Letterkenny Rovers edge Drumkeen to reach Colin Breslin Youth Cup final

The game was low on quality but high on endeavour with both sides giving it full commitment to try and reach the final showpiece and Anthony Gorman’s men will be relieved to have gotten over the line especially as stand in goalkeeper Ciaran Daffan made a wonderful save in stoppage time to ensure extra time was not needed.

It was the home side who were quickest out of the blocks and took the lead after just four minutes when a long ball out of defence from Eoghan Kelly found Shane Doherty and he in turn found Brogan who slotted home low past another stand in goalkeeper John Doherty in the Drumkeen goal.

That goal should have been the catalyst for the home side to kick on but  it was the visitors who dominated most of the first half exchanges and came close to levelling matters through a DJ Kelly snapshot just wide on 11 minutes while Tim Callaghan also saw his header go close from a Michael Guthrie corner kick while Eoghan Kenendys long range free kick saw Daffan gather comfortably.

Drumkeen also forced a succession of corners and free kicks  in the opening period which appeared to be their most likely threat of restoring parity but found the Rovers rearguard well marshalled by the centre half pairing of Kelly and Alan Stephenson in commanding form although it was Drumkeen who did have a glorious chance go abegging when again Callaghan shot just over when dong well to beat the offside trap on 37 minutes.

Rovers did gain some semblance of control approaching halftime and could have doubled their advantage but saw towering defender Ruairi Dennehy and Brian Diver both spurn decent chances.

As much as Rovers were quickest out of the blocks in the opening period it was the visitors who got right back on terms at the beginning of the second period and got a deserved  equaliser on 49 minutes when the impressive  Dougie McNulty fired home with a left footed well placed effort which somehow found the net past Daffan and that goal ignited the large visiting support who sensed they would complete the comeback.

Rovers boss Gorman made a triple substitution on the hour mark and that reinvigorated the Cathedral Town side with Mark McDaid, Ryan O’Donnell and James Tourish entering the fray and after McDaid should have scored just minutes later  it was the flame haired offensive player who set the move in motion to fire Rovers ahead on 67 minutes when his intricate pass fed  exciting wingback Darren Ferry and his lob over Doherty hit the inside of the post and was half cleared into the path of the in-rushing O’Donnell and the bustling striker made no mistake from close range.

Drumkeen chased the game after that but created very little in the way of clear-cut opportunities until injury time when McNulty found himself through on goal but saw Daffan – only in goal as regular keeper Eoghan Jordan was on a school trip to China- pulled off a fine stop to book Rovers into a final meeting with league champions Fanad United.

Letterkenny Rovers: Ciaran Daffan, Darren Ferry, Ruairi Dennehy, Eoghan Kelly, Alan Stephenson, Jerome Angel-Atahuene, Brian Diver, Shane Doherty, Codey Brogan, Zac Gorman, Karol McGinley. Subs: Mark McDaid for Angel-Atahuane (60), James Tourish for McGinley (60), Ryan O’Donnell for Diver (60), Darragh Morrison for Brogan (80), Jordan Gallagher for Stephenson (88).

Drumkeen: J Doherty, Jason Black, D Browne, Jerome Duffy, J Callan, Eoghan Kennedy, Michael Guthrie, Tim callaghan, Keelan Kelly, DJ Kelly, Dougie McNulty. Sub: Dylan McNamee for Duffy (72).

Referee: Joe McHugh