Brendan Doherty takes Naomh Columba on new Ulster journey

Naomh Columba will be Donegal’s second team to take on Monaghan opposition in the Ulster Club Championships when they travel to Inniskeen on Saturday to take on Carrickmacross in the Intermediate quarter-final (3.00 pm).

Carndonagh, the Donegal junior champions, lost out by the narrowest of margins last weekend in Clones to Monaghan side Emyvale.

Naomh Columba manager Brendan Doherty takes his side on the road for just a second time for the club. Their seniors played Lavey of Derry in 1990 after Naomh Columba had defeated Killybegs in the Donegal final.

Powered by the Hegarty brothers, who accounted for their 0-7 total, they lost out narrowly by three points in MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey, to a team that had a number of future All-Ireland winners in the Downey brothers, Henry and Seamus as well as Johnny McGurk. Naomh Columba were on terms with two minutes to go before Lavey pulled away. The Derry side would go all the way and lift the Andy Merrigan Cup the following St Patrick’s Day, defeating Salthill-Knocknacarra from Galway in the final.

Teams and scorers when Naomh Columba played Lavey in 1990

Five weeks will have elapsed on Saturday since Naomh Columba comprehensively accounted for Malin in the Donegal Intermediate title, putting to bed a number of final disappointments over the last few years and even further back.

All that was put behind them when they defeated Malin by 3-14 to 2-9 in O’Donnell Park to send them on a new journey into the unknown in Ulster.

Their opponents on Saturday, Carrickmacross, won their Monaghan final just two weeks ago when they defeated Killanny by 1-18 to 0-13 in the final which was played at the same venue as Saturday’s game, Inniskeen.

The Naomh Columba manager, Brendan Doherty, was present to see that game but he’s not sure if he was any the wiser coming home.

“Yeah, I saw them in the final but it is very hard to work out. It is not easy watching teams in their own county; you would like to see them against Donegal or outside opposition.

“Watching the game was no barometer for me as to their value. They were way ahead at one stage and then Killanny pegged them back within two points.

“Their main man is county player Stephen O’Hanlon, and he stepped up to score his only point of the game to steady the ship. They rallied from there and in the end were seven or eight points ahead.

“They would have a big catchment area but were the only town to win a championship in Monaghan this year. The top clubs all come from rural areas.

“Saturday will be their third week in-a-row playing on the Inniskeen pitch as they played a league final there last weekend and Castleblayney beat them,” said Doherty.

“The pitch is close to them. It would be like us playing them in Towney; it’s that close to them.”

In that regard Doherty is urging everyone who can to make the trip to Inniskeen on Saturday to cheer on Naomh Columba. “I know it’s a long journey but we don’t get too many opportunities to play in Ulster. Our club has never won a game in Ulster. The girls lost by a narrow margin a couple of weeks ago.

“This is the last hurrah for the parish on Saturday,” said Doherty, who is expecting Donegal people in the Monaghan and east coast area will come out and support Naomh Columba as well. Doherty says he has two sisters living in the Clogherhead area. “We have to use everything in our favour.”

On the player front the manager will have to work without one of his stars from the county final win over Malin. Ryan Gillespie has returned to Australia and will be a big miss.

“Ryan is away back to Australia. He had a good county final with four points from play. I was really happy for him to play so well as it was a big decision for him to come back and play this year, but he needed to go back after the final.”

Doherty has been sweating for the past couple of weeks with members of his panel playing in the Donegal U-21 championship, but they have come through unscathed

“I was talking to the Carndonagh boys up at the Ulster launch a few weeks ago and they didn’t allow their U-21s to play the week before their game.”

Despite it being a journey into the unknown, Doherty is looking forward with a degree of confidence.

“I know nothing about Carrickmacross. The only man I knew was the county man, but I’m sure they are thinking the same about us.

“I am conscious that Donegal clubs don’t have a good record in Ulster. Apart from Muff making a good run at it last year and Gaoth Dobhair in 2018.

“We want to give it everything we have. I hear people talking about us being in bonus territory. I don’t see it like that. We have a good side and we want to test ourselves the best we can. We are not going up to make up the numbers,” said Doherty, who feels his side have youth on their side.

“It is mostly youth, but we do have Declan McGuire and Shane O’Gara, they would be in their mid-30s. The McNerns have a bit of experience as well. I just asked Kevin what age he was recently and he’s 31, but he has a lot of football played.”

Doherty is hoping that Naomh Columba can stay in the game, especially coming down the stretch. However, he is critical of the five week break between the county final and the Ulster game

“Momentum is very important and the five week break is way too long. The only way that would suit you was if you had injuries.

“They had their final two weeks ago. I cannot understand why we ran off our championship so quickly. I’m hoping momentum doesn’t suddenly come to an end just because of the gap between the county final and this Ulster game,” said Doherty, who feels it is something that Donegal have to look at.

“The Donegal senior final went to extra-time. Why not a replay? It is something the powers that be might need to look at.

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SENIOR AND INTERMEDIATE LINK

Naomh Conaill will be Donegal’s representatives in Monaghan also at the weekend, taking on Scotstown in Clones on Sunday.

And there is a strong link between the teams with Naomh Columba manager Brendan Doherty and Naomh Conaill captain John O’Malley married to sisters, Marley and Megan (Towell).

“It was very strange,” laughs Doherty. “We had Sunday lunch there a few weeks ago and the two cups were at it. It was very, very unusual.

Very strange. We had Sunday lunch there a few weeks ago and the two cups were at it.”

There is likely to be a bit of banter to see which team goes the deepest into Ulster.

“Glenties have their work cut out as well. But I know as well, they have that bit more experience than we have.  We will see how it goes.”

Brendan Doherty and John O'Malley with Cathal McLaughlin and Dr Maguire Cups