Martin Shankey Smith commends Naomh Conaill for going that extra yard

Naomh Conaill are riding high and on the crest of a wave just now, with the club’s senior team and reserve teams in Sunday’s finals.

They both meet St Eunan’s in both finals and there is also the Senior C final to look forward to when they face Sean
MacCumhaills the weekend after next,

“It is a great achievement for the men’s adult teams,” said Naomh Conaill chairman Martin Shankey Smith, who is into the second year of his second term as the top officer at the club, having alos served as chairman back in 2018.

“Our senior footballers have played every game they could possibly have played this year,” he added. “They reached the league final. They won the Donegal Comorás Peile Na Gaeltachta and reached the All-Ireland final of the Comortás and now they are in the championship final.

“The reserves won the reserve league, the thirds won their league so the lads are flying. When these finals are completed over the next two weekends our adult men will have played in eight finals this year. It is a tremendous achievement and great testimony to all who have worked so hard.

“The boys who manage and coach them. At the start of every year you are looking for people to manage them and then you hope you have enough players for three teams. But once the season starts and you get up and running we have plenty of players everybody puts their shoulder to the wheel.”

Smith paid a special tribute to current manager Martin Regan who has guided the team to their sixth final in a row and seventh decider in his eight seasons in charge. Regan stepped down from the role at the end of last season and after their heavy final defeat to St Eunan’s in the Donegal SFC final. However he was back again when the season got up and running at the start of April.

“I didn’t have to twist Martin’s arm really because I kinda knew he would be there managing the team again this season,” insisted Smith.

“Martin is a fantastic clubman and very easy to deal with. We have a great relationship. He is not looking for pie in the sky stuff, stuff you cannot deliver. He has a tremendous record since he took over in 2015 - the worst he has ever done is reach the semi-final and he has taken the team to every final since.

“He is a remarkable man that is able to turn it on every year. The lads have great time for him and in particular the young players. A number of them have come into the squad this season and they love training with him and they all talk about it.”

The chairman said he was so disappointed for Regan and the players after last year’s loss to St Eunan’s. “It was tough to take and I was so disappointed for the players and management because they had worked so hard all year,” Smith said. “But fair play to St Eunan’s they were the better team and they won and you have to go home and dust yourself off and get back on the horse and get going again. And we are back again this year which is a testament to Martin and the players and hopefully the shoe will be on the other foot this time.”