LANTY MOLLOY LIMPED THROUGH the pain barrier to inspire Naomh Columba to the Donegal Under-16 Division 2 Championship.
Naomh Columba 2-08 St Mary’s, Convoy 2-04
St Mary’s, Convoy battled to the bitter end, but midfielder Molloy was the big difference in the sides as the silverware was returned to Glencolmcille.
Picture caption: Naomh Columba celebrate winning the Under-16 Division 2 Championship title at O’Donnell Park. Picture courtesy of Connie McGinley.
Molloy scored 1-3 and played the majority of the game hobbling badly after going over heavily on an ankle in the first half.
Aaron Foy’s double haul kept St Mary’s in with a chance but when steady heads were needed it was Molloy and Aaron Doherty who led the charge as Naomh Columba prevailed.
Foy gave St Mary’s a dream start with a goal inside of a minute. A loose ball bounced invitingly between Foy and the Naomh Columba goalkeeper, Colm McElroy. Foy got there first to fist to the net.
Naomh Columba summonsed a response and Molloy’s strong run provided the assist for Liam Donegan, whose finish was neat, low and under the dive of ‘keeper Joey Morris.
Molloy oozes class and a lovely hooked point over his left shoulder put Naomh Columba ahead.
Eoin McIntyre and Doherty, from a ’45, stretched the lead. St Mary’s could only manage a point from Bryan McNamee, the Irish champion boxer, who drilled over after a powerful sprint forward.
Naomh Columba started the brighter of the two in the second half and they were four ahead when Molloy and Doherty pointed while Ronan O’Hare drilled wide when a goal chance presented itself.
St Mary’s lost Patrick Dolan, their captain, to a black card, but they weren’t going down without a fight.
McNamee landed two frees before Foy netted a second time.
Collecting the ball close to the end line, Foy had only one thing in mind. A determined burst into the danger zone resulted in the forward firing past McElroy and when McNamee boomed over from the right flank.
But Naomh Columba came good with Eric Carr, Molloy and Doherty firing over in the closing minutes.
Naomh Columba: Colm McElroy; Aiden McGinley, Jordan Burns, Oisin McGinley; James Heeney, Aaron Doherty (0-3, 1 f, 1 ‘45), Teague McGinley; Lanty Molloy (1-3), Ronan O’Hare; Dylan Kelly, Eoin McIntyre (0-1), Michael Lyons; Paul O’Hare, Liam Donegan (1-0), Eric Carr (0-1). Sub: Ronan Gillespie for Burns (40).
St Mary’s, Convoy: Joey Morris; Ciaran McNamee, Ronan O’Donnell, Conor Bonner; John Moore, Jerome Duffy, Johnny Black; Bryan McNamee (0-4, 2f), Conor Patton; Patrick Dolan, Eoghan Kennedy, Michael McCafferty; Joseph McGill, Keenan Gibson, Aaron Foy (2-0). Subs: Michael Guthrie for Dolan (40, black card), OisÃn Guthrie for McCafferty (59).
Referee: Tony Gallagher (Red Hughs).
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