Kilcar manager John McNulty has endured a frustrating 12 months as the long -awaited Donegal SFC final between his side and Naomh Conaill was on and off more times than a faulty light.
McNulty did not hold back when he told a local newspaper earlier year.
“I don’t give a damn what month, time date, it’s a county final and it is there to be won and needs to be played," he said
McNulty has got his wish as the two sides lock horns in Ballybofey on Saturday night, where lights will be needed.
And for now, he is just glad that the long wait is over, even if it has meant that he had had to rejig his side considerably with so many of his top performers on county duty.
“Naturally you would be disappointed not to get the final played last year," McNulty said.
“That is what you are there for.
“You win your semi-final and then you look forward to the final whether that be two, three or four weeks' time.
“Unfortunately, it was put back and then maybe five days before it was due to be played it was called off again and I think that was disappointing.
“When you are in a final, like everybody else you are just looking forward to playing in it at that time.
“And you were always going to be getting ready for it and irrespective of when it comes along, like Martin Regan said, we were always going to be ready for it.”
But the absence of the county stars has allowed McNulty to unearth new talent to strengthen the squad.
“We had a number of county lads away and that gives others a chance to prove themselves.
“We would have had from 10-12 players away with county squads over the season.
“Those young lads coming in to do a job has certainly helped the overall strength of the squad."
There has been much speculation in the county as to what kind of final will unfold between two teams who know each other very well.
And fans form both sides will not be wanting a repeat of the attritional affair witnessed in 2017 when Kilcar won by 0-7 to 0-4.
But McNulty is expecting a titanic tussle before just 500 fans, a decision that has caused consternation in both clubs with a mad scramble for a relatively small amount of tickets.
“I think we can expect a good game.
“The two teams are very well matched, and I expect a good competitive match."
Kilcar will be without impressive defenders Brian and Aodhan McGinley, both of whom are out with long term injuries.
So how has McNulty coped over the stop start caused by the pandemic?
“You have to break it down into small bits and you don’t look too far ahead with your training and your Zoom meetings.
“You just do what you can and keep focusing on that date.
“We were waiting in news and dates so see when things were happening, and you were judging your training on that.
“But then you had your lockdowns, and it was very difficult and individual training for some people is a lot tougher than group training.
“You can have a very good collective, but some people find it difficult to do it on their own.
“But we have really enjoyed the training all year since we have got back, and we have the county boys back for about a month and that ups the training up a notch."
