FOUR QUARTER-FINALS and two semi-finals took place respectively in the Michael Murphy Sports & Leisure Donegal Intermediate and Junior A Football Championships over the weekend.
In the Intermediate Football Championship, Milford edged past Naomh BrÃd, Aodh Ruadh overcame Naomh Ultan, St Naul’s and Naomh Columba drew, while Burt progressed at Aodh Ruadh’s expense.
In the relegation play-offs, Buncrana beat Naomh Colmcille.
We’ve been reviewing what took place and here’s our Aura Leisure Centre Team of the Week.
[adrotate group=”83″]1 – Padraig McDaid (Naomh BrÃd)
THE Naomh Brid goalkeeper might’ve been beaten twice in the 2-12 to 1-12 loss to Milford but was certainly unfortunate with one coming from a rebound after a save and the other when the ball came back of the post. Padraig McDaid kept his team in the match late on with a great stop from Darragh Black.
2 – Gary Merritt (Milford)
MILFORD have enjoyed 2016 with the All-County Football League Division 2 title already at Moyle View. They got their fill of it on Saturday in the IFC quarter-final against Naomh BrÃd. Gary Merritt has become a useful player in both defence and attack – he scored two points – for the team from Moyle View.
3 – Brendan McCole (St Naul’s)
NAOMH Columba looked set to be coasting for victory, but St Naul’s steadied the ship and came back to draw level and force a replay, which takes place this evening in Ardara. When Naul’s began to plug the leads, McCole was at the centre of things for the Mountcharles side.
4 – Aidan Duddy (Naomh Ultan)
NAOMH ULTAN had drawn with Aodh Ruadh in the group stages of the IFC and on Saturday they weren’t so lucky as last year’s Junior A champions went down to a 2-18 to 3-8 loss against the Ballyshannon side. Aidan Duffy, though, gave a spirited outing for the Dunkineely residents and can count himself unlucky.
5 – John Rose (St Naul’s)
THE willingness to help out his attack from wing-back was one of the facets of the performance of John Rose for St Naul’s in their dramatic 3-9 to 1-15 draw with Naomh Columba on Sunday. He goaled on 45 minutes when supplementing offensively and then set up the equalising goal for Gavin Mulreany.
6 – Michael Maguire (Naomh Columba)
WHEN John Joe Doherty was the manager of Donegal, Michael Maguire from Naomh Columba was part of his team and on Sunday Maguire was in fine form for his side in their dramatic draw against St Naul’s. He was good at centre-back and managed to score an early point.
7 – Aidan McLaughlin (Naomh Padraig, Muff)
THE Donegal minor was outstanding for Naomh Padraig in their JFC semi-final win over Red Hughs on Friday night under the lights in Convoy. Aidan McLaughlin struck four first half points – three of which came from play – and was excellent in possession for the team from Ture.
[adrotate group=”84″]8Â – Niall Harley (Aodh Ruadh)
NIALL HARLEY was on the of driving forces for Aodh Ruadh in their progression to the semi-finals of the IFC at the expense of Naomh Ultan on Saturday. The 2014 Donegal minor captain brought a healthy element of physicality to his team and will be hoping to seal a final place against Milford on Saturday.
9 – Caolan McGonagle (Buncrana)
AS BUNCRANA preserved their Intermediate Championship status thanks to a win over Naomh Colmcille on Saturday in Burt, McGonagle lorded the exchanges around the middle of the park. McGonagle made his Donegal senior debut earlier this year and is a player on form. Kicked a fine point in the second half to cap off a fine display.
10 – Joe Boyle (Burt, pictured above)
JOE BOYLE has captained Donegal hurlers to success at Croke Park and in the big ball game he showed similar leadership on Saturday, as his Burt side overcame Cloughaneely 1-12 to 2-8. Boyle kicked seven points in all, five from frees as well as winner right at the death.
11 – Ryan Gillespie (Naomh Columba)
SEVEN points is a fine total in any man’s language and that’s what Ryan Gillespie got for Naomh Columba against St Naul’s, with three of that total coming from play. He kept the scoreboard ticking over for his side and will certainly be a threat in the replay this evening in Ardara.
12 – Conor Harkin (Burt)
CONOR HARKIN of Burt showed a clean set of heels to fire over an early point against Cloughaneely in the IFC quarter-final. He would go onto score 1-3 in the 1-12 to 2-8 win with his goal coolness personified, taking his time to round goalkeeper Ciaran Gallagher.
[adrotate group=”83″]13 – John Fitzgerald (Cloughaneely)
ONE man who didn’t deserve to be on the losing team in the IFC quarter-finals was John Fitzgerald of Cloughaneely. The corner-forward hit 1-4 for his side against Burt in Glenswilly, with all but a point of that coming from open play. However, it was Burt who won 1-12 to 2-8 with Fitzgerald black-carded in the latter stages.
14 – Michael Ward (Aodh Ruadh)
‘STICKY’ knows where the goals are and has done so down the years in both the colours of Aodh Ruadh and in the Donegal League with Erne Wanderers. On Saturday, in the colours of the Fr Tierney Park side, Michael Ward scored 1-5 for his team from play in their IFC quarter-final win over Naomh Ultan, 2-18 to 3-8.
15 – Lorcan Connor (Downings)
DOWNINGS have a Junior A Football Championship final to look forward to against Naomh Padraig from Muff and the main reason for that was 1-6 from Lorcan Connor in their 2-6 to 1-8 win over Letterkenny Gaels. Connor scored all but a point from play in a quality personal showing.
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