Naomh Conaill once more Donegal's Comórtas kings

Naomh Conaill won the Donegal Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta for the sixth time with victory over Ardara at Páirc Uí Shiadhail in Portsalon.

Naomh Conaill 1-6
Ardara 0-6

The Glenties based side added the 2022 crown to their previous wins in 1974, 1996, 2016, 2016 and 2018. Naomh Conaill had Ciaran Brennan’s 16th minute goal to get them on their way; an excellent improvised effort to slap backwards a high ball that was delivered in from John O’Malley on 16 minutes, which added to his goal against Downings in the semi-final.

That made the score 1-3 to 0-0, with Charles McGuinness having scored two early frees and Anthony Thompson also finding his range beforehand. Ardara got on the scoreboard on 20 minutes, with John Ross Molloy popping over a fine point. John O’Malley scored the point of the half and Tomás Boyle’s two frees mean Naomh Conaill were 1-4 to 0-3 in front at half-time.

Eunan Doherty and O’Malley pushed the Naomh Conaill lead before Jason Campbell at full-back made a goal-saving block from substitute CJ Molloy. Cian Doherty, also in the full-back line, then made a fine interception to halt a decent Ardara move.

Like the first half, it took Ardara 20 minutes to get on the scoreboard and Tomás Boyle’s fourth free brought them back to 1-6 to 0-5 down. John Ross Molloy marked to point with five left and Ardara were back to three with Naomh Conaill going through the motions. Molloy then had an excellent break from halfway and, on the gallop, blasted at goal only for Doherty to get a vital touch to divert the ball wide for a 45.

Martin Regan’s side head to Galway for the Comortas Peile Na Gaeltachta finals, in Leitir Mór, Galway, on the June bank holiday weekend. 

Naomh Conaill scorers: Ciaran Brennan 1-0; Charles McGuinness 0-2, 2f, John O’Malley 0-2;  Anthony Thompson, Eunan Doherty 0-1.

Ardara scorers: Tomás Boyle 0-4, 4f; John Ross Molloy 0-2, 1m.

Naomh Conaill: Pauric Brennan; Conor Roarty, Jason Campbell, Cian Doherty; Kevin McGettigan, Logan Quinn, Eoin Waide; Ciaran Brennan, Nathan Byrne; Eunan Doherty, Anthony Thompson, John O’Malley; Paul McGuiness, Charlie McGuinness, Leo McLoone. Subs: Odhrán Doherty and AJ Gallagher for P McGuinness and Brennan (56)

Ardara: Matthew McGlynn, Shane Whyte, Tony Harkin, Joe Melly;  Paddy McGrath, John Ross Molloy, Sean McGonagle; Robbie Adair, Conor Classon; Kevin Whyte, Tomas Boyle, Zach Gallagher; Paul Walsh, C J Molloy, Oisin O’Donnell. Subs: CJ Molloy for Walsh (half-time), Nichloas Maguire for McGrath (48), Jamie Elliott for T Boyle (58)

Referee: Mark Dorrian (Gaeil Fhánada).