COLM MELAUGH FIRED OVER an equalising point to earn Red Hughs a replay in the Junior Championship final against Naomh Ultan.
Red Hughs 0-10 Naomh Ultan 1-07
Just when the black and amber ribbons were set to be knotted on the ears of the Dr McCloskey Cup, Melaugh (pictured above) drilled over two minutes into added time to tie the scores for the sixth and final time.
Alan Lyons’s goal in the 51st minute turned the tables after Red Hughs had made hay late in the first half.
Lyons was picked out by Cian Kennedy and he brilliantly powered past Benji O’Meara, the veteran Red Hughs ‘keeper, who lined out for the club in the senior final of 1991.
After the goal, Lyons nailed a ’45 to put the Dunkineely side into the lead.
Donegal minor ace Stephen McMenamin made a superb block to deny the advances of Alistair Rodger, the Naomh Ultan sub who was on the end of a move involving Donal Murrin and Daniel Gallagher.
Dermot Gallier swung a free wide that would have put Naomh Ultan two ahead and, just when it seemed as if Red Hughs had shot themselves in the foot, Melaugh stepped forth to draw them level.
Donal Reid has been back at the helm at Monellan for little more than a month, with the 1992 All-Ireland winning defender stepping into the void after Stephen Friel vacated the post.
And after wins over Naomh Padraig, Muff and Downings, they were back aiming to lift their second-ever Junior title and those hopes are still alives thanks to Man of the Match Melaugh.
It was a game that took quite some time to come to life. After Aiden Duddy fired Naomh Ultan ahead aftrer just 14 seconds, Red Hughs moved ahead through Johnny Carlin and Melaugh.
They should have been further in front but Melaugh, a constant threat for the Killygordon outfit throughout, fired over the bar when he was played in by PJ Gallagher’s pass.
Gallier and Kennedy had Naomh Ultan back ahead again, but it was Red Hughs who finished the first half the stronger and they were 0-6 to 0-4 ahead at the break.
Calvin Bradley landed a heroic score from the right-hand side and Melaugh drilled over, only for Gallier’s free to level it for the fourth time.
Red Hughs found the groove. Melaugh and Carlin combined to set up Martin Bonner for a score and a 40-metre free by Damian Browne put two between them at half-time.
A free from Browne stretched the lead further four minutes into the second half and the men in red and black were four to the good with Browne adding another two to his tally.
Naomh Ultan were beaten in the final last year by Urris and were determined not to let the silverware slip away this time and a League and Championship double is still a possibility for Brendan McGready’s team.
As if it neeeded it, the temperature for the replay will have been considerably cranked up following a skirmish that broke out after Sean Paul Doherty sounded the final whistle.
Red Hughs: Benji O’Meara; Dylan Irwin, Stephen McMenamin, Sean Gallagher; Thomas McMenamin, Peadar McGlinchey, Gerard Melaugh; Conor Gallagher, Johnny Carlin (0-1); PJ Gallagher, Martin Bonner (0-1), Calvin Bradley (0-1); Pauric McMenamin, Damian Browne (0-4, 3f), Colm Melaugh (0-2). Sub: Karol Gallen for Bonner (48).
Naomh Ultan: Daniel McGlynn; Conor Shovlin, Jonathan Cassidy, Michael McGlynn; Daniel Gallagher, Dermot Gallier (0-2, 2f), Peter Alvey; Shane McWhinnie, Donal Murrin; James Byrne, Alan Lyons (1-2, 1f, 1 ’45), Cian Kennedy (0-1); Colin McNicholas, Aiden Duddy (0-1), Aaron Byrne (0-1). Subs: Alistair Rodger for Alvey (41), Damian Quigley for McNicholas (41).
Referee: Sean Paul Doherty (Urris).
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