ST EUNAN’S CAME away from Gaelic Park in Bundoran with two very hard earned AllSportStore.com All-County Football League Division 1 points following an extraordinary game.
Bundoran 6-7 St Eunan’s 4-15
By Noel Carr, PRO
(That’s 25-27!)
In a very high scoring and entertaining match it was the men from the Cathedral Town who hit two injury time points to claim victory. The hosts, who contributed so much, will feel gutted that they didn’t take something from this encounter.
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Christy Keaney scored 4-3 for the home side and Paul Brennan had an excellent outing to score two goals. Lee McMonagle, for St Eunan’s, returned from his recent injury lay-off to bag 3-3
Following a minute silence as a mark of respect for the late GAA President Joe McDonagh it was the visitors – playing with their jerseys turned inside out due to a clash of colours – who were first off the mark with points from McMonagle and Rory Kavanagh.
Christy Keaney replied with Bundoran’s first score but McMonagle bagged his first goal on seven mins and Donnacha Gallagher soon added another point to leave Eunans 1-2 to 0-1 up after nine minutes.
Then on 10 minutes Paul Brennan showed his undoubted class when after a powerful run he beat at least four defenders to cooly finished to the net past Sean Daffan.
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A Jamie Brennan point was soon cancelled out by McMonagle and a Paddy McGowan free.
Keaney was very lively inside and he scored the first of his goals and soon added a point with 20 minutes gone. Darragh Mulgrew then split the posts to tie up the match.
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Then, in a frantic 60 seconds former Leitrim star Brennan crashed an unstoppable effort past Daffan for a third Bundoran goal.
Moments later, Gallagher raised the green flag at the other end. A Brendan Maguire effort put his side back in front before Keaney goaled again to leave his side two up at half-time as the crowd drew for breath – Bundoran 4-3 St Eunans 2-7.
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The second half began with Keaney putting his side further in front but a very productive eight-minute spell saw the visitors hit 1-4 without reply with points from Kavanagh, McGowan, Michael Miller and Colin McIntyre and a well taken goal from McMonagle.
A Jamie Brennan point stemmed the tide but it was only temporary as McMonagle used all his Bonagee United soccer skills to finish superbly from a tight angle.
Another Kavanagh score put seven points between the sides but the home team showed great character and soon found themselves only a point in arrears as Keaney hit two goals in a four-minute spell.
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Twofurther points from Alan Russell and Jamie Brennan had the natives dreaming of an unlikely comeback victory as they led by the bare minimum with seven minutes remaining.
Another McMonagle point levelled the match on 55 minutes and he could have goaled seconds later but for a wonderful save from young Bundoran goalkeeper Conor Carty.
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As the game entered injury time that little bit of experience told with points from McGowan and substitute Kieran Sharkey getting St Eunans over the line and for the second league game in a row – following the narrow defeat at Glenswilly two weeks beforehand – the Seasiders will wonder how they came away without any points for their efforts.
Bundoran: Conor Carty; Diarmuid McCaughey, Peter McGonigle, Pauric Rooney; Barry McGowan, Paul Brennan (2-0) Johnny Boyle; Ciaran McCaughey, Niall Dunne; Timmy Govorov, Jamie Brennan (0-3) Darragh Hoey; Alan Russell (0-1) Christy Keaney (4-3) Shane McGowan. Sub: Shane Moohan for Govorov (44).
St Eunan’s: Sean Daffan; Colin Mc Intyre (0-1) Caolan Ward, Conor Parke; Michael Miller (0-1) Darragh McWalters. Mark Forde; Darragh Mulgrew (0-1) Kevin Rafferty; Oisin Carr, Rory Kavanagh (0-3) Brendan Maguire (0-1); Paddy Mc Gowan (0-3) Donnacha Gallagher (1-1) Lee McMonagle (3-3). Subs Kieran Sharkey (0-1) for Colin McIntyre (46) John Haran for Oisin Carr (47), Colin McIntyre for Forde (60, black card).
Referee: Kevin McGinley (N Columba)
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