The famine is over with Carndonagh on the rise

It was close to the finish and it came down to the last day and the last game. But in the end Carndonagh prevailed and were crowned All-County Football League Division Four League champions on Saturday afternoon following their 2-25 to 0-4 win over St Eunans at Foden. 

And after a nine-game unbeaten run of seven wins and two draws Donegal assistant treasurer Frankie Doherty was present to present the trophy to the victorious captain Ryan Kelly.

The Inishowen men ended just a point ahead of Na Rossa and two ahead of Naomh Padraig, Muff who finished in third place, in the table. 

Na Rossa and Naomh Padraig now go head to head to decide who joins Carndonagh in the step-up to Division Three.
It is the club’s first big season at senior football in 13 seasons since they defeated Robert Emmetts in the Donegal Junior A final in Ballybofey. 

They are also looking forward to playing in Division Three football for the first time since 2015. 

“It is great and if I’m honest it is better than we expected at the start of the season,” said full-back Padraig Doherty, who is also a member of the three-man management team, with Paul Doherty and Padraig Kelly

“This is our second season and it was a case of bedding in last season,” Padraig Doherty continued. “The three of us work well together. Paul and Padraig run the team from the line and do the stats and I get my chance to have an impute at the water breaks and at half-time.”   

The game last month against Na Rossa was one of the two games they drew, 0-13 to 1-10. The other was 1-8 apiece against Naomh Muire. And in Padraig Doherty’s opinion the Na Rossa game was one of the defining games in the run to the title.   

“It was one of those games that could have gone either way,” he said. “It was the fourth game of the season and we should have won it based on our first half performance.

“But equally we could have lost it on the way we played in the second half and we were lucky in the end to get a draw. We drew level with literally the last kick of the game. 

“That was a big result for us at the time and showed a bit of character. Other years we would have lost that game. And of course we see how important it was at the end.

“The draw was the difference between winning the league and playing Muff in a play-off for promotion.” 
The all Inishowen clash against Naomh Padraig, Muff, at Ture was a big game too and a big results, a 2-14 to 1-11 win.

“We won well in the end but to be honest It was a game we could have lost too,” Doherty added. “But we got the lucky breaks and we scored a couple of goals but on another day it could have been a different story and we see Naomh Padraig finished just two points behind us. 

“That is how tight and competitive it is at the top of the division on any given day any of the teams in the top half are capable of beating each other. 

“It is a very competitive division and everybody wants to get out of it. We’ve been down since 2015 which is far too long.
“I suppose the difference is this year that we have had a regular team and we have been more consistent than we have been for a few years.”

With the exception of Conor O’Donnell who missed the first four or five games due to his Donegal commitments , Carndonagh have been fielding the same 15 or so players from week to week.

“Conor is a marvellous footballer and a big man naturally enough  in the teams but we just got on without him. It is important to not have a dependency on Conor,” Doherty added.

“The way we look at it God forbid if he picked up an injury and was out for a long time we would have to get on without him. 
“Other lads would have to stand up and that is what we have instilled this season and fair play the boys really have and it has paid off with the league title and promotion. 

“But don’t get me wrong Conor is a brilliant footballer and key man in the team overall. He’s been back with us for the last three or four games and we are delighted to have him back. 

“He is a six or seven points man at least everyday he lines out for us. A super footballer with the right attitude and totally dedicated to football and believe me the county hasn’t seen the best of him yet. A super young man and we are very proud of him.” 

Inishowen and Carndonagh have more than their share of Covid-19 and for much of the last few months, with the dubious record of the highest number of cases in the country.

And the Carndonagh club have not escaped and have had a number of positive cases. But as clubs up and down the country have been finding it has brought it’s positives too. And Carndonagh is no different. 

“In normal times we have large numbers either away in places like Dublin or Belfast either at college or working,” Doherty added. “But with all colleges and most workplaces closed all the lads that are normally away are all at home either studying or working. 

“As a result we have big numbers at training on Tuesday and Thursday nights and for games at the weekend. The fact lads are not making long bus journeys back from Dublin or wherever means they are fresher for games. And of course they have mothers cooking and pampering too.”

Carndonagh is a dual club and up to 10 of the football squad are also members of the hurling squad. Carndonagh are the reigning Donegal junior hurling championship. They defeated Dungloe in last year’s final. 

“We have nine to 10 duel players and six or seven of them start both teams,” Doherty continued. “So it is a bit of a juggling act and we are working as best we can to accommodate both.”

Doherty, a Nicky Rakard Cup winner with Donegal and his brother Cathal, Conor, Joe and Danny Monagle, Ryan Davenport, Anthony Doherty (Bush) and Eoghan Kelly play both hurling and football.

“Dealing with it you always have to be aware of player welfare and burnout,” he added. “It is very much a balancing act and being honest managing both is something we are learning as we go along. It is really something that is still very much in its infancy.”

Next up for Carndonagh is the Donegal Junior A Championship which is due to get up and running in the next few weeks. 
Carndonagh are in a group along with Naomh Colmcille/Naomh Ultan, Pettigo, Naomh Padraig, Muff and Letterkenny Gaels. 
Naomh Ultan and Naomh Colmcille meet in an Intermediate championship relegation play-off carried over from last season with the winners retaining Intermediate status and the losers dropping down to junior championship.

All opponents in the junior championship be aware the plotting and planning has begun and Carndonagh are in the best shape they have been for years heading into the championship. 
“Confidence is higher than it has been for years and we are in a good place. But it is one game at a time,” Doherty concluded