NAOMH Conaill goalkeeper Stephen McGrath says he took Saturday night’s penalty shoot-out ‘on a whim’.
McGrath was a shoot-out hero, saving the kicks of Ryan McHugh and Mark McHugh, as Naomh Conaill won the 2020 SFC final in dramatic fashion.
“No homework done at all on the penalties,” McGrath said.
“The only penalties I’ve had against Kilcar, I saved one from Paddy (McBrearty) in 2016. He opened up the body, but he changed there tonight. No homework, just on a whim.”
In a final delayed since last September, there was nothing between the teams for the night until it came down to the shoot-out.
Goals by Ciaran Thompson, also from a penalty, and Kevin McGettigan, weren’t enough to free Naomh Conaill from Kilcar’s shackles.
McGrath said: “I honestly felt no pressure there tonight. The keeper isn’t expected to save it. I was just thinking which way the boys were placing the ball down and making myself big.
“Thankfully it worked out.
“It’s brilliant. Back-to-back is going to be sweet. It’s the old saying, good teams win championships, but great teams retain them. That’s going to stand to us that one. That’s a nice one.
“It was super tight. It wasn’t the best game ever. Everyone though it would be cagey enough. It was always going to be tight, we’re just glad to get the job done.”
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