GAEIL Fhánada are hoping to end the year on a high and clinch the Under 21 ‘D’ Championship title when they face Realt na Mara in Saturday’s final.
Fanad don’t have huge numbers, and they won’t have a minor team in 2026.
However, the Under 21 team have enjoyed their football in recent weeks and picked up some impressive victories.
They booked their place in the final with a 1-12 to 0-13 win over Naomh Colmcille last Saturday.
It wasn’t a vintage performance but semi-finals are all about winning and it was a tough day for the Fanad community following the sad passing of Eddie Griffin.
Speaking to the Donegal News, Gaeil Fhánada selector John McConoigley said: “Shaun Carr played that game, and he would be a first cousin of the young fella who was buried in Fanad.
“It was a tough day for all the young lads and they were all there at the funeral and they came straight to the match. It was a tough day for young and old.
He added: “We were coming into the Naomh Colmcille game not knowing what to expect.
“Naomh Colmcille have a decent side and we needed a good game and we got it.
“We’re working with 18 or 19 players. A few injuries and we’d end up in a bit of bother.
“Ciaran (Sweeney) wasn’t able to tog out which is a big loss to us but hopefully he’ll be back for the final.”
McConigley is part of the Fanad management along with Aidan Heraghty, Christy Sweeney, and Aidan McAteer and they have seen their team ease past Naomh Pádraig, Lifford and Moville, while they had four points to spare over Convoy.
“The players have really enjoyed it. They’re a great bunch of boys to work with. They’re all back now playing soccer so they have plenty on.
“In fairness, what we have is good and they’re really looking forward to the final.”
Central to Fanad’s semi-final win was the damage inflicted by their full-forward line who accounted for 1-11 of their 1-12 tally.
“We have three very good inside men in Charlie McAteer, Daibhid Lynch and Cormac Dunleavy.
“Cormac comes out a bit, but we know if we get the ball to them and they get any sniff at goal they know where the posts are.
“At the start we couldn’t get the ball into them and in fairness to Naomh Colmcille they controlled the first 15 minutes of the game.
“It took us a while to get going but we went in level at half-time and we had a good purple patch at the start of the second half but we let them back into it but they were never going to go away.
“It’s a good Naomh Colmcille team and they’re very young. I was talking to their manager and a lot of that team is underage again next year.
“We’ll be losing a few of our boys and we don’t have great numbers coming at the minute either.
“It’s always nice to be in a final and when you get to a final make the best of it because they’re hard to win.”
Realt na Mara hammered Moville by 5-19 to 2-11 in their semi-final and they will fancy their chances of glory.
“There’s never much in it when we play Bundoran but I’m sure they’ll have some of them senior players in their Under 21s.
“Moville came here and I know they didn’t come very strong but they still gave us a decent game so it’s obvious Bundoran are a decent side.”
