It was heartbreak for St.Eunans College, Letterkenny as a point by Holy Trinity College, Cookstown in the final minute of extra-time gave the Tyrone lads victory in this epic final replay at Celtic Park last night.
By Charlie Collins at Celtic Park
The sides were level at the break and after the lead had changed hands a few times in the second-half it also finished level again at full-time. St.Eunans led late in extra-time but points by Tiernan Mackle and Oran Mulgrew won it for Holy Trinity.
Man of the Match Shane O Donnell who kicked a magnificent nine points opened the scoring for Eunans after a minute with a fine solo effort.
Holy Trinity hit back with two points in the seventh minute, a Tiarnan Quinn free and Eoin Gallagher from play.
A minute later the Tyrone lads hit the net, Â Mark Kearney created the chance with a accurate pass into Tiernan Mackle who hammered the ball past Eoin O Boyle to make it 1-02 to 0-01.
Eunans hit back immediately with another Shane 0 Donnell point. Â A minute later Holy Trinity opened up the Eunans defence and Pauric Lagan set up Mackle for what looked a certain goal only for Eoin O Boyle to deny him with a brillant save.
It was eight minutes before another score, with the Letterkenny lads showing great patiences in the build up before Cormac Finn kicked a fine point from 25 mts to leave two points in it.
In the 21th minute Tiarnan Quinn’s point left a goal in it  but Shane O Donnell’s third point and a fine effort from midfielder Shane Doherty left a point in it.
They were level in the 27th minute when that man Shane O Donnell burst through to kick a super score off his left foot. Â Holt Trinity had a couple of chances before the break but failed to take them and as they were at the finish last Monday the teams went in level at the break, Holy Trinity 1-03 /St. Eunans 0-06.
The Donegal lads had a big let off in the first minute of the second-half when half-time sub Aaron Moore got through but his shot crashed back off the post.
They regained the lead a minute later with a fine Mark Devlin point but Conor O Donnell replied with an excellent 45 to leave it level at 1-04 to 0-07.
Pauric Lagan’s super point edged Holy Trinity ahead again but Shane O Donnell produced another masterpiece to level it again.
Conor O Donnell’s free put Eunans ahead but two minutes later Trinity’s Tarlach Quinn was fouled in the big square and Tiarnan Quinn hammered home the penalty to make it 2-05 to 0-09. Shane O Donnell got his sixth point to leave two in it.
Eunans Conor O Donnell and Trinity’s Tiarnan McNamee received red cards for an off the ball incident in the 56th minute.
Tiarnan Quinn kicked another super point to make it a three point game with five minutes left but three Shane O Donnell points , two from frees drew a battling St.Eunans level in the fifth minute of injury time.
The drama didn’t end there as with extra-time beckoning Holy Trinity were awarded a free 30mts out in front of goal but Mark Devlin kicked it wide and into extra-time we went.
The start of extra time saw a long delay as St.Eunans Ryan Diver pick up an injury in the first seconds which held up play for five minutes.
We had only one score in the first-half and it was yet another Shane O Donnell classic, turning away from several defenders and steering a beauty over the black spot to leave it 0-13 to 2-06 to the Letterkenny lads, his ninth point of the game.
Tiernan  Mackle pointed in the second minute of the second period to draw Holy Trinity level yet  again.  Shane O Donnell had chances from play and a free but was wide and short with his efforts.
In the final minute Oran Mulgrew collected a Mark Devlin free and kicked a mighty point for Holy Trinity and that proved to be the winning score as the Cookstown lads took the MacLarnon Cup 2018.
St. Eunan’s College ; Eoin O Boyle ( Capt ),  Ryan Hilferty, Anthony Gallagher , Shane Mc Daid , Peter Mc Eniff , Brian Diver , James Kelly , Shane Doherty  ( 0 – 1 ), Tony Toye, Shane O Donnell ( 0 – 09 ) P J Mc Brearty , Shane Mc Devitt , Conor O Donnell  ( 0-02 45/f ), OisÃn Purdy , Cormac Finn. ( 0- 01 ).                                                   SUBS ; Kieran Tobin for Toye ( 23mins ) ,  Paddy Tobin for Mc Devitt ( 39mins ), OisÃn Cassidy ( Shane Doherty b/c ) , Brian Alcorn for Hilferty ( 57mins ).  Extra – Time subs used ; Tony Toye, Shane McDevitt  , Michael Mc Fadden ,                                        Holy Trinity College ;  Conor Loane , Patrick Quinn , Tarlach Quinn , Tiarnan McNamee , Oran Mulgrew ( 0-01 ), Conor Donnelly , Mark Mc Kearney , Eoin Gallagher (  0 – 01 ), Pauric Lagan ( 0-01 ), , Kyran Robinson , Eunan Devlin , Shane Murphy ( Capt ), Tiarnan Quinn  (  1- 03 Pen 2f ),  Tiernan Mackle  ( 1 – 01 ),  Mark Devlin. ( 0-01 ).                                                    SUBS ; Aaron Moore for Mackle ( h/t ),  Conor Quinn for Murphy ( 47mins ), Tiernan Mackle for Lagan ( b/c 53mins ) , Thomas Mackle for Robinson ( 56mins ) Paul Quinn for Mc Kearney ( 62mins ). Murphy for Eunan Devlin ( 60mins ).  Extra-Time Subs : Sean Mc Kenna , Eunan Devlin, Mark Mc Kearney , Thomas Mackle,                                 REFEREE :  Dan Mullen ( Derry ).
