BY RYAN FERRY

CARNDONAGH wing-forward Anthony Doherty said his team were able to banish a lot of hurt with their Junior win on Saturday.

It’s Carndonagh’s first championship title since 2008 but this current team have come close without getting over the line.

Gaels defeated Carn in the 2022 decider and Muff got the better of them last year but the team didn’t feel sorry for themselves and made sure that it was going to be their turn to climb the Dr James McDaid steps and collect silverware.

“There’s a lot of hurt there for us.

“We played them in 2022 and we were disappointed that day.

“We were disappointed again last year against a good Muff team.

“We worked hard as a team and we were lucky that we got back here today.

“Gaels really put it up to us in the second half and we really had to dig deep there but thankfully we got over the line in the end.”

Carn were shell-shocked in last year’s final against Naomh Pádraig, Uisce Chaoin.

A tight final was expected but they found themselves 2-9 to 0-3 down at half-time.

They were determined that they wouldn’t be playing catch-up this time in the final.

“Last year Muff kind of blew us away in the first half.

“But I think Division 2 football has really stood to us this year.

“There’s that wee bit extra in the legs and thankfully it worked out for us with the way we finished.”

Doherty scored Carn’s first point of the match, and he added two in the second half when his team needed them.

The former county minor took all his points well but played down his role in the triumph.

“Yeah it wasn’t too bad.

“I was lucky enough to be on the end of a few moves.

“It doesn’t matter who scores as long as we score. That’s the way we look at it.

“I was happy with my scores but as long as we win that’s the main thing.”

Carn can now look forward to the Ulster Junior Championship and they will take on the Monaghan champions.

Emyvale and Sean McDermotts are set to play in that decider next week.

Both of those clubs have been in Ulster in recent times with Emyvale losing to Red Hughs in 2018 and McDermotts to Downings three years later.

Carn could do well in the competition but the players will enjoy the celebrations first.

“I think Donegal drew the Monaghan champions so we will focus on that maybe next week.

“It’s a long time since we won a championship so we will enjoy the next few days and take it from there.”