It was all too easy for St Eunan’s in today’s Kukri Sports Ulster Club Minor Football semi-final, at St Paul’s in Belfast, as they sped to a massive 15 points win over Enniskillen Gaels and booked their place in the New Year’s Day final, against Crossmaglen Rangers on a 4-11 to 0-8 scoreline.
St Eunan’s 4-11 Enniskillen Gaels 0-08
BY TONY MCGEE
The Letterkenny team raked up the huge victory, as well, despite a serious shoulder injury to towering midfielder Rory Carr in the 20th minute, an injury that necessitated Carr going to hospital.
He is now, obviously ruled out of the final which is a big loss to the Donegal champions.
Carr began the game in majestic style and had notched a goal and two points before his departure from the game, the goal kicked home despite close attention from the Gaels’ defence, in the 16th minute, to shoot St Eunan’s 1-4 to 0-3 in front.
They never looked back from there and led at half-time by 2-6 to 0-3, with Dylan McCroary notching the second goal on 24 minutes.
The No 12, fisted the ball home from a handpass, across the goals, by excellent centre-forward Niall O’Donnell who, time and again, tortured the Gaels’ defence with his jinking runs through the middle and from the wings.
Boyle and O’Donnell added two more points, to a third point for Enniskillen by Conor Goodwin, before the break to give the ultimate winners a nine points advantage.
The losers got an early score after the restart but from there to the closing minutes it was mostly all St Eunan’s as they put severe pressure on the Fermanagh defence.
Kevin Grant, who went into midfield for the injured Carr, was in good form and with the forwards enjoying an excellent supply of the ball there was never a chance of Enniskillen getting back into the game.
St Eunan’s fourth goal arrived after51 minutes when O’Donnell scythed through on his own from over 50 metres out, practically unchallenged, and fired home from outside the ‘box’ to leave the Donegal team 4-10 to 0-4 in front.
Gaels, despite their position, put in a spirited closing rally that produced four points to one for St Eunan’s but it far from enough to make a dent on the scoreline.
Star man O’Donnell had a game high two goals and four points while Rory Carr had notched 1-2 before he was injured. Ciarán Moloney hit the other goal, Oisin O’Boyle made three points, while Oisin Toal and Dyan McCrory got a point each.
Crossmaglen defeated Moortown by 2-13 to 1-6 in Saturday’s other semi-final, in an excellent game of football, despite rain soaked conditions.
St Eunan’s: M Gallagher; G Maguire, D McWalters, S Halvey; B McIntyre, D Toal, K Kealey; O Toal, R Carr (1-2,1f); O O’Boyle (0-3), N O’Donnell (2-4), C Moloney; O McGinley, D McCrory (1-1), J Whelan. Subs: K Grant for Carr inj (20), E McCrory for Moloney (50), J McIntyre for O’Boyle (57).
Enniskillen Gaels: J Howe; J Cassidy, C Carney, N Tierney; H H Jordan, C Smyth, E Boyd; E Beacom (0-1), M Dooris; N McDermott, C Quinn ()-2, 2f|), C Goodwin (0-1); B Lilly (0-3), N Stewart, T Boyd. Subs: B Horan for Boyd (half-time), R Quinn for McDermott (37), J Rehill for Stewart (39), C Jones (0-1) for Lilly (46), R Beattie for Goodwin (48).
Referee: E McHugh (St Davog’s Aghyaran).
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