O'Donnell and St Eunan's welcome break after top four finish in Donegal SFC
St Eunan’s will enjoy a welcome break in the Donegal SFC after finishing in the top four following their seven-point win over St Michael’s.
The win secured second spot in the table for the Black and Amber, with Naomh Conaill, Dungloe and Gaoth Dobhair all finishing on seven points.
While the preliminary quarter-finals take place this weekend, there will be a week's break after, so St Eunan’s will have three weeks between games.
It could work against them with a lack of matches, but Conor O’Donnell Jnr, who has just recovered from a long-term injury himself, feels it will be important for the side as they look to get bodies back for the knockouts.
“The only benefit is that we have men on the fringes who are coming back; boys have been picking up knocks along the way, and this has probably given them a bit more time to not rush back.
“For us it’s about getting the bodies right and getting mentally ready for the knockouts.
It’s different from 12 months ago when we were in the preliminary with Termon, which ultimately knocked us out, so it’s better this year to be in that top four and have the extra time to prepare.”
Kieran Donnelly’s men won by 1-18 to 0-14 at the Bridge against a Michael’s side that scraped 12th place and will play in the preliminary quarter-finals this weekend against Four Masters.
With a strong wind, St Eunan’s led by 12 at the break, but they knew they were not out of sight of their opponents.
O’Donnell kicked a brace of two-point frees in the first half with the wind, and a Kieran Tobin goal late in the first half was a big score.
And he added two of their five second-half scores into a heavy wind, which was enough to keep the Dunfanaghy men at bay.
“We said before the game that playing with the wind, we would have to have a big score difference at half-time. In the second half, when St Michael’s got that purple patch of two-point scores, we knew we’d be under the cosh, so it was key to have that big lead at half-time.
“The goal gave us a good cushion going in at half-time, it was a great kickout by Shaun (Patton) and we pressed up and Kieran, it was a trademark Tobin finish to slot it home.
“If that didn’t go in, then it would have been a nine-point lead and a couple of two-pointers would have had them back in the game, so it was good to have that extra breathing space.
“We defended okay in patches and on big days, big names step up, and Michael Langan kicked huge scores from distance.
“The conditions suited two-point kickers, so limiting them to a few was key, and we defended well in stages.”