Anthony Thompson says Naomh Conaill will be ready for a ‘war’ again as they face Gaoth Dobhair for the third time tonight in the 2019 Donegal SFC final.
Twice, the teams have been inseparable now and they go again tonight in Ballybofey for the third instalment (throw-in 8pm).
Picture: Naomh Conaill’s Anthony Thompson in a action against Gaoth Dobhair’s Naoise Ó Baoill on Sunday. Photo by Evan Logan
Ciaran Thompson had kicked the late score to earn the replay from the first game and Sunday’s replay might’ve swung either way. In the end, it swung neither way.
In a captivating period of extra time, Naomh Conaill went from three down to one up and, ultimately, were pegged back by Seaghan Ferry’s late equaliser.
“It was war alright,” Thompson observed afterwards.
“We just, again, going into the last minute of normal time, were chasing the game and we pulled it level.”
Naomh Conaill lost the 2017 final to Kilcar and the 2018 final to Gaoth Dobhair, but have hit back again and just refuse to wilt.
Their powers of perseverance are impressive.
Thompson said: “We went three down in extra time and when you do that, it’s so hard to get back. We’re able to dig deep every time and keep going.
“The boys just dig deep. We were a point up, but we’d have taken the draw.”
It will be their third game in ten days when they line up beneath the glow of Sean MacCumhaill Park’s lamps tonight. While Thompson isn’t complaining about the punishing schedule, he admits that it’s far from ideal.
He said: “That’s what you play for. You’d be out training on Tuesday regardless. It’s just about getting the bodies right,.
“It was a war out there. It mightn’t have looked it, but I can tell you it was.
“Both teams will feel it and the bodies will be sore. It’s a matter of getting back as fresh as you can.”
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