Aaron Doherty was itching for Naomh Columba involvement

Aaron Doherty missed the entire All-County League season for Naomh Columba as they made an instant drop back to Division 2.

The player was central to Donegal’s run towards a NFL Division 2 title as well as their regaining of the Ulster SFC crown.

Doherty famously converted twice in that nervy shootout win over Armagh as Jim McGuinness’ side outgunned the Orchard outfit 6-5 on penalties.

Donegal marched onto an All-Ireland semi-final tangle with Galway but on the day, the Tribesmen edged matters 1-14 to 0-15 at Croke Park.

The Naomh Columba talisman admits he and his Donegal teammates were devastated to come up short on a day when a fortuitous first-half goal from Paul Conroy ultimately sealed the deal.

But the fact Naomh Columba were getting ready to turn their attentions towards the IFC; that was the instant distraction Doherty needed.

“I’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” he told DonegalLive. “You want to reach your full potential and that’s the direction we’re going. Winning Ulster and getting promotion, that was amazing.

“Chatting to different people now, they still say the same thing, ‘the team had a great year’. But I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t still so disappointing the way it ended. We were so close to getting over the line against Galway.

“We got over Armagh twice, in the league final and the Ulster final. So the margins at that stage were so thin. I was just happy to throw myself right in with the club.

“We’d a challenge game that next week and it was just what I needed. I took a week away on holiday but I was itching to get going in the Intermediate championship then.”

Even though he was on the outside looking in Doherty - just like his boss Brendan Doherty - says the side’s Division 1 season was a positive influence on the team.

And the quality of the opposition Naomh Columba encountered there tempered their championship approach.

“We played the top teams there in Division 1. Apart from one or two games, we gave good enough accounts of ourselves in the others.

“I know the lads really enjoyed that experience and it’s definitely helped their development. You’d have loved to have been there to lend a hand. I don’t like sitting on the sideline watching as you be itching to go.

“But you’ve other responsibilities at the time and loads of lads were in that same boat. But getting a good run with Donegal means something has to give elsewhere.”

The hammer blow of Phillip Doherty’s ACL tear against Bundoran in the last eight threatened to derail Naomh Columba’s IFC title hopes. But they overcame the Seasiders and also accounted for Malin in the semi-finals.

“Phillip is a real loss and when something like that happens you’re heart goes out to him. He’s come on so much, athletically and as a footballer from his involvement with Donegal.

“So we were benefiting from that at Naomh Columba. But he’ll be there at the weekend and will still be a big voice in our dressing room.

“I remember it, against Bundoran. He planted the foot and you just knew it wasn’t good. You were still hoping but the news came through that it was bad.

“We still had to carry on and we did that getting over Malin. If you stop and dwell on that kind of thing you’ll start to doubt yourself”.

The Naomh Columba management team of Brendan Doherty, Michael Maguire, Danny Cunningham and Kieran McBrearty have come in this term and have made a real impression on the group.

“It’s a really good mix,” he explained. “They are Naomh Columba men to the bone. It’s very easy to go out and give absolutely everything for them.

“Michael isn’t long out of it and he has that experience of playing and what the modern game is like now.

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“Brendan has great pride and belief in us and he’s such a great communicator and motivator. To be fair to all the lads, they’ve got us this far and for them as much as anything, we would love to get over the line”.

Looking at Termon and what they’ll bring, Doherty says they are a side capable of doing a real number on teams if they’re allowed to cut loose.

“They’re really good - there is no getting away from the fact that they’ll be big favourites. They are direct and have real energy. They easily had our number the day we went down there.

“We’re going to have to be at it and on it from the off. It’s going to be a tight battle. Daire McDaid and Enda McCormick up top - they are score-getters.

“The likes of Jamie Grant coming from deep is also so affective so we have to look to negate that and, at the same time, bring a gameplan ourselves that can win the game”.