Gaoth Dobhair manager Trevor Alcorn says it would be an extra bonus if his side were to get anything out of Sunday’s semi-final with Naomh Conaill, as making the semi-final was already a bonus.
Alcorn is in his first year as manager of the 15 time Donegal Senior Championship winners, and making the semi-finals is already a successful season in his eyes.
The so-called ‘big four’ of these two sides and St. Eunan’s and Kilcar make up the semi-finals once again, with Gaoth Dobhair returning to the final four after losing to Sunday’s opponents in the quarter-final stage last year.
And having met twice this year already, including in the last round of the Championship before the quarter-final draw, Alcorn was happy when he saw the draw for the semi-final paired the two sides together.
“It was maybe the best we could’ve expected, we were happy to actually be in there, when that draw came out we were happier to get Naomh Conaill because we had played them twice but they’re a formidable opposition.
“Neither side had to win in the league or the fourth round of the Championship so both teams really had nothing to play for other than pride but you learn a bit more from defeat so maybe we can learn a wee bit more from that and bring it into the game on Sunday. It’s a free crack at them.”
Naomh Conaill were the victors in both games by five points, both games at Davy Brennan Memorial Park in Glenties, but Gaoth Dobhair have more to play for this time.
Many have Naomh Conaill down as favourites for the match and would be expected to reach the final, and the Gaoth Dobhair manager is happy to go into the game as underdogs.
“It’s a lovely way to go into a game because it does take that pressure off, you can actually go out and play and you’re not expected to win.
“Anything from here on is a bonus and it was actually a bonus for Gaoth Dobhair this year to get into a semi-final, a lot of critics thought maybe we weren’t going to reach that so the pressure is off a wee bit.”
Both sides have had arguably tougher passages to the final four than the other semi-finalists, with Gaoth Dobhair easing past Ardara before a tight one point win over Glenfin.
A big win over Sean Mac Cumhaills followed which confirmed their passage to the last eight before the encounter with Naomh Conaill and another one point win as they squeezed past Aodh Ruadh in the quarter-finals.
Martin Regan’s men started with a draw with Glenswilly before defeating Killybegs and St. Michael’s.
The Glenties men then beat Gaoth Dobhair before another tough battle with Glenswilly in the quarter-finals, and Alcorn is expecting fatigue to play its part on Sunday.
“We’ve come through a lot of tough battles, we scraped through Glenfin by a point and we scraped over Aodh Ruadh by a point, another physical strong side, and definitely there’s fatigue.
“Naomh Conaill probably have more strength in depth but they’ve come through a few tough battles as well with Glenswilly. There’ll be a bit of fatigue for both teams so I’m sure and it’ll be a telling factor going into the game on Sunday.”
Throw-in is at 4pm in MacCumhaill Park, while the St. Eunan’s Kilcar semi-final has been postponed until next weekend.
