Oz experience exceeded expectations for Naomh Conaill ace Ethan O’Donnell 

Ethan O’Donnell admits he’s loved his Australian adventure and his time with St Finbarr’s GFC in Perth. 

The Naomh Conaill dynamo is back in blue and white for the SFC and moving as well as ever. And a big Donegal contingent at the western Australian club made that move feel almost seamless.  

“I’m loving it,” said O’Donnell, who is also sporting a quite superb moustache. “There is some trepidation at the start when you move away like that. 

“But it’s been an amazing experience. I’m playing football out there with a brilliant club, St Finbarr’s. They actually lost the Perth final there today after extra-time. 

“There is a good Donegal connection also. Joe Melly and Brian Whyte from Ardara are out there, Cian Mulligan from Gaoth Dobhair also. Odhran McFadden Ferry was there for a while but is now back home.

“Tony McClenaghan was playing for Greenwood so there is a really big Donegal connection in the Perth area”.

And what was the motivation behind growing such a loud ‘soup strainer’ on his top lip? 

“Listen, the plan was to come home and look to annoy people and it’s definitely working so far!” 

Naomh Conaill suffered a loss to main rivals St Eunan’s last weekend but bounced back with a comprehensive 2-13 to 0-5 win over MacCumhaills in Ballybofey on Saturday night. 

O’Donnell says the important thing was to find a response to that previous setback

“Last week didn’t go our way and the truth is St Eunan’s were just better on the day. But back on the horse as they say. It gave us something to really concentrate and focus on this week.

“And with the draw throwing out MacCumhaills late last Sunday, we knew we were in for a big week on the training field. You can’t take anything for granted. We came here today ready for a real battle. 

“St Eunan’s lost to Gaoth Dobhair earlier in the day and that proves you just have to be on your guard. So we were fully focused on getting a performance and a win. It’s nice to get that”.

In regards to the overall health of the Donegal SFC and how much of a closed shop it now is, O’Donnell says that’s for others to decide.

But he insists Naomh Conaill certainly don’t take their consistency or their success for granted. 

“There is that talk in Donegal, that it’s a ‘big two’ or a ‘big four’. But I know MacCumhaills with the players they’re missing back, would be a totally different animal come the knockout stages if paths crossed again.

“Oisin Gallen and Joel Bradley Walsh are two phenomenal scorers and young (Sean) Martin is a county panellist. And even Marty O’Reilly, he adds serious experience and composure to all of that. So we’ll not read too much into this evening.

“A bit like us last week, MacCumhaills will look at it and take whatever learnings they can and quickly move on.

“Four Masters are playing with real freedom, being a young team and they’re on their way. Glenswilly look dangerous so as a player and a team, you just can’t let any of that stick. Gaoth don’t look like they’er going anywhere after today’s result wither”.