Posted online: Nov 28th, 2008

St Eunan’s might have preferred to have been squaring up against Ballinderry in the Ulster Championship final this weekend but manager Eamonn O’Boyle says that won’t dampen their desire to retain their Donegal Senior League Crown.
By Chris McCann
Defeat against Crossmaglen ended Letterkenny’s hopes of provincial glory but the Donegal Champions have quickly refocussed their attention towards this weekend’s league decider against Naomh Conaill.
“We always wanted to involved be in the league final, it’s just unfortunate that we are free to play it this weekend. Obviously we’d rather have been preparing for an Ulster final against Ballinderry but we’re certainly looking forward to this game against Naomh Conaill,” he said.
Eunan’s Ulster exit was all the more frustrating for the fact that that game was there for the winning but this match will allow the O’Boyle’s team to put that result behind them.
“There were a lot of people saying that we should have one the game. We were well on top in the first half and even in the second half we played well its just that we didn’t take our chances. That was disappointing but I think the players are glad to have another match to get the Cross game out of our systems.”
Indeed, the manager says that his panel of players are keen to end their season on a high this Sunday and complete back to back league and championship doubles.
“We’re league champions and it’s important to us to retain the league title and end what has been a successful season on a winning note. The players have trained well and are looking forward to this game if we we’re to win on Sunday that would be league and championship double. It would mean a second successive double and that is something that players could be very proud of.”
Of course Naomh Conaill are also looking to end their campaign on a positive note and O’Boyle doesn’t under estimate the task before his players.
“We have the utmost respect for Glenties they have brought in some young lads and changed things around a bit. Looking at their results they have obviously knuckled down at the end of the season and they will also be looking to end the season on a high.”
Whatever the result the St Eunan’s men can look forward to a few weeks of well earned rest after another taxing campaign.
“It’s a long season alright but it’s still an improvement on last year when we didn’t get our season finished up until December 17. So at least we’ve finished up two weeks earlier because there’s not much of break before trainimg starts up again in February.”
On the injury front St Eunan’s are still without skipper Brendan Devenney but the rest of the squad are available for selection.
“Brendan is finished for the season but other than that injury everybody else is 100 per cent.”