A FIRST HALF HAT-TRICK of Cian Mulligan goals enabled Gaoth Dobhair to make it back-to-back Michael Murphy Sports & Leisure County Under-21 Championships with victory over Naomh Conaill.
Gaoth Dobhair 3-11
Naomh Conaill 3-5
In an entertaining final at O’Donnell Park in Letterkenny, it was Mulligan’s magic that laid the foundations for the win.
The team from Magheragallon looked imperious in the opening 20 minutes as they raced into a seven-point lead that was punctuated with a goal from Mulligan before Naomh Conaill had even scored.
However, Paul McGuinness and JD Boyle goals bought the Glenties side level before Mulligan struck a second goal two minutes before the break. On fire, he then added a third before the break.
The opening goal for Gaoth Dobhair on eight minutes owed much to the direct running style of Michael Carroll and his centre was met by Mulligan’s fingertips to slap the first goal despite the best efforts of James Boyle in the Naomh Conaill goal.
And with Conor Boyle, Daire Ó Baoill and a brace from Gavin McBride, Gaoth Dobhair were 1-4 to 0-0 in front. Naomh Conaill, managed by Leo McLoone, finally got on the board on 18 minutes when Paul McGuinness found the top corner with a fine strike following a neat move.
Naomh Conaill, five minutes later, were level when Boyle galloped into space and drilled the ball past Charles Joseph Gallagher. So, it was Gaoth Dobhair 1-4 Naomh Conaill 2-1.
But Mulligan added two further goals to give his team a 3-5 to 2-1 half-time lead. His second goal was pierced into the bottom corner with extreme precision on 28 minutes. Then, right on the whistle Doherty in the Gaoth Dobhair goal did well to save from Daire Ó Baoill only for Mulligan to gobble up the rebound fir his third goal.
Thirty-five seconds into the second half, Naomh Conaill almost grabbed a third goal only for Charles McGuinness to drive wide when in on goal and then the team from Davy Brennan Memorial Park must’ve thought their luck was out when substitute Shane McDevitt slapped off the crossbar.
But although Gaoth Dobhair’s goal threat had subsided a little, they did manage to keep Naomh Conaill at arm’s length.
McBride’s fourth of the day on 45 minutes made for a nine-point cushion, 3-10 to 2-4. A goal eight minutes from time for Naomh Conaill, when Charles McGuinness won a ball from the edge of the square following a ball in from Paul McGuinness, brought the deficit back to six.
With the light fading, Charles McGuinness added another Naomh Conaill point but that was erased almost a minute later when Jamie Boyle slotted over a routine Gaoth Dobhair free.
And that proved to be more than enough with Mullligan’s hat-trick certain to grab the headlines, in what was a fine team performance from Gaoth Dobhair.
Gaoth Dobhair: Charles Joseph Doherty; Ciaran McHugh, Gary McFadden, Jamie Boyle (0-2, 1f), Conor McCafferty, Niall Friel, Shane Ferry; Cian Mulligan (3-0), Odhrán McFadden-Ferry; Neasán McBride, Michael Carroll (0-1), Daire Ó Baoill (0-2); Conor Boyle (0-1), Gavin McBride (0-4), Naoise Ó Baoill (0-1). Subs: Dannán McLaughlin for N Ó Baoill (59), Sean Browne for N McBride (60+2 )
Naomh Conaill: James Boyle; Kevin McGettigan, Ultan Doherty, Jamie Cranley; JD Boyle (1-0), Tony Byrne (0-1), Odhran Doherty (0-1); Logan Quinn, Charles McGuinness (1-1); Keelan McGill, Paul McGuinness (1-1), Eoghan McGettigan; Caolan McMonagle, Donal Gallagher, Ethan O’Donnell. Subs: Shane McDevitt for Gallagher (half-time), Jeaic Mac Ceallbhuí for McGill (43), Jack Flannery for Boyle (48).
Referee: Seamus McGonigle (Aodh Ruadh)
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