Naomh Conaill hoping to get the timing right

By Michael McMullan

FOUR weeks without a competitive game seems like an eternity in the world of Naomh Conaill.

Within four days of their extra-time Donegal final win over Gaoth Dobhair, they were back on the pitch and stepping into this weekend’s Ulster Senior Championship quarter-final showdown with Scotstown.

Martin Regan’s side had five games in as many weeks at the height of championship, followed by a two-week break ahead of the Donegal final. There was never any temptation to grant two weeks off. The players wouldn’t hear of it anyway.

“The boys themselves wouldn’t have taken two weeks,” Regan said. “We were back on the Thursday and did a light session.

“If you told them we were taking two weeks, off they’d have laughed at you because they love going down to the field. They love the training and they’d have been eager to get back as well.”

Regan, a six-time Dr Maguire Cup-winning manager, said Sunday’s result against Scotstown will define whether four weeks away from the white heat of championship was “a good thing or a bad thing”.

They had a look at Scotstown beforehand and were in Clones to run their eyes over the extra-time win over Inniskeen in the recent Monaghan final.

“It’s going to be a huge test for us, an absolutely massive test,” Regan said. “They’re an unbelievable club but what they’ve achieved in the last 13, 14 years is remarkable.

“We know we’re going into the lion’s den and we’re facing one of the favourites for Ulster, but it’s an opportunity we’re relishing and we’re really looking forward to the day.”

Naomh Conaill are no strangers to Ulster having won their eight Donegal titles over the last 20 years. They lost to eventual All-Ireland champions Crossmaglen in the 2010 final.

Nine years later, they were beaten by All-Ireland finalists Kilcoo and missed Ulster action in 2020 when Covid forced the competition’s postponement.

Naomh Conaill have three teams within a team. Four of their squad had all eight medals, going back to 2005. They have a core of players in the middle bracket with youngsters Max Campbell, Finnbarr Roarty and Shea Malone tasting the winning feeling for the first time this term.

It was their younger players who stood tall when the chips where down in their knock-out stages in Donegal this year.

Naomh Conaill dug deepest in the dying moments against league champions Termon in the quarter-final.

Campbell hit a goal to level matters with Roarty slotting over the winning point. Malone kicked 0-8 to see off Four Masters in the semi-final and it was his sensational two-pointer that took the final to extra-time.

“They keep fighting and they keep putting themselves in those positions where they have an opportunity to win games.

“Finnbarr and Max, they’re so well-tuned into things as well. They’re great athletes and great footballers, but their football brain is very important to them as well.”

Then there is Malone, who stepped away from his soccer career with Sligo Rovers to commit fully to Naomh Conaill, with a bit of encouragement from his cousin Dermot ‘Brick’ Molloy.

“Shea is a huge addition to us this year,” Regan said. “I don’t think we would have won a championship without him this year.”