Diver feels Naomh Conaill have what it takes to retain league crown

Naomh Conaill can retain their crown when they lock horns with Kilcar in the All-County Football League Division 1 final on Saturday.

That is the educated opinion of Ardara’s Damian Diver, a man who is geographically in a good spot to evaluate both clubs.
Naomh Conaill cantered through Division 1 in impressive fashion while Kilcar came with a somewhat later surge to set up a showdown, spurred on by their 1-9 to 0-5 victory in Glenties, which was Martin Regan’s side’s first defeat in the competition since July 2019 against Cloughaneely.

And, even though this is not championship fare just yet, Diver insists that it will always be intense between these two giants of Donegal GAA.

“Any game between Kilcar and Naomh Conaill will be competitive,” he said. “There is silverware at the end of it so everybody wants that silverware and this is the second biggest competition in Donegal. “Naomh Conaill have a very strong squad, but they seem to be able to unearth players who may not be household names but they do a great job whether it is in the backs or the forwards.”

Although Conor Cunningham, the Kilcar manager, recently said Kilcar have a panel as capable as anyone’s, Diver is of the opinion that Naomh Conaill have the superior depth.

“They seem to fit into the system brilliantly and I think that maybe Kilcar may not have the same strength in depth on the bench,” he said. “Naomh Conaill have some great strength up the middle as well as the power and pace of the Dohertys - Eunan and Odhrán with Ultan currently injured - and Jeaic MacCeallbhuí.

“Charles McGuinness is a fine target man, and he will have gained a lot of experience being with the county this year too and he will be sharper and stronger. Naomh Conaill are big around the middle and you will have the likes of Anthony Thompson conducting the show and Ciaran Thomspon at midfield is just unreal. He makes everything happen.

“Naomh Conaill are great at holding on to players and even if they are away, they come home which shows great dedication. It is just in their DNA that they want to play football for Naomh Conaill while other clubs like ourselves are suffering with so many young men away”.

Kilcar, on the other hand, are full of skill and running and have quality dotted all over the pitch as well.
“They were without the county men for most of the year but the likes of Mark McHugh and Ciaran McGinley were there all the time to drive the training when the county lads are away and that is always a big help,” Diver added.

“They have quite a few medium sized players with loads of skill and pace and they are very comfortable on the ball. If you are relatively small you have to develop your skill on the ball and they have that in spades and Paddy McBrearty is a wonderful finisher for them.

“They have all the McHughs back and Stephen McBrearty, Matthew McClean and Conor Doherty are all very classy and pacey players too. They also have a number of younger pacey players coming through as well and they have developed this very well”.

“But I take Naomh Conaill to win it. They just seem to be cruising past teams in the league and you would expect them to maintain that form although Kilcar will relish being underdogs.

“Naomh Conaill still have some hurt from that defeat to Eunan’s in the SFC final last year to spur them on as well”.