'I'm happy with the boys character, they put their bodies on the line' - O'Donnell

Naomh Muire manager Danny O’Donnell was delighted for his players following their IFC quarter-final win over Milford in Falcarragh on Saturday which saw the Rosses side advance to the last four of the championship. 

Naomh Muire had four points to spare at the end of Saturday’s clash in wet and windy conditions in Páirc Naomh Fionnan with O'Donnell's side emerging 1-9 to 0-8 point winners on the day.  

“We are delighted with the win because coming into the game we hadn’t reached a semi-final since 2013 when we last won the championship,” said the Naomh Muire boss afterwards.  

“We had been up in the senior championship for a number of years. But today was a day when we had to toughen it out and show a different side to ourselves.” 

Playing with the strong wind and driving rain in their backs they were on the front foot from the off, with O’Donnell’s side building up an impressive lead at half-time on a 1-6 to 0-1 point scoreline. 

“We like to play football on the front foot all the time, even today we carried the fight to Milford as much as we possibly could,” O’Donnell said. 

“The conditions were tough and I’m delighted with the character shown by the boys. When we had to defend and put bodies on the line, we did that. 

“We built up a good lead in the first half but we still had to go out and do our stuff in the second half.” 

O’Donnell agreed that Declan Ward's point-blank save from Kane Barrett was a massive turning point in the game considering it just happened after Harry Harden had netted at the other for Naomh Muire.  

“Yes, you are right, that was a massive moment in the game.  I felt we should have gotten a penalty before we scored the goal too,” he said. 

“We scored the goal and from the very next attack Declan made the save. It was a brilliant save because a goal would have brought Milford right back into the game.   

“We defended well in the second half and the boys really put their bodies on the line. And being honest I would expect nothing less from them. They have done it all year and they did it last year and the year before that too.”