Naomh Conaill aim for a treble in Senior C final against MacCumhaill's

Naomh Conaill are chasing a third adult championship title this season on Saturday as they face Sean MacCumhaill’s in the Donegal Senior C final in Glenswilly, 2pm.

After the senior and reserves respective double victories over St Eunan’s in Ballybofey on Saturday last, the club’s senior C team can complete a unique treble.

“We are under a bit of pressure alright,” said joint manager James ‘Plumber’ Boyle, who shares the manager’s role with Paddy Boyle.

“Martin Regan and a few others said it to me on Sunday evening in MacCumhaill Park, the pressure was on us now to deliver and complete the treble. I reassured them we would give it our best shot.

“It is mostly a very young team with a mix of older and experienced players. Dermot Ward is in his early thirties and is the oldest and most experienced player. Dermot played for the seniors for a number of years and has senior championship experience but by and large it is a young team.

“We’ve also got Charlie McDonnell and Dermot Brennan back playing after being away for a few years. Charlie won a minor championship in 2015. When I came in as manager I decided I was going to bring the young lads I had worked over the last few years into the team. There was no point having 16 or 17 young lads sitting on a subs bench for the reserve team week in week out. And besides all our older players play with the senior team,” Boyle added with a chuckle.

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Odhran McCallig, Adam Molloy, Jack Boyle and Sean Doherty are among the promising young players to make the step up the teams this season.

Naomh Conaill have certainly found the formula and have been one of the top Senior C teams in the county since the inception of the championship in 2016.

They’ve only lost once this season and that was in the league, away to Glenswilly but they avenged that defeat with victory over the men from Pairc Naomh Columba, in the All-County Football League Division 4 final.

Sean MacCumhaill’s are another of those leading C teams. They are preparing this week for their third C championship final and having lost the last two, so manager Dougie McDaid is hoping Saturday’s decider is third time lucky.

“We were beaten in last year’s final by Naomh Conaill 1-9 to 0-5. There was no championship in 2020 due to the pandemic and we lost the 2019 final to St Eunan’s as well,” said McDaid.

“So we are hoping for a change of fortune this weekend. But we know Naomh Conaill are going to prove tough opponents.
“We’ve played them twice so far this year and they beat us both in the league game and in the group game in the championship. There wasn’t much between us in either game, just a couple of points.

“Dougie who is still playing and he is the captain of MacCumhaills reserve team. Daniel Gallen and Caelum Bonner make up McDaid’s management. Sean MacCumhaills defeated Termon away and Naomh Padraig, Lifford, at home and lost to Naomh Conaill, away, in the group stages.

“Naomh Conaill topped the group and we came second,” McDaid added. “St Eunan’s topped the other group with Dungloe second so we faced Dungloe in the semi-final and Naomh Conaill faced St Eunan's. “Like most C teams it is a mix of young and old players and we have a good sprinkling of last year's winning minor team in this year’s team.

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