It is possible to trace Glenswilly’s remarkable success – from nowhere to three Dr Maguires in what seemed like an instant – back to a 2010 evening in O’Donnell Park when they let a county final place slip away.
Glenswilly had been finalists in 2007, beaten by their neighbours St Eunan’s, having moved rapidly up the ranks.
Naomh Conaill’s rise had perhaps been more gradual, even if their own maiden victory in a 2005 final replay win over St Eunan’s was an unexpected as it was a watershed in Glenties.
The value of small margins perhaps hadn’t been realised by either until they were staring down the barrel.
In a 2010 semi-final, Glenswilly led 2-8 to 0-11 heading into the final three minutes of what had been a mesmerising semi-final.
An enthralled 3,000 watched as Glenswilly overturned a four-point deficit that haunted them for most of the evening.
Goals by Colin Kelly and Michael Murphy – Murphy’s, their second, arriving 11 minutes from the end – had Glenswilly folk ready to punch their tickets for a return to county final Sunday.
Neil Gallagher’s pair of points and another by Kelly had Glenswilly firmly in command.
The Glen of now would not be caught. But those were different days when the bottom dollar wouldn’t have been as safe.
There was to be another twist.
In a stunning finale, the Thompson brothers, Anthony and Leon, netted goals and Naomh Conaill were off to the final.
In the early rounds, Patrick McBrearty – making his SFC debut for Kilcar – pulled a late free inches wide with a kick that might have handed Naomh Conaill their coats.
Once more, they survived and advanced. Later that year, Naomh Conaill were jousting with Crossmaglen in an Ulster final.
Small margins, again…
That evening in Letterkenny, Naomh Conaill’s captain Anthony Thompson puffed the cheeks and remarked: “That’s as tough a game as we’ve ever had.”
The comeback and the sheer refusal to wilt was down to: “That spirit among us – you wouldn’t buy that.”
From that evening, there remain survivors.
Joe Gibbons, Gary McFadden, Ruairi Crawford, Kealan McFadden, Gallagher and Murphy can be excepted to feature for Glenswilly when the two meet this evening in Ballybofey.
Cormac Callaghan in action for Glenswilly against Naomh Conaill
Stephen McGrath, Marty Boyle, Anthony Thompson, Eoin Waide, Brendan McDyer, John O’Malley and Dermot Molloy are still key performers in the Naomh Conaill line-up.
Martin Regan, now the manager, was in the thick of it eight years ago, too.
It was a much different tale for the tape a year later.
Glenswilly scored just once from play in the first leg of an opening round clash with Naomh Conaill, then wearing the mantle of the defending champions. That score was from Gerard McGrenra in stoppage time.
The twists again: Daragh Gallagher’s free tied it up and Molloy was marginally wide from an ambitious line-ball that could have sneaked it.
The return leg in Glenties is as forgettable as it is memorable.
The game itself was another titanic tussle.
At one stage, Glenswilly led by seven points. Murphy hit 1-6 and was in one of those imperious moods.
Molloy’s 1-2 had Naomh Conaill closer than maybe they should have been and Leo McLoone’s goal put a gloss on the scoreline. Glenswilly went through 1-10 to 2-6, but the result arrived with a caveat.
Jim McGuinness, then in his first year as Donegal’s manager, was still attempting to break Donegal’s 19-year wait for an Ulster title and had called on the Competitions Controls Committee (CCC) to postpone the club action until after the Ulster final. The CCC didn’t meet his request and the show went on.
When time was called in Glenties, an ugly brawl ensued and McLoone suffered a broken eye socket. The feelings from that evening linger in the mist to this day.
After a game dominated by Neil Gallagher, Cathal Corey stepped down as Naomh Conaill’s manager.
“I’m extremely disappointed,” Corey reflected.
“We didn’t play well…Glenswilly controlled it.”
Murphy stood steely eyed and you just knew 2010 had played its part.
This was a new Glenswilly.
“There was a lot of hurt in us from the semi-final,” Murphy said.
“The boys put in a big push this year and we’re delighted to get over this hurdle.”
A couple of months later, Glenswilly were kings of Donegal for the first time, beating Killybegs for the first time and Dr Maguire was on its way to Pairc Naomh Columba.
Four years ago, in a semi-final again, Glenswilly prevailed 0-10 to 0-8, but the story of that rested in a boardroom wrangle that threatened to put the county final back.
Ciaran Bonner, was black-carded in the second half, having been booked in the first. Referee Jimmy White permitted Bonner to be replaced by Oisin Crawford.
In injury time, with the sides level, Crawford arched over a point to put Glenswilly in front and full-back Eamonn Ward sealed it.
Naomh Conaill appealed and Glenswilly also appealed Bonner’s black card. With the card subsequently rescinded, the final was able to proceed, but not before hearings at provincial and national level.
Naomh Conaill still feel aggrieved about that one.
In the aftermath of the win, putting Glenswilly back towards the final, Gary McDaid, the manager, spoke to the media and left a telling calling card after their fifth semi-final.
“We’re making the most of what we have and we’re reaping the rewards,” said McDaid. “We’ve built a winning mentality here now.”
A mentality built from the wreckage and carcass of that Letterkenny Sunday in 2010.
When these two collide, we know what to expect.
The unexpected awaits once more.
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