Kavanagh thanks Kilcar for postponement of original Donegal semi-final date

Rory Kavanagh has expressed his gratitude on behalf of the St Eunan’s club to all at Kilcar following the postponement of the initial Donegal SFC semi-final in the wake of the passings of Patrick Devenney and his daughter Margaret.

St Eunan’s were due to face Kilcar in the last four tie last Saturday week, which was the same day as the joint-funeral in Newtowncunningham. Former St Eunan’s players Brendan and Maria Devenney are children of the late Patrick Devenney, brother and sister respectively of Margaret, whose husband Eugene also played for the Letterkenny club.

The match was rescheduled for Saturday in Ballybofey, with Kavanagh’s St Eunan’s winning out on a scoreline of 1-13 to 1-11. The Letterkenny side will play Naomh Conaill in a repeat of last year’s final this coming Sunday.

“Kilcar were very accommodating in very tough circumstances for everyone associated with St Eunan’s after the tragic news from the Devenney and Sullivan families,” Kavanagh said. “It was just the most awful news you could imagine. Kilcar were really supportive in the decision to call off the game and we’d like to thank them so much for that.”

On the game itself, Kavanagh paid tribute to the character of his team, who saw a six-point lead dissolve as Kilcar got back on level terms but felt Shane O’Donnell was fouled in the lead-up to the Jason Campbell goal late in the half for Conor Cunningham’s side.

“At 1-8 to 0-5 up I thought it was a harsh decision on Shane, who looked to have been fouled from behind and to compound that he was called for over-carrying,” Kavanagh said of referee Jimmy White’s decision. “From that play Kilcar went down the field and got a goal so it was a big difference going in 1-8 to 1-5 compared to 1-8 to 0-5.”

The St Eunan’s manager did stress that the goal didn’t hugely alter his planned half-time team talk, following which Kilcar kicked the first three points of the second half to get back on terms.

TG4 confirm live coverage of Donegal SFC final

The arrangements for Sunday's Donegal SFC final between St Eunan's and Naomh Conaill have been confirmed

“At half-time, I said ‘would we have taken a three-point lead, if it was offered to us before the game?’,” he said. “We absolutely would. We knew we were going to get an onslaught from Kilcar and they came at us and levelled the game. We knew what they would bring and they brought everything. 

“Maybe last year stood to us. We managed to regain our composure and tag on a few scores to come through in the end. We showed good character."

Sunday’s final sees St Eunan’s face a Naomh Conaill side who are contesting their sixth Donegal SFC final in a row and Kavanagh praised the consistency shown by Martin Regan’s team.

“We’re well acquainted with Naomh Conaill and they’re back again,” Kavanagh added. “They could be hurting from last year. They’re tough and they’ve been around a long time, with plenty of experience. 

“Jordan O’Dowd missed out [on Saturday] having picked up an abdominal injury against St Michael’s, Peter McEniff went off with a hand injury and Conor Parke picked up a knock there stretching, so we’ll have to see how they all are.”

Kavanagh feels that the final, which will throw-in this Sunday at 4:30pm and will be screened live on TG4, could have been put back a week, particularly considering that the Ulster Club SFC fixture for the Donegal SFC winners isn’t pencilled in until Sunday, November 13, against the Antrim champions at Corrigan Park.

“For such a  big game, a county final, is uncalled for,” he said. “To ask a team to turn around after a gruelling contest like that tonight, is a wee bit unjust.”