A GOAL in the 66th minute from Tommy Hourihane sealed Bundoran’s passage to the last eight of the Donegal SFC and leave Ardara heartbroken.
Ardara 4-3 Bundoran 2-12
Ardara had blown a six-point half-time lead as Bundoran went five ahead with the wind at their back in the closing stages with the home team having failed to score in 26 second half minutes.
At that stage Bundoran were just two points short of the seven needed to win the group, only to fall apart.
Two Ardara goals in the final three minutes brought the locals back level again, with Shane O’Donnell and Paddy McGrath on target with Ardara’s only scores of the half, meant it was level, 4-3 to 1-12.
Bundoran, deep into injury time, were on their way out as nothing less than a three-point win would be enough. But against all the odds, Gary Clancy fisted a ball across the Ardara square and there was Hourihane to slap in at the back post.
It meant that Glenswilly won the group following their win over Burt and while Ardara and Bundoran finished level on both points and score difference, only the Seasiders had scored more. Fine margins.
For long spells early on, Ardara looked good. Lorcan O’Donnell scored 2-2 in the first half at Pearse Park to lay the foundations for what looked like Ardara’s progression.
His brilliant first half goal was worth the admission fee alone. Set free by Gareth Concarr, Mulhern was faced with Ashley Mulhern and usually lifted the ball over the Bundoran goalkeeper, with it taking a second to drop.
The side managed by Adrian Brennan, having defeated both Glenswilly and Burt over the previous two weekends, had their destiny in their own hands.
That first O’Donnell goal came on 22 minutes and then, just four minutes later, the same player was freed and on the run, showed great composure to slot past Mulhern.
The home team settled the better, albeit with the advantage of a considerable breeze, and on 15 minutes were 0-3 to 0-0 up with O’Donnell scoring twice.
Jamie Brennan found it tough to get much space in the first half but managed to open his team’s account on 21 minutes. However, that was merely the prelude to two O’Donnell goals.
When Brennan did get another inch late in the half, he was making tracks only to be blocked by Brendan Boyle. Alan Russell and Tommy Hourihane scored points late in the half. Ardara were 2-3 to 0-3 up at the break.
At the break Bundoran’s immediate concern was getting back into the match they were faced with. The wind would offer a chance, though.
But it took 11 minutes for a score, from a Jamie Brennan free, which was followed up by Hourihane an Timmy Govorov to leave it 2-3 to 0-6 on 45 minutes.
And when Michael McEniff and Hourihane, from a free, popped over Bundoran’s fourth and fifth point of the half, the visitors were just one down – 2-3 to 0-8.
Jamie Brennan, with the wind in Bundoran’s sails, scored twice to edge the away team in front for the first time. Govorov doubled the lead.
Ciaran McCaughey bundled a goal for Bundoran six minutes from time, after Ciaran Gildea was pressurised by Tommy Hourihane from a dropping ball from Jamie Brennan. That gave Bundoran a 1-11 to 2-3 lead
But Ardara weren’t done for yet and their first score of the second half was a well-taken goal from Shane O’Donnell from A CJ Molloy goal on 58 minutes meant they were on control again. Just, at 3-3 to 1-11 down.
Then, McGrath netted right on 60 minutes to level the scores and Ardara were jubilant. However, there was to be a sting in the tale. Hourinhane at the back post provided it.
Has a group ever been so tight?
Scorers: Ardara Lorcan O’Donnell 2-2; Shane O’Donnell, Paddy McGrath 1-0 each; Gareth Concarr 0-1,f.
Bundoran: Tommy Hourihane 1-4,4f; Ciaran McCaughey 1-0; Jamie Brennan 0-3; Timmy Goverov 0-2; Michael McEniff, Gary Clancy (f), Alan Russell 0-1 each
ARDARA: Kieran Gildea; Joe Melly, Tony Harkin, John Ross Molloy; Nicholas Maguire, Paddy McGrath, Danny Walsh; Conor Classon, Brendan Boyle; Johnny Herron, Brendan McNelis, Lorcan O’Donnell; Tomas Boyle, CJ Molloy, Gareth Concarr. Subs., Shane O’Donnell for T Boyle 23; Johnny Sweeney for Herron 52
BUNDORAN: Ashley Mulhern; Matthew Ward, Peter McGonigle, Diarmuid McCaughey; Paul Brennan, Shane McGowan, Paul Murphy; Ciaran McCaughey, Niall Dunne; Alan Russell, Michael McEniff, Gary Carty; Timmy Goverov, Tommy Hourihane, Jamie Brennan. Subs., Diarmuid Spratt for Dunne (half-time), Pauric Rooney for D McCaughey (58).
Referee: Enda McFeely (Convoy)
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