BY DÁIRE BONNAR
CONOR O’Donnell Jnr hailed the resilience of the St Eunan’s side and how they dealt with overcoming pressure and setbacks throughout the 2024 Donegal Senior Championship.
The O’Donnell Park side had a good start to the championship and took an early confidence booster with a win over reigning champions Naomh Conaill away from home.
Barry Meehan’s side slipped up against Gaoth Dobhair at home but O’Donnell admits that knock back down to earth didn’t do them much harm in refocusing for the knockout stages.
“After that we took out two big teams in Glenties and then Gaoth Dobhair,” the 24-year-old said upon receiving the Donegal News October Sports Personality of the Month award, in conjunction with Brian McCormick Sports & Leisure.
“We were comfortable in the first half but we always knew Glenties would come out with a purple patch, they have some very good players. But we came back well, maybe in the last couple of years we could have faded away but we showed great resilience to get over the line that day.
“It was about stepping on from that and it was good to bounce on and beat Gaoth Dobhair, that went down to the wire and we probably weren’t too happy coming off the pitch.
“We scraped over the line and maybe of a bit of luck got us over the line but it’s about results and if you grind out a one point win then you have to be happy.”
Then came a tense final as ‘Eunan’s went in as heavy favourites against Dungloe.
Level at four points apiece at the break, O’Donnell hit a goal early in the second half to give his side the advantage.
Dungloe did get back level with a minute to play thanks to a late penalty from Ryan Connors, but O’Donnell, Ciaran Moore and Eoin McGeehin tagged on points in added time to secure the win.
A Man of the Match performance and 1-4 to his name earned him the Sports Personality of the Month award for October.
“Favourites tags can be there but being inside the group and our circle is what matters.
“Dungloe got there on merit, if we did lose that game I don’t know where we would have went to be honest, losing to Glenties 12 months before in the semi-final was a kick in the teeth too.
“It wasn’t pretty on the day and we were too eager early on but in the second half we found our feet.
“I’d have to give credit to Pauric Boyle (for the goal), he laid it off. A criticism I‘d have for myself is that I play too deep out the field but with how the game was going, close to goal was where I wanted to be and when it hit the post and fell to Pauric, thankfully he laid it off.
“The penalty call was a big turning point but as I said, our resilience was a key aspect to take away, some teams could have cracked under pressure when it was a level game but we kicked three points after that.
“Our goal at the start of the year obviously was to get back up the steps at MacCumhaill Park again and get the Doctor back but through the whole season it was a steady campaign for Barry’s first season in charge.”
O’Donnell also paid tribute to club stalwart and long-time member of the senior side’s backroom staff, Aidan McGlynn, who sadly passed away at the start of September.
McGlynn was just 50 when he passed after an approximately 18 month battle with Motor Neurone Disease.
An emotional game against Downings in their round four group game followed but that signalled their return to winning ways and O’Donnell said how that devastating loss drove them on.
“Walking up the steps on county final day is where you want to be and getting up the steps wouldn’t have been possible without the help of Aidan and what he’s done for the club and us players.
“He was a huge figure in our team, not only as part of the backroom team but he was a great friend and there’s no doubt he was there carrying us over the line to get the Dr. Maguire back.”
The Ulster campaign ended at the first hurdle with a one point loss to eventual Ulster champions and All-Ireland finalists Errigal Ciaran which O’Donnell admits hurt, but it’s put behind them now and they are looking ahead to the new season as the rule changes come into effect.
“We were hugely disappointed and it was even worse that we were so close to beating them and they went on to win Ulster.
“But looking back the better team won that day, that resilience could have got us over the line but it is something that will probably stick with us coming into the new season.
“It’s a fresh start for every club in Donegal, we have a good few minors coming through and hopefully they’ll give Barry and the team a headache down the line.
“It’s an exciting year ahead, we start with Gaoth Dobhair in the Park for our first game under the new rules (in the league).
“A lot of people are saying it’s a forwards game (under the new rules) but with us, we are a running team and rules like these can open up any team but it’s easy saying ‘we’ll do this or that’.
“Having the likes of Ciarán (Moore), Shane (O’Donnell), Niall (O’Donnell), Caolan Ward and Shaun Patton up with the county and getting well introduced to the rules, that will be a big boost to us but until then we’ll slowly integrate to the rules and see how we get on.
“Our sole goal probably is to get through the league and then turn our attention to the championship and hopefully retain the Dr. Maguire.”
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