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‘No homework, just on a whim’ – Naomh Conaill ‘keeper Stephen McGrath

written by Chris McNulty August 15, 2021
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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.”

‘No homework, just on a whim’ – Naomh Conaill ‘keeper Stephen McGrath was last modified: August 15th, 2021 by Chris McNulty
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Tags:
2020 Donegal SFCCiaran ThompsonKilcarMartin ReganNaomh ConaillStephen McGrath
Chris McNulty

Author of 'Boxing In Donegal: A History (2021)' - the definitive history of the sport in County Donegal - and 'Relentless: A Race Through Time', the 2019 memoir of former Irish Athletics Team Manager Patsy McGonagle. From St Johnston and now based in Letterkenny, Chris was a nominee for NUJ Sports Journalist of the Year in 2010. Honoured by the Donegal Boxing Board in 2016 for his coverage on the sport.

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