ST EUNAN’S WERE crowned County Division 1 Under-16 Championship winners following an impressive victory over MacCumhaill’s this afternoon.
St Eunan’s 5-9 Sean MacCumhaill’s 0-14
The Letterkenny side took their chances when they arose, with two first half goals – through Pauric McGettigan and Michael Gallagher – putting them in control. McGettigan would go onto score three goals, with Daragh Ellison also finding the net.
Photo caption: The St Eunan’s panel who this afternoon won the County Division 1 Under-16 Championship at the expense of MacCumhaill’s in Convoy. Photo: Geraldine Diver
Sean MacCumhaill’s were certainly a handful, in particular their full-forward Oisin Gallen, who scored five first half points and seven in all.
One microcosm of the game came first period came two minutes before the break. A bouncing long ball from MacCumhaill’s Luke Gavigan got Jamie Keegan away. However, in a one-on-one situation with Eoin O’Boyle, the St Eunan’s goalkeeper, Keegan shot wide.
Then, moments later at the other end, Gallagher of St Eunan’s found himself in the corner and soccer style, made an angle for himself before shooting past Ciaran Foy in the MacCumhaill’s goal.
At half-time Pauric Ryan’s St Eunan’s were 2-4 to 0-6 in front.
The MacCumhaill’s panel before the County Division 1 Under-16 Championship final against St Eunan’s in Convoy. Photo: Geraldine Diver
Their first goal came when, on 16 minutes, McGettigan appeared to get the slightest of touches onto a ball from Cormac Finn ahead of Foy.
Another feature of the first half was the point-taking abilities of Conor O’Donnell, the St Eunan’s forward who posted three scores in that time.
[adrotate group=”76″]O’Donnell was on the mark again at the start of the second half. MacCumhaill’s then missed out with two massive goal chances.
Firstly, the red-hot Gallen got in on O’Boyle but lost control at the moment when he was just about to pull the trigger.
Then, O’Boyle stood tall to save from Chad McSorley and typically, a minute later on 39 minutes, St Eunan’s made MacCumhaill’s pay.
[adrotate group=”85″]This time it was Ellison who scored with an impish lob over Foy, who had chased from his line to punch away a dropping ball from Shane O’Donnell.
Peter McEniff and Conor O’Donnell added further scores. Then, on 47 minutes, McGettigan slapped home his second goal and his side’s fourth when a simple two-handed slap from Ellison’s ball was planted past Foy, who had come off his line again. That made it 4-7 to 0-8.
[adrotate group=”46″]McGettigan completed his hat-trick six minutes from time when he shot past Foy with precision, following a pass from Ellison.
St Eunan’s: Eoin O’Boyle; Brendan Horgan, James Kelly, Anthony Gallagher; Cormac O’Kane, Sean Ryan, Peter McEniff (0-1); Conor McKinney (0-1), Shane O’Donnell; Sean Breen, Daragh Ellison (1-0), Michael Gallagher (1-0); Cormac Finn (0-1), Pauric McGettigan (3-0), Conor O’Donnell (0-5, 1f). Subs: Oisin McGarvey, Ronan McCann and Ronan McGeehin (0-1) for Finn, O’Kane and Breen (53)
Sean MacCumhaill’s: Ciaran Foy; Shane Griffin, Jack Burke, Austin Duignam; Aaron Gillooley, Joe Boyle, Alex McGeehan (0-2); Luke Gavigan (0-1), Chad McSorley (0-2); Joey Lafferty, Jamie Keegan (0-1), Matthew Doherty; Anthony Bruton, Oisin Gallen (0-7, 1f), Daire McCafferty. Subs: Sean O’Donnell for Doherty (39), Joel Bradley Walsh for Bruton (47), Niall Gallen (0-1) for Keegan (50)
Referee: Liam McConigley (Downings)
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