Off the Post: Naomh Conaill showing early signs of being back with a vengeance

A county final cut is the deepest! And by Dermot Molloy’s admission, reigning All-County Football League Division 1 champions Naomh Conaill are hell bent on making amends for that stinging final defeat against a youthful and very well organised St Eunan’s side.

This writer has seen them in full flight these past two weeks and that is a suitable description for the way they have already dismantled Ardara and Killybegs in the space of six days.

But, what is more remarkable is that they did it minus Stephen McGrath, Ultan Doherty, Eoghan McGettigan, Leo McLoone, Ethan O’Donnell, Jeaic MacCeallbhuí, Ciaran Thompson, Charles McGuinness, Marty Boyle, Seamus Corcoran and Kieran Gallagher.

At least nine of those players would be starters on any given day and the rest would make the first team in the vast majority of other clubs in the county.

In their absence the boys, Molloy, Eoin Waide and Brendan McDyer have been simply outstanding, hitting points for fun and playing with renewed appetite and hunger.

Wing-back Cian Doherty has also been a revelation while a very youthful Keelan McGill and the man-mountain Nathan Byrne are turning into a powerful midfield partnership.

They are a remarkable club in many ways and seem to be able to keep so many of their players at home. But a more remarkable thing is that those players who are away find it no hardships to make the long trek home.

There is fierce pride in this club and it certainly embodies the old Gaelic adage of mórtas cine agus mórtas dúchais….pride in your people and pride in your native place.

Like Kilcar Gaelic football is a real religion in a club that stoically endured a 40-year famine from 1965 when they should have beaten St Joseph’s in the drawn county final until Jim McGuinness inspired a very young team to take the Dr Maguire Cup after a replay in 2005.

That was the year we saw the blanket defence at close quarters for the first time. It was a very sad year too as one of their greatest icons Michael Jack O’Donnell passed away in May and is still sadly missed all over the county.

He said that last year’s final was to be his swan song and he was looking forward to the “pandy” coming back to the parish of Inish Keel.

Sadly the great photographer in the sky had other plans for Jack who fought so quietly and so magnificently against the dying of the light. He was very much a part of this team and many other teams over a few generations and I know that Naomh Conaill would move Errigal to make Jack’s wishes come true. Of course, people will say that they haven’t been tested yet, and that is true.

St Eunan’s who also have a big bench, the mercurial Gaoth Dobhair, Kilcar, St Michael’s and the emerging Aodh Ruadh could provide stiffer tests down the line.

But just imagine how more powerful Naomh Conaill will be when their strongest team is back in place. However, their greatest attribute is raw hunger and desire which they have in abundance.

I did a stat last Saturday evening and the average time it took for Naomh Conaill to put pressure on an opponent was four seconds. That is reminiscent of Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona who swarmed like locusts within seconds of an opponent getting the ball.

Among the current sideline cliches are “work him”, “tuck in '' and “contact” and Naomh Conaill certainly excel at the latter. They tackle ferociously, and when a forward is “turned over” he is expected to track back and work like a dog to try and get the ball back.

That is a high energy highly demanding game and that is where the five subs are most important. And that is why Naomh Conaill will remain a major force for quite some time as they have a truly savage bench.

So those training sessions must have a real edge as there will be savage competition for at least 12 starting slots. And that is a happy problem for Martin Regan and Co indeed

Red Óg laid to rest

Red Óg Murphy, ex Sligo GAA star had a smile that could take the hinges from the gates of Heaven but there were rivers of tears inside and outside St Patrick’s Church Moylough at this most heart-breaking of goodbyes. Sometimes a sad deep silence is more eloquent than mere words when unbearable tragedy strikes.

And that silence seemed to scream quietly to the Heavens in anguish at the loss of one who was so much cherished and who gave so much pleasure to so many others in his short life.

It is very hard for words to capture the deep searing sorrow his death will be on his loved ones, his club and his county.
But in memorable moving, powerful, poignant and thought-provoking homilies and eulogies, Fr Leo Henry and ex Sligo GAA star Colm McGee wrapped his distraught people in the warm glow of love and respect in the face of such terrible loss. And they pleaded with young people to share their thoughts, feelings and fears with their friends.

Fr Henry said it “was ok not to be ok” and for people to share their concerns and problems with others: “To young people, I say, you are our precious future, you are the salt of the earth and the light of our lives. Please make a pledge, make a pledge to your friends that if you are feeling unwell, tell them and your best friend will get you that help, and I ask you to make that pledge today.