Mac's View: Naomh Conaill have to be given great credit after winning eighth title

You just have to hand it to Naomh Conaill after they lifted the Dr Maguire Cup for the eighth time on Sunday last in O’Donnell Park, Letterkenny. They are a team that are never beaten and in the end they just had too much spirit for a gallant Gaoth Dobhair side.

After the first half you would have been forgiven for writing the Glenties boys off as they were very much second best in the first half. Gaoth Dobhair, once they got into their stride, dominated the game and they were full value for their seven point lead. It almost seemed as if the game was gone for the Glenties boys.

But you have to give them great credit and also give great credit to their manager,  Martin Regan, who doesn’t seem to panic. They hit the ground running in the second half and then had a very good final quarter to get it back to two points.

But even then the Gaoth Dobhair boys had a couple of great chances to close out the contest. And once they didn’t take them, the two pointer from young Shea Malone to take the game to extra-time was worth the admission money on its own.

Once they got the bit between their teeth in extra-time Glenties put daylight between them and Gaoth Dobhair and even though they did come back in the second period of extra-time the gap was just about enough to see Naomh Conaill take the Dr Maguire Cup home.

To win their eighth title in 20 years is some going and they have to be given great credit. And to do so with three of them playing in their 13th final and on the field for all eight winning finals is fantastic. Hats off to Anthony Thompson, Brendan McDyer and Leo McLoone and you can easily see them there for another few years. The three of them all played a big part with Thompson and McDyer starting and McLoone came on and steadied the ship on the homeward journey.

The young lads played a big part for Naomh Conaill but what about this lad, Finbarr Roarty. He was just awesome. He was an easy pick for man of the match. He has some engine. I remember Michael Carr having a similar sort of performance for Kilcar when they won the Donegal title in 1980, covering every blade of grass. And that day too a young Martin McHugh kicked 10 points and I brought him straight into the Donegal squad.

Young Roarty is going to be a great player and hopefully he can also win an All-Star this year and the Young Player of the Year award. If the judges were watching his display on Sunday, it would make the decision easier.

There was another big performance from midfielder Kieran Gallagher and he will be one of those that will have impressed Jim McGuinness and the Donegal backroom team.

McGuinness and his team are off on their holiday this weekend and good luck to them. They deserve it after the year they gave us.

The Donegal champions will be out against Monaghan opposition in the Ulster club and that will not be easy as they are all away from home and those will be tough ties in early November.

There were a number of surprises in the various county championships at the weekend with Errigal Ciaran falling to Trillick in Tyrone and Glen and Slaughneill losing in Derry, although Slaughneill appealed their decision without success. Corofin also lost in Galway at the weekend.

The other semi-final in Tyrone between Carrickmore and Loughmacrory ended all square and that replay is on this Friday night under lights in Omagh and should be a tasty affair.

The Sligo final between Coolera Strandhill and Shamrock Gaels also ended level at the weekend while Ballinamore won a replay and the right to play Leitrim Gaels in the Leitrim final this weekend. I fancy Leitrim Gaels as they have the three Jones brothers on board from Derrygonnelly this year and are going well.

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Saturday evening will see a big game in Brewster Park with Erne Gaels and Declan Bonner taking on Derrygonnelly, who have Shane Ward as coach. I have a fancy for Erne Gaels although they do have trouble against Derrygonnelly.

Finally, this week I was travelling back from Carrickmore last Saturday and was listening to the Donegal junior final on Highland Radio with Carndonagh and Letterkenny Gaels involved. It looked as if Carn were going to walk away with it but fair play to Letterkenny Gaels, they made a great fight of it in the second half. It was obvious that the matchwinner for Carn was their Donegal star Conor O’Donnell and he was an easy choice as man of the match. He is also looking to be in a strong position to win an All-Star this year and that would be some reward for Conor and his club.

Brian McEniff was in conversation with Peter Campbell