Naomh Conaill pip St Eunan's to reach a record seventh straight Donegal SFC final

Naomh Conaill’s victory over St Eunan’s means they’re the first club in the history of the Donegal SFC to reach seven successive finals.

Naomh Conaill 0-11 St Eunan’s 0-9

Gaoth Dobhair, their final opponents in two weeks' time, had managed six on the bounce from 1944 to 1949, winning five. St Eunan’s did their best to ‘do a Glenties on Glenties’ as the saying goes, but Naomh Conaill are much more comfortable in their own skin.

Although they had less of the ball, Naomh Conaill kicked just one wide in the game and late on John O’Malley left one short into Shaun Patton, while St Eunan’s hit 11 wides and five in the last 10 minutes. But you had the feeling Naomh Conaill were always the team more in control of their own destiny.

It means a repeat of the 2019 final trilogy, where O’Malley decided it in the second replay, although folk from Magheragallon will prefer to remember the showpiece from the year before when they won 0-17 to 1-7.

St Eunan’s scored the opening two points, with Eoin Dowling turning to shoot over and then Conor O’Donnell jnr putting over a free.

However, Naomh Conaill were 0-3 to 0-2 ahead by the quarter-hour, with a great Ciaran Thompson point getting them going, followed by O’Malley’s free and then a score from the excellent Anthony Thompson.

The play was very deliberate and slow-moving from both sides, although midway through the first half that seemed to be suiting Martin Regan’s team more. Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí doubled the Naomh Conaill advantage and then O’Malley’s second free made it 0-5 to 0-2.

St Eunan’s had plenty of the ball, holding it for long spells, with Naomh Conaill content to sit in and see if Rory Kavanagh’s side could play through them. The Town End umpires behind Stephen McGrath signalled only four wides and had no need to touch a flag from the fifth minute to the 29th.

Conor Morrison ended the drought for St Eunan’s and moments later Eoin McGeehin got in for another score. It meant Naomh Conaill’s lead was down to one, 0-5 to 0-4, as stoppage time was signalled. The score of the half from Anthony Thompson meant their interval lead was 0-6 to 0-4.

The second half began in the same fashion with St Eunan’s almost owning the ball for five minutes yet from their first incisive attack of part two, it was the more economical Naomh Conaill who scored through O’Malley.

O’Donnell jnr’s long-range free brought St Eunan’s back to just two down a minute later, only for Ciaran Thomspon to lamp over a monster at the other end. And when Ciaran Moore popped one over for St Eunan’s, so too did Ethan O’Donnell for Naomh Conaill.

On 44 minutes it was 0-10 to 0-6 for Naomh Conaill, with Mac Ceallabhuí showing his capability from distance.

Niall O’Donnell’s free and a point from Caolan Ward that went over off the inside of the upright meant St Eunan’s race wasn’t run yet. And when Dowling clipped over another free on 54 minutes it meant his side were just the one behind, 0-10 to 0-9.

Naomh Conaill put together a move amid a flurry of challenges which ended up with Ciaran Thompson’s converted free with Ethan O’Donnell fouled. St Eunan’s, at two down, kicked five wides and with that, whatever hope they had was gone.

There was an altercation at the end but when things eventually calmed down it was to a chorus of “Come on you boys in Blue.” And it’ll be back again in two weeks’ time.

Naomh Conaill scorers: Ciaran Thompson 0-3, 2f; John O’Malley 0-3, 2f; Anthony Thompson 0-2, Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí 0-2; Ethan O’Donnell 0-1.

St Eunan’s scorers: Eoin Dowling 0-2, 1f; Conor O'Donnell jnr 0-2, 2f; Eoin McGeehin, Caolan Ward, Conor Morrison, Ciaran Moore 0-1; Niall O’Donnell 0-1, 1f.

Naomh Conaill: Stephen McGrath; Jason Campbell, AJ Gallagher, Ultan Doherty; Kevin McGettigan, Anthony Thompson, Ethan O’Donnell; Leo McLoone, Ciaran Thompson; Brendan McDyer, Odhran Doherty, Eunan Doherty; Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí, Charlie McGuiness, John O’Malley. Subs: Eoin Waide for O Doherty (40), Keelan McGill for McGettigan (51), Seamus Corcoran and O Doherty for McDyer and Waide (59), Marty Boyle for Mac Ceallabhuí (60+2).
St Eunan’s: Shaun Patton; Conor Morrison, Caolan Ward, Aaron Deeney; Kieran Tobin, Conor O’Donnell snr, Peter McEniff; Darragh Mulgrew, Kevin Kealy; Eoin Dowling, Shane O’Donnell, Ciaran Moore; Conor O’Donnell jnr, Niall O’Donnell, Eoin McGeehin. Subs: Padraig McGettigan and Eamonn Doherty for Kealy and Deeney (47), Brian MacIntyre for McEniff (51)
Referee: Enda McFeely (St Mary’s Convoy)