ST EUNAN’S CAPTURED the Northern Board Under-16 Division 1 League title this evening thanks to a fine six-point win over Naomh Padraig, Muff in Convoy.
St Eunan’s 3-16 Naomh Padraig, Muff 3-10
Pairc Naomh Mhuire’s floodlights were switched on for the second half as Pauric Ryan’s Eunan’s scored a deserved win on a night when Conor O’Donnell (1-6) and Daragh Ellison (1-4) led the black and amber charge.
O’Donnell was in wonderful form and scored a superb goal early on, although the highlight was a nigh-on impossible kick from the right flank ten minutes from time.
Sean Breen was another who showed up well for the winners, who made life unnecessarily difficult for themselves.
[adrotate group=”38″]At one stage, seven minutes into the second half, Eunan’s held an eleven-point lead after Ellison rammed in the third goal for the Cathedral town men, who led 2-8 to 0-5 at half-time, Paddy Tobin having batted in a goal late in the half.
A second-half hat-trick from Denim McLaughlin kept Naomh Padraig in touch, but the Iskaheen representatives couldn’t quite get close enough to knock St Eunan’s off the podium.
Eunan’s had threatened to run away with it early on.
In the fifth minute, after fetching a diagonal ball from Cormac Finn, O’Donnell shot high into the Naomh Padraig net.
Breen clipped three points in those early moments and with Ellison and Oisin McGarvey on the mark, Eunan’s led 1-5 to 0-1.
A pair of frees by McLaughlin and a brace by Aaron McColgan had Naomh Padraig off and running and, three minutes before half-time, Tobin palmed home at the far post after O’Donnell’s shot tailed off.
McLaughlin netted the first Muff goal early in the second half, but St Eunan’s responded immediately with McGarvey feeding inside to Ellison, who made no mistake.
Naomh Padraig might look back and regret the moment, in the third minute, when Kevin Doherty elected to point with Sean McCauley in acres of space inside at the time.
Fifteen minutes from time, McLaughlin netted his second, this time taking a pass by Aaron McColgan, but O’Donnell and Ellison had Eunan’s back firmly in command.
They had Eoin O’Boyle to thank at one point too, the goalkeeper saving well from sub Dylan McCallion before getting down to save from McLaughlin’s follow up shot.
[adrotate group=”46″]With O’Donnell and Ellison stretching the margin, a third McLaughlin goal, finished with his right foot, just wasn’t enough to ignite a big comeback with Eunan’s just having enough breathing space.
St Eunan’s: Eoin O’Boyle; Conor O’Donnell, Cormac O’Kane, Donal Higgins; Sean Ryan, James Kelly, Ronan McCann; Shane O’Donnell (0-1), Conor McKinney; Sean Breen (0-3), Daragh Ellison (1-4, 1f), Oisin McGarvey (0-1); Cormac Finn, Paddy Tobin (1-0), Conor O’Donnell (1-6, 2 ‘45). Subs: Ronan McGeehin (0-1) for Tobin (44), Odhrán Winston for McGarvey (55), Ben Whelan for Higgins (59).
Naomh Padraig, Muff: Kai McDonald; Patrick McCauley, Ronan Hoye (0-1), Shay Davenport; Rory Hirrell, Shane McColgan, Caolan McColgan; Jonathan Toye, Aidan Ferns; Aaron McColgan (0-3, 3f), Denim McLaughlin (3-2, 2f), Sean McCauley (0-1); Kevin Doherty (0-1), Evan Craig (0-1), Alan Clarke (0-1). Subs: Dylan McCallion for Doherty (40), Shane Grant for C.McColgan (58).
Referee: Sean McLaughlin (Malin).
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