ST EUNAN’S posted the first win of the David McGinley era as a clinical second half saw them overcome Bundoran.
St Eunan’s 2-13 Bundoran 1-8
The Seasiders have happy memories of O’Donnell Park. It was at the Sallaghraine venue that Bundoran won the 2015 Intermediate Championship thanks to a 4-17 to 0-4 demolition of Naomh Colmcille.
Photo caption: Eamonn Doherty of St Eunan’s escapes the attentions of a number of Bundoran players in his afternoon’s AllSportStore.com All-County Football League Division 1 fixture in Letterkenny. Photo: Geraldine Diver
Christy Keaney’s 28th minute goal had an upset on the cards here, but St Eunan’s came from 1-5 to 0-3 down to score 2-10 in a profitable second period that yielded goals by Lee McMonagle – who finished with 1-5 – and Patrick McGowan.
For Bundoran, opportunity turned to nightmare as Eunan’s moved through the gears and the visitors saw Keaney sent off ten minutes from the end.
The effortless and timeless display of Conall Dunne was one of the features of a game that never really sparked to life, the former Donegal man moving into the forward division to majestic effect at the changeover.
Dunne was the conductor of the Eunan’s band and led the turnaround as St Eunan’s followed up a 3-14 apiece draw with Gaoth Dobhair with a useful win over newly-promoted Bundoran, who fall to a second defeat having been beaten 4-17 to 2-12 by Kilcar on the opening day.
Five minutes before half-time, a madcap 90 seconds swung the pendulum in favour of Bundoran, who’ll have sipped the half-time tea with a pep in their step.
Tommy Hourihane popped over two quick-fire points, the second of them after he picked up a poor kick out from St Eunan’s goalkeeper Aidan Simmons and stroked over.
The afternoon quickly unravelled for Simmons. From Hourihane’s second point, a misdirected kick-out found Bundoran hands and Christy Keaney drilled low to the net.
The day became an ordeal for Simmons, who was withdrawn eight minutes into the second half.
Cillian Morrison, who recently gave up a League of Ireland soccer career, to try his hand with the Donegal senior football team, had opened the scoring for St Eunan’s.
After holding off the attention of James Keaney, Morrison popped over with Keaney requiring some treatment under the force of Morrison’s power.
Patrick McGowan was denied by the crossbar after letting fly with an instinctive shot that had Bundoran ‘keeper Conor Carthy beaten, only to clatter of the goal frame.
St Eunan’s lined out without the likes of John Paul Clarke, Kevin Rafferty, Rory Kavanagh, John Haran and Conor Morrison and it was Bundoran who held a 1-5 to 0-3 lead at the break.
After Cillian Morrison doubled the lead for the home side in a low-scoring opening, Bundoran reeled off 1-5 with Christy Keaney, Alan Russell and Gary Clancy inching them in front.
Peter Devine scored a point late in the half for St Eunan’s who saw a blistering shot from Lee McMonagle deflected around the back.
In the first minute of the second half McMonagle fired past Carthy for a clinical goal and St Eunan’s hit six of the next seven points to regain the lead.
McGowan fisted over after McMonagle’s initial attempt came off an upright, McMonagle posted a ’45 and Morrison brought the black and amber to within a point.
Shane McGowan momentarily stemmed the flow, but with McMonagle levelling from a free, just as Rory Kavanagh was zipping down his tracksuit top there was an air of inevitability swirling in the air.
Kavanagh kicked the lead point with eleven minutes remaining and they might have copper-fastened the win only for McGowan to be denied by the crossbar a second time.
McGowan made it a case of third-time lucky when he swept home from close range after taking a clever pass inside from Conall Dunne.
By then, Bundoran were playing with 14 men as Christy Keaney was shown a straight red card for an apparent strike on Connall O’Boyle.
St Eunan’s finished with a flourish as Oisin Carr, Dunne, McMonagle (2) and Devine, with the game’s final kick, sealed an eight-point win.
St Eunan’s: Aidan Simmons; Niall McClafferty, Caolan Ward, Sean Hensey; Eamonn Doherty, Conall Dunne (0-1), Connall O’Boyle; Darragh Mulgrew, David Tyrell; Oisin Carr, Conor Parke, Peter Devine (0-1); Lee McMonagle (1-5, 2f, 1 ‘45), Patrick McGowan (1-1), Cillian Morrisson (0-3). Subs: Darragh McWalters for McClafferty (22), Conor Harley for Simmons (38), Rory Kavanagh (0-1) for Tyrell (47).
Bundoran: Conor Carthy; Diarmuid McCaughey, James Keaney, Shane Carr; Shane McGowan (0-1), Paul Brennan, Barry McGowan; Niall Dunne, Peter McGonigle; Gary Clancy (0-1), Michael McEniff, Alan Russell (0-1); Tommy Hourihane (0-3, 2f), Christy Keaney (1-2, 1f), Darragh Hoey. Subs: Paul Delaney for Dunne (56).
Referee: Martin Coll (Gaoth Dobhair).
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