Gaoth Dobhair having won the previous two years of that competition.

“We’ve had a bit of success, and this is our third final in a row,” Gaoth Dobhair captain Sean Ó Baoill said.

“We’ve won one and we lost one, so it’s nice making them, but unless you’re winning them, then it doesn’t really matter.

“We used the league to bring a couple of young fellas in, we had a few boys who stepped up to play seniors and stuff, so it was a bit of a mixed bag.

“Coming into the championship, we got a bit of a team going, and we had a panel to work off, and it went well so far.

“There are a load of young fellas and we have had a lot of success there at Under-21 and minor over the last couple of years.

“There are a few older boys there too, so it was a nice mix.

“I don’t know if it was intentional or not, but we have been using reserves as a stepping stone for boys making their way up.

“We had Eamonn McBride playing for us last year in reserve, and he played very well in the final. He’s been starting every senior championship game this year, and he hasn’t put a foot wrong.

The Magheragallon men go into the match having overcome neighbours Dungloe in the semi-finals by two points, and their only slip-up was against Sean MacCumhaills when a top four spot was already secured.

They won very easily in the league meeting in Magheragallon by 4-18 to 0-7, but Ó Baoill won’t be taking much from that meeting as both sides look different on paper now.

“It was a good game and it was tight, we knew Dungloe were very good and we were the same in the quarter-final as well against a very good Termon team, there was only a kick of the ball in it in both games.

“We might have had a bit of luck that way, but you need that to win tight games.

“We played Naomh Conaill in the league but not the championship, but we’ll get the homework done now.

It’s a bit different (from the last two years) that the final will be in O’Donnell Park, but we like playing there. I’m sure there will be plenty out to watch our game as well and hopefully we can give the seniors a lift if we can get over the line.

“It does (add pressure) a wee bit, but pressures for tyres!”

It’s a similar scenario for Naomh Conaill and captain Jamie McHugh as they look to get the day started on a positive note for the whole club.

“It’s a nice occasion, it’s a big one for us and we’re looking forward to it,” McHugh said.

“We were in the reserve final in 2022, and we won the double that year, so that’s the hope and we’ll see how it goes.”

McHugh admits they are in a similar situation to Ó Baoill’s Gaoth Dobhair, as there is a couple of experienced heads dotted around the pitch, but it’s being led by the younger players in the side.

“We’ve got lads with senior medals, and they have been pushing to get on to the senior panel. In different circumstances, they would be looking to get on that team but it is the young lads who are digging us out of holes, and it’ll take every man to get over the line.

“The spine of the team are all young players that will definitely be pushing to get into the senior team. It’s competitive in Glenties, and it can be hard to get that chanc,e so it’s about taking that when you get it.

“We have plenty of leaders in the team, but you’d be trying to have a word with players and trying to guide them as best you can. But them lads know how to look after themselves and they have that experience at underage, and they’ve been around the block.”

And just like Sunday’s opponents, a tightly contested local derby in the semi-final saw Naomh Conaill overcome Ardara in extra-time.

The Glenties men were spurred on by young guns in the forward line of Daniel Gildea, Tiernan Ward and Danny Brown had to come from six behind in normal time to force the additional 20 minutes, to win by 2-17 to 3-12 as their strong bench also paved the way.

“It was mental, alright. We were kind of up against it, and we were down to 14 so we had to dig in. It’s a tough game when you’re down to 14, but to be fair to the young lads, we had a strong bench and that made the difference for us. We had it in the legs

“You always back your own lads and your own fitness, and we always knew we’d get a big test with Ardara.

“It was very important to us because when it came down the stretch, it was the men who came on that made the difference and it’s great to have those lads.

“When extra time started and we had five more subs, we really used the panel and every man was required to step up.”