St Eunan’s lifted the County Division 1 Under-14 Championship following victory over Dungloe this afternoon in Convoy.
St Eunan’s 3-12 Dungloe 1-6
By Alan Foley in Convoy
David Boyle grabbed 1-5 for the team managed by Peter McGeehin against the side from Rosses Park.
The Letterkenny side made the more competent start at St Mary’s Park in Convoy, before Dungloe chipped their way back into the contest.
Picture caption: St Eunan’s Cian McMonagle keeps possession as he is challenge by Dungloe’s Oran Fallon in the under 14 final at Convoy. (North West Newspix)
At half-time, St Eunan’s held a four-point lead, 1-5 to 0-4, although Dungloe had shown enough in the first half to suggest it was far from over.
The only goal of the half came from a somewhat fortunate effort from David Boyle on 11 minutes, when his dropping ball got the better of Dungloe goalkeeper James McEniff in the Convoy rain.
That made the score 1-1 to 0-1 and then points from Josh McCullagh and Boyle again had the team from the Cathedral Town 1-3 to 0-1 in front.
However, Dungloe’s running from deep was making inroads and Denis Wallace and and Matthew Boyle were making ground and Oisin McKelvey, Conan Boyle and Cillian Bonner all got points by the interval.
Four points up, St Eunan’s made the perfect start to the second half with a second goal. This time the beneficiary was Nathan Plumb, who slapped in at the back post after a booming delivery from Boyle was touched his way by Liam Hannigan.
St Eunan’s Conor Hughes is held back by Dungloe’s Ryann Brennan in the under 14 final at Convoy. (North West Newspix)
St Eunan’s, now 2-6 to 1-4 in front following a Hannigan free, were in a good position once again. Dungloe, though, weren’t ones for lying down and on 35 minutes, a fine Oisin Caufield goal on the turn gave those decked in red and white something to cheer.
Boyle scored an excellent long-range free on 43 minutes, clipping the crossbar on its way over, as St Eunan’s moved 2-8 to 1-4 in front.
With 12 minutes to go, both teams were reduced to 14 men when Caufield of Dungloe and St Eunan’s Thomas Crossan were both given straight reds by match referee Greg McGrory for their part in, it must be said, a very minor scuffle where were only a handful of pushes dealt out.
A third goal for St Eunan’s arrive three minutes from time, when Sean McVeigh slapped home and it was enough to confirm their championship success.
A fourth almost arrived in injury time, only for Cian McMonagle to make a daring break and having side-stepped goalkeeper McEniff, saw his effort hit the inside of the post.
In the end, it didn’t matter to St Eunan’s as they were singing in the rain.
St Eunan’s: Killian Gribben; James Barlow Gallagher, Tieran McFadden, Conor Hughes; Jay Maguire, Cian McMonagle, James Lengty Gallagher; Liam Hannigan (0-2), Jack Dwyer (0-1, 1f); Thomas Crossan (0-1), Sean McVeigh (1-0), Peader McGeehin; David Boyle (1-5, 1f). Josh McCullagh (0-2), Nathan Plumb (1-0). Subs: Cathal McGarvey for McGeehin (57), James O’Donnell and Ryan Creevy (0-1) for McCullagh and Boyle (60), Sean McGinley for McVeigh (60+1).
Dungloe: James McEniff; Conor Diver, Oran Fallon, Jordan Saville; Ryan Brennan, Karl McGee (0-1), Matthew Boyle; Aaron Ward, Brendan McCafferty; Denis Wallace, Damien McGowan, Oisin Caulfield (1-0); Oisin McKelvey (0-1), Conan Boyle (0-1), Cillian Bonner (0-3, 3f). Subs: Pauric O’Donnell for C Boyle (25), Dylan Wallace for McGowan (52), C Boyle for Fallon (54)
Referee: Greg McGrory (Four Masters).
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