NAOMH COLMCILLE CAME through a low-scoring encounter against Letterkenny Gaels to clinch their place in the Junior A Football Championship final.
Naomh Colmcille 0-8 Letterkenny Gaels 0-5
Naomh Colmcille scored the game’s opening four points inside the first quarter, Michael Lynch burst through from the throw-in to tap over, John Fullerton lobbed over from the left, Lynch added his second in some style from distance and then Matthew Crossan turned well and drove the ball high between the posts to give his team a four point lead in the 14th minute.
Gaels had their chances in the early stages and boyh Paddy Doherty and Ciaran Cannon were denied by excellent saves from point-blank range by keeper John Rousltone making two super block saves.
They finally raised a flag when Shay Doherty knocked over a good point from 30 metres out in the 16th minute. It was out to a four-point game again however when big midfielder Ciaran Devine replied for Naomh Colmcille with a point from 40mts but back came the Gaels with a free from Odhran Mc Macken to leave it 0-05 to 0-02 after 25 minutes.
Four minutes into first-half injury time Ryan McElrean pointed to restore the four point lead his team had built up early in the game at 0-06 to 0-02 in Naomh Colmcille’s favour.
The first quarter of the second half produced just two points, one for each team, sub Nicky Mc Garrigle for Gaels and Matthew Crossan’s second of the game.
Naomh Colmcille lost John Fullerton to a black-card and then Daniel Clarke who had got a yellow card earlier also got a black followed by a red.
John Doran reduced the lead to three with a good score but sub Don Hegarty replied for Naomh Colmcille and it was back to a four point lead.
Naomh Colmcille: John Rousltone; Paul Friel, Alex Devenney, Eddie Gillespie; Ricky Hegarty, William Lynch, Oran Hilley; Ryan McElrean (0-1), Ciaran Devine (0-1); Michael Lynch (0-2), Daniel Clarke, John Fullerton (0-1); Willie Gillespie, Matthew Crossan (0-2), Kevin Gallagher. Subs: Michael Friel for Willie Gillespie (38), Don Hegarty ( 0-1) for Fullerton (39, black card ), Stephen Gallagher for Crossan (58), Shane McAteer for Eddie Gillespie (60), Conor Matthewson for Kevin Gallagher (60).
Letterkenny Gaels: Sean Graham; Kevin Kilkenny, Ray Quinn, Ciaran Lynch; Brian Diver, Darren Hunter, Conor Browne; Brendan O’Brien, Ciaran Cannon; Sean McDonagh, Cormac Cannon, Shay Doherty (0-2); Paddy Doherty, Odhran McMacken (0-1), John Doran (0-1). Subs: Nicky McGarrigle (0-1) for Diver (half-time), Aaron Stewart for Paddy Doherty (46), Shane Gildea for McMacken (55).
Referee: Liam McConigley (Downings)
Tags:
