We hope the buzz is back at Aodh Ruadh - Brian Gillespie 

Aodh Ruadh are back making an impact on SFC county final day and Brian Gillespie hopes that being a main event fixture once more can also become a reality in the not-too-distant future. 

The Ballyshannon outfit edged out Gaoth Dobhair 1-7 to 0-9 in Sunday’s curtain-raiser with Damian Weber’s early second-half three-pointer ultimately proving decisive. 

The Aodh Ruadh second sting then showed their class by spilling down from the presentation patch to give the heroes of 1998, honoured on their 25th anniversary - a guard of honour. 

Speaking after, Gillespie admitted his side just about hung on in the end to lift the SFC B crown. But, he added, that same resilience was prevalent at different stages throughout the season. 

“I’m relieved more than anything. I knew we’d serious pace on the counter. We were sucking them in at times but the final pass sometimes was just letting us down. They are a really good side - they’d a lovely blend. 

“But the players just dug in, they did what they needed to do”. 

The teams were locked at 0-4 each at the changeover but with Weber raising the only green flag of the game five minutes after the restart, it gave Aodh Ruadh a cushion that just about got them over the line in the end.

“Ah, lads like Kevin Cassidy and Danny Curran have great experience for Gaoth Dobhair, Michael Lynch came in there too. Then they have quality like Eoin De Burca, Fionnan Coyle and Cathal Gillespie. 

“So for our boys to come through a game against that type of opposition, it’s so pleasing. Alot of these lads have never won anything so a real box has been ticked this afternoon. 

“I want to see six or seven of these players go on now and play senior football - that’s what it’s all about. We need it. And that’s what reserve football is all about. We put serious work in but the outcome means all that slog has been worth it”. 

When asked if the buzz is now back in Ballyshannon, Gillespie hopes it is. But the ultimate barometer of any club is their senior side’s championship exploits. Aodh Ruadh got to a SFC quarter-final this term, but fell to St Eunan’s. 

However, there is no doubt that there has been significant progress made at Fr Tierney Park in 2023. 

“When I was a cub it was county finals and big days out alot of the time. It’s been a tough period the last few years. We’ve had recessions, boys moving away and it was just hard to keep the show on the road at times.

“But you see the lads from 1998 there now getting recognised for the 25 years and our lads giving them a guard of honour, it was a really nice touch”.