'Playing was a distraction, then reality hit back of the people in Creeslough'

Victorious Naomh Conaill manager Martin Regan paid a heartfelt tribute to the victims of the Creeslough tragedy in the aftermath of his side's victory over a fancied St Eunan's side in Ballybofey.

Naomh Conaill are looking forward to playing in the Ulster club championship in Belfast in four weeks time but Regan gently and eloquently put all of this into perspective even in what must have been some heady moments of victory.

“When you see what happened in Creeslough last Friday week it does put football and sport into perspective,” he said. “I would have cross-referenced that quite a few times during the week. 

“We were lucky to be in the position we were in, to be able to go out and play football and to be enjoying days like this, when you see what the people of Creeslough went through last week and what they will have to go through in the coming weeks, months and years. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.

“Us and St Eunan's playing for an hour plus was a distraction and then reality will hit back especially at the people down in Creeslough. But if they can get a bit of comfort from that hour then it is something”.

Meanwhile Regan was delighted that his side came in as underdogs and went out as winners on a 1-9 to 2-5 scoreline.

“We were underdogs and we were written off all week but we did not see ourselves like that,” he said. “They did punish our turnovers and that is a disappointing aspect of our game today. But in general we are delighted.

And he paid a warm tribute to his side's sterling defensive qualities, particularly in the closing stages as Rory Kavanagh’s team looked for a leveller.

“Our shape in defence was very good and the boys did everything we asked of them and we did not turn them over last year but we managed to do so today and that was satisfying,” Regan said. “We pride ourselves on our turnovers in defence and we really worked on that over the past three weeks and we said we would celebrate a turnover like a score because that was what it meant to us. We get enjoyment out of defending and we defended really well.

Regan believed the sending off of St Eunan's forward Shane O'Donnell right before the break had an impact on the game.

“I did not see the incident, but the fact that it was Shane O'Donnell who was sent off meant it made a big impact,” Regan said. “Of course Eunan's were going to miss him as he is one of their main men in the forward line and it made a difference.

“But you will have sending offs and we had two men sent off in last year's final. It happens and it depends on how you respond and we did not respond last year”.