Emotional Bonner holds back tears as Na Rossa drag themselves back from brink

Na Rossa manager Declan Bonner paid tribute to his team and spoke emotionally about Saturday’s Donegal Junior A championship win over Moville in O’Donnell Park.

The former Donegal boss and 1992 All-Ireland winner was holding back the tears as he spoke of just what the 0-15 to 1-10 win over Moville meant to the club. 

“It is a great result for the club,” said the Na Rossa boss. “We’ve struggled over the last few years to try and keep the club afloat. 

“It has been a battle year in and year out but some great people kept the club going,” he added. 

“It is on days like today we remember men like Hugo Tremble, my own father-in-law Michael Duddy, my own father (Dan Bonner), all great clubmen, all great GAA men.

“I’m sure they are looking down today. It has been a long time since the club last won a championship back in 1999, the IFC.

“We contested the 2006 junior final and the 2008 intermediate finals and lost both. It has been a long, long time coming and we are just delighted to finally get the win.” 

Reflecting on the game he said he was happy with the start they had to the game after going 0-5 to 0-1 up early on. And he bemoaned they missed a chance to go even further in front.

But he acknowledged that it was a championship final and that it was never going to be easy against a Moville team that were always going to come back at them. 

Bonner also insisted even though Na Rossa found themselves down by three at half-time, he never lost faith in his players. And he never doubted they would find a way back in the second-half. 

“The one thing about this team is the character they have shown all year. It has been unbelievable. I always knew they would fight their way back into the game.

“Brian O’Donnell came on at half-time and had a huge second-half for us and we had a number of big shifts all over the field. 

“They had to dig deep at the end but fair play to them, they did. I thought John Paul McCready showed great composure at the end to convert the late free to put us two up and gave us that bit of a cushion.  

“But it was an all-round team effort, the 15 that started and the five that came on and the other ten that have been there all year. 

“I’m delighted for this group of players who now have a medal in their back pockets. 

“And we are delighted to be bringing the Dr McCloskey Cup back to the club and our own community.”