KILCAR MADE A REAL fist of it but, ultimately, the absence of their stellar names proved fatal as the Towney side bowed out of the Ulster Under-21 Tournament.
Kilcar 0-07 Magheracloone 0-11
The Donegal champions Magheracloone all the way and the teams were level 0-7 apiece with ten minutes remaining, but Magheracloone found a way in the final ten minutes.
John McNulty’s team had to line out without Ryan McHugh, Eoin McHugh and Stephen McBrearty, all of whom are on duty with the Donegal senior team in a challenge game this afternoon in Ballyshannon.
Defeat here will jar given that their presence surely would have made for a different outcome at Kickhams Creggan.
Kilcar were also without the injured Conor Doherty and although Aodhán McGinley led the charge they just didn’t have enough when the race came around the final bend.
Picture caption: Aodhán McGinley is presented with the man of the match award at Kickhams Creggan.
Magheracloone, with Alan McCahey landing four points – two of them from frees – led 0-5 to 0-3 at half-time, but Kilcar will feel they should have been ahead. And those feelings weren’t without justification.
Ten minutes in, Kilcar were awarded a penalty, but McGinley’s shot was beaten away by Jack Kirk, the Magheracloone goalkeeper. The follow-up was blocked down and a golden chance was gone.
Matthew McClean landed one and Andrew McClean notched the other two Kilcar points in the opening period, but a second goal chance was passed up on the stroke of half-time.
Chris Doogan just couldn’t get his angles lined up when the chance presented itself.
With McGinley and the McCleans stepping it up, Kilcar were in with a chance, but McCahey, who ended with seven points, was on fire, and Magheracloone pulled away just after Kilcar had drawn level to give themselves a shout
Kilcar: Michael Cunningham; Eoin O’Donnell, James Shovlin, John James McNelis; Cormac Cannon, Jordan Mooney, Eoin Sweeney; Aodhán McGinley (0-3), Daniel Lyons; Andrew McClean (0-3), Matthew McClean (0-1, 1f), Eoin Byrne; Chris Doogan, Jason Campbell, Neil Sweeney. Sub: Pauric McShane for Byrne.
Magheracloone: Jack Kirk; James Carolan, Paul McArdle, Cian Freeman; Alan Kieran, Cillian Rudden, James Lambe (0-1); Daniel Hand (0-1), Michael Metzger; David Kirk, Jonathan Coleman (0-1), Paudie McMahon (0-1); Daniel Babington, Paudie Kirk, Alan McCahey (0-7, 3f).
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