Getting out of Division 3 was main aim for St Naul's - Coughlan

St Naul’s were able to put the icing on the promotion cake on Saturday evening last when they overcame Na Rossa in the Division 3 final at a wet and windy Davy Brennan Park in Glenties.

Both sides were already promoted prior to the final but there was the matter of the league title at stake and the Mountcharles-based side had three points to spare at the finish, 1-11 to 1-8.

A goal midway through the second half by half-forward, MIchael Coughlan, proved to be a big turning point with St Naul’s able to keep themselves ahead from there to the finish against Declan Bonner’s side.

But it was far from an easy win and Michael Coughlan agreed that his goal came at the right moment.

“Na Rossa came out fighting in the second half and we were caught. We were a bit slow out of the blocks, but the goal upped the ante again for us,” said Coughlan.

Conditions were never going to allow for much free-flowing football with all the rain and wind.

“All day yesterday and all day today, it did nothing but rain, but to be fair to Glenties, the pitch held up well. But you could see there the ball was skidding a lot and it could get away from you.”

St Naul’s did have a significant advantage for much of the first half but at half-time they were only three ahead, 0-6 to 0-3.

“They got off the mark at the start but then we popped over two or three points on the trot, and we tried to lay down a marker.”

But when the Leitir men hit a point and followed it with a goal from Adrian Hanlon early in the second half to take the lead, but St Naul’s responded with a few points and then came the goal.

“That was probably a surprise but to be fair to the boys, we rallied and we got back in the game. We knew we had the fitness then to drive it on towards the end.”

And the goal? “Thanks to the boys, I just got on the end of it. I had only a tap in, but it shows the fitness with the long runs up the pitch, Stephen (Griffin) keeping us fit and we’re  training well.”

St Naul's clinch Yes Chef Division 3 title with win over Na Rossa

A Michael Coughlan goal midway through the second half proved vital as Na Rossa threatened to cause an upset in the final in Glenties

The win means that St Naul’s went through the league season unbeaten, just dropping one point in a draw away to Moville and will play their football in Division 2 next season.

“That was our aim from the get go from the start of the season, to get out of Division 3 no matter what.  We came in with a plan at the start of the league to go unbeaten and put last season behind us, because that was a disaster.

“But now we have St Eunan’s now in the championship and we will have five weeks hard training to be ready for them.”

They could have got an easier draw but they are pretty familiar with the Letterkenny side, having met them on a few occasions in recent years and Coughlan is looking forward to the challenge.

“We’re not going over to get beat anyway.”

The side has a good sprinkling of young players and Coughlan is looking forward to the future. “We have a young squad coming up there now and it’s a matter of keeping all the boys together. There’s a lot of boys working away, including myself, and it is just a matter of collectively training and keeping the group together and pushing on for the next few years,” said Coughlan.