Football

Thompson backs bringing club finals forward

Naomh Conaill captain Ciaran Thompson in action against Clontibret. Picture by Philip Walsh.
Naomh Conaill captain Ciaran Thompson in action against Clontibret. Picture by Philip Walsh. Naomh Conaill captain Ciaran Thompson in action against Clontibret. Picture by Philip Walsh.

NAOMH Conaill captain Ciaran Thompson has backed the move to bring the All-Ireland club series forward into January.

While his side have a mountain to climb against Kilcoo this weekend before they turn any attentions to that, Donegal found their National League campaign hampered last spring by the involvement of Gaoth Dobhair in the All-Ireland semi-final.

The GAA revealed earlier this week that the semi-finals next year will be played in early December, another three weeks earlier than this year, when they’ll be held on the first weekend of January.

“We’re not looking that far ahead but I’m sure it’s a positive move for fixture congestion and trying to get boys back into the county panel,” said Thompson.

“Some of the Gaoth Dobhair boys, especially new bucks like Odhran McFadden-Ferry, they missed out on the league because of it.

“It’s probably a bonus from that point of view, getting them back in earlier.”

The last time Naomh Conaill were in an Ulster final, Ciaran Thompson was a 15-year-old in the stand, supporting his three brothers on the squad.

Anthony (who is still going strong at centre-back) and Leon played against Crossmaglen in 2010, while Aaron was on the bench.

Nine years on, it’s the youngest sibling who will be the man to lead his club out on the big day, and he recalls watching the club lift county titles in 2005 and 2010 as the days that spurred him on as a footballer.

“It's a massive part of the family. Everything revolves around football, that is the only chat nearly that's going on.”