Sean MacCumhaills manager Dougie McDaid was delighted after his side defeated defending Senior ‘C’ champions St Eunan’s to lift the Manus Kelly Memorial Cup.

The Twin Towns men missed out on the decider 12 months ago but returned to final day this term to seal the silverware they last won in 2022.

“It was brilliant to get over the line”, said McDaid. “We know what it’s like to be on the other side of these on the big days because we’ve been in five or six finals now and in the space of us managing the teams and we spoke about that beforehand.”

“We won one and we lost the other finals. We feel that even the one we won, we didn’t perform for the full 60 minutes of the final. You could say that today as well. I thought we were fortunate to be seven points ahead at half-time.”

“When you find yourself in that position then you have to see it home in the second half. St Eunan’s are a very strong team, they’ve some players there that are capable of playing up the levels next year and have come down from levels in previous years.”

The Twin Towns men held a seven-point advantage at the break but, with a crown to defend, the Letterkenny outfit threw everything at them in Act Two.

However, the MacCumhaill Park residents stood up to the challenge and managed to keep them at bay to clinch the cup.

“With the new rules, a seven-point lead isn’t what it was but I didn’t expect anything else from St Eunan’s, the standards that they set for themselves. St Eunan’s and Naomh Conaill are the benchmark for adult football in this county and have been for the last 15 to 20 years. We knew we weren’t going to get an easy Championship.”

“The quality that they even had on their bench there is incredible to be able to bring in at this standard of football.”

Sean MacCumhaills will be pleased to have capped off their campaign with a bit of silverware for the cabinet on Saturday.

After missing out on a couple of Senior ‘C’ titles in the past, McDaid and his side know how hard they are to win and he’s hoping the weekend’s win can act as a catalyst for future senior success within the club.

“It’s great to be in finals and it’s great to win them when you are there. Whatever day it is, Championships aren’t easily won so it’s great to get over the line.”

“Hopefully this can be a catalyst now for up the grades and to push some of the younger lads on to compete for Senior B’s and Senior A’s down the line as well because it’s hard to beat a winning culture of getting to finals and bringing home a bit of silverware.”