Naomh Conaill men marching behind the band on county final day for 13th time

For years in Leo McLoone’s pub in Glenties anyone who wanted to express a serious GAA opinion was chided that they knew nothing about football unless they had marched behind the band on Co final day.

Leo senior had passed that test back in 1965 and would sometimes re-live the experience playing a make-believe accordion as he marched round the pub.

“Yous boys wouldn’t know much about it. Maybe one day yous will march behind the band on county final day.” He used to enjoy stirring the young footballers but he can’t do that anymore.

On Sunday next at least three players with Naomh Conaill jerseys will be marching behind the band for the 13th county final and if you take replays into account that could reach 16.

Anthony Thompson, Brendan McDyer and Leo McLoone jnr are still going strong and there are rumours that a fourth, Eoin Waide, is back training although he hasn’t played any part this year.

It is a remarkable statistic for these players and it’s a record that is likely to stand. But then it could be extended further in 2026.

The three who have played their part this year are also going for a record-equalling eighth Donegal SFC medal - only Danny Gillespie (Gaoth Dobhair) and Bundoran pair Seamie Granaghan and Brian McEniff have eight at present.

And it all started back in 2005 with Brendan McDyer playing a vital role in getting Naomh Conaill a replay the first day against St Eunan’s in MacCumhaill Park.

Back then Martin Doherty was a team member and 20 years on looking back on his then teammates, he says their achievements are unbelievable.

“How many players go through their careers and the will to get to one county final. I even remember probably back in a semi-final in 2002 against St Eunan’s. We had Johnny D Earley over from Ardara training us. I remember him saying at the end of the training session, ‘the biggest problem yous have here in Naomh Conaill is getting to the final. If yous get to the final yous will win it’.

“I never forgot that. And he was actually right. 2005 came and it was a case you weren’t going to get beat.

“Then you’re talking of the draw the first day (against St Eunan’s). The average age of that team in ‘05 was 22. For the likes of Brendy (Brendan McDyer), he was 18 at the time. To play that game and at the end to kick an equaliser like he did under severe pressure.

“I will never forget it. It was over on the stand side. We were on the other side and I remember him setting up to kick it and saying to myself. How can this young fella take this under severe pressure in a county final for the first time since the famous team of ‘65 who were beaten by St Joseph’s.

“He delicately put the ball down and I’m sure it was 30, 35 yards out. It was no 21 yard free but with his left he delicately stroked it over the bar and we had a replay out of it. And I suppose it’s famous now that replay, another helter skelter game but one to remember.

“On that day Brendy was 18. Leo came on in the first game and he was 16 years of age which was unbelievable. Tony (Anthony Thompson) himself started in midfield and I remember in the replay at midfield along with John Gildea, he was unbelievable. I remember he scored three points. He was just colossal in that replay.”

Doherty has good memories of 2005 and Jim McGuinness coming into the backroom team at the quarter-final stage after being injured for the year. “He had come in to help Hughie Molloy and that 2005 final was the first final that this new format of defensive football came in.

“People went to the game and couldn’t believe what they were seeing. I actually watched it recently and there was no rhyme or reason to it. Our boys were just chasing the ball; it was nearly like an U-10 game. Every time a Eunan’s man got the ball there was four or five Naomh Conaill boys on top of him,” said Doherty, who revealed that there was plenty of discussion in the camp during the week before the replay as to what way would Naomh Conaill set up for the replay.

“There were ongoing discussions before it was decided that we would play the same way as such which obviously proved to be the winning of it,” said Doherty, who felt that Naomh Conaill dominated the game and while the final score was 0-10 to 1-5, St Eunan’s had got the goal in injury time.

“I remember Jim (McGuinness) himself coming on. He did a sort of Superman change. He looked like he wasn’t part of the panel with an ’oul tracksuit on him. Then with two or three minutes to go the tracksuit was thrown to the line and he demanded to get on. I remember caught the ball down the sideline when the final whistle went and what ensued from there was just a couple of days of mayhem.

“I do remember then we went to Down to play Mayobridge in the first game in Ulster and we were narrowly beaten, maybe by three or four points. I remember in the dressing room afterwards and some of us were near the end of our days. I remember Jim speaking to the younger players and saying that the team that won the championship could dominate the championship for years in Donegal.

“Isn’t it funny the way it worked. That was 2005. It took to 2010 to get the next and 2015 the next. So it was 10 years later we won our third and it’s strange after that we would win four quickly when the likes of Brendy, Leo and Tony were in the twilight of their careers.

“It also shows how professional and the work these boys have put in to maintain that hunger for winning.”

And they were written off in many people’s eyes when they lost to Kilcar in 2017 and Gaoth Dobhair in 2018.

“I remember it being written somewhere that more or less the Naomh Conaill team were finished and these experienced players were gone and they needed to get back to basics and get in younger players.”

But they came back for probably the greatest of all their triumphs, defeating Gaoth Dobhair after three games in the final of 2019

“I have to give great credit to Martin Regan to come back after that ‘17 and ‘18 and keep the wagon going. That was a super Gaoth Dobhair team who were Ulster champions at the time.

“It took John O’Malley’s final point to separate the teams after three games.”

STYLISH

Doherty gives his opinion on the three players and he is in a good position to do so a former player and now supporter.

“Brendy is just stylish, as left footers are. He certainly has that. He has elegance looking all over him.

“Whereas Leo is the type of player you want to have in your team. When Leo has the ball everyone feels safe. The ball will not be lost. He has this aggressive style of going past players and breaking a tackle, which was invaluable in times of defensive football. It was the winning of games, as when Leo got past players it opened things up.

“And it was one of the main reasons Donegal won the Sam Maguire in 2012. He has the ability to hold the ball in one hand and go past players and they can’t get the ball off him.

“I’ll never forget 2010 against Killybegs, he scored four points that day, man of the match. From the throw-in he caught the ball, went up the middle and kicked it over the bar and it set the tone for the day.

“And another time in 2015 when the pressure was on against St Eunan’s late on and Eoghan McGettigan was sent off. I think we were a point or two down but Leo just took the game by scruff of the neck and carried the team for the last 10 minutes to get over the line. He was unbelievable that day and got man of the match that day as well.

“The other thing about Leo too is that he is a superb club man, helping with underage teams, he is coaching officer and he is what every club would love to have.”

MR DEPENDABLE

“Tony is our Mr. Dependable. He has been unbelievable over the years. Once again he has stepped up again this year, scoring two pointers. He is probably one of those players who could be played anywhere.

“Probably 2010 when he was captain and when we went all the way to the Ulster final against Crossmaglen, that year he was just unbelievable. He just took on the captain’s role.

“I also remember one of the trilogy games against Gaoth Dobhair, he was man of the match. The thing about him he is calm on the ball and never gets excited. It’s unbelievable that at 39 years of age he is still doing what he doing in 2005 at 19. He mightn’t have the same energy but he has the experience,” said Doherty, adding that it was a remarkable final day in 2015 when the four Thompsons took the field.

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And on Sunday the experienced crew will have three players alongside them playing in their first county final - Finnbarr Roarty, Max Campbell and Shea Malone.

“I can’t say that they’ll see 13 and whether that’s possible or not. But for these lads we have been very lucky to have them.

“You have to give massive credit to Martin Regan who brings in young players every year to be involved with squads around county final time.

“As for this year we might not have set the world alight and we have had a bit of luck. But we did play well in the semi-final and deserved to win that game.

“However, we don’t take county finals for granted.   Me might not have adapted to the new rules as well as other teams but our experience has got us over the line.”

But no matter what happens on Sunday, for those players marching behind the band for the 13th county final, it has to be a special occasion.