It was a day to remember as a game full of entertainment saw Peter Lee’s St Eunan’s College progress to the All-Ireland, Tom Ticher Under-17 Cup final.
St Eunan’s College 3 St Joseph’s College 2
By Connor McGinty in Sligo
Eunan’s controlled the opening period of play and the determination showed with Paul Bradley swinging in a cross to Ryan O’Donnell who finished acrobatically to start the ball rolling.
Eoin O’Boyle came out to stop a clear goal chance however he was lucky to remain on the field only walking away with a yellow card.
The game became scrappy which called for a big performance and Saint Eunan’s stepped up.
James Carolan made Mulryan fly to the roof of his far post with a sensational shot to force a corner.
The resulting corner had the letterkenny students 2-0 up and it was a Conor O’Donnell’s delivery to tee up Ellison; a partnership seen many times this season but an effective one.
This wasn’t the end of the goals as Colin Kelly beat O’Boyle with a magnificent finish lofting it over the St.Eunan’s goalkeeper.
Kelly’s frustration had seemed to disappear after what was a goal to lift the ‘Bish’ spirit. The frustration returned as four minutes later any chance of a comeback was quashed. James Carolan battled well to set up Conor O’Donnell who made it 3-1 with a finish hard for any keeper to stop.
Brendan Barr was allowed to run all day long and on several counter attacks. The Galway team were stretched, exposed and under pressure but were thankful to hear the haltftime whistle against a dominant opposition.
With a place in the all-Ireland final at stake it was expected that St.Joseph’s were going to give it all to progress and turn this game on its head.
The calls came from the Eunan’s bench to settle after some rash play. Conor O’Donnell justified a man of the match performance with some fine skill and passing on display.
Wilson Waweru did as “the Bish” had set out to do in the second half pulling a goal back making it 3-2 to set up a dramatic finish.
Dramatic it was as the goalscorer Waweru was sent off almost immediately for kicking out when he conceded a free to Barr, the skilful winger.
An incredible finish to an ecstatic game called for O’Boyle to make a game–winning save near the end of time making up for his earlier yellow card offence.
The 29th of March is the date set for the final and, with Eunan’s on form. anything could happen.
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