ST EUNAN’S WERE impressive winners of the U-16 Northern Regional Board Division 1 Championship against MacCumhaill’s in Convoy this evening.
St Eunan’s 3-8Â MacCumhaill’s 0-9
The Letterkenny side came through in the end on a comfortable scoreline against their opponents from the Twin Towns. Two goals from Darragh Ellison and one from Pauric McGettigan ultimately proved the difference.
Both sides will now await developments from the Southern final, where Killybegs will play Naomh Columba this Thursday in Ardara.
Tonight under the lights in Convoy, there was nothing in it between for the majority of the first half. There was a swiftness of movement from both teams with St Eunan’s using a strong running game as their opponents utilised long balls particularly well.
After 25 minutes the score was 0-5 to 0-5 and in that time there was never more than a couple of points in it. Alex McGeehan scored two for MacCumhaill’s, as did Oisin Gallen and Jamie Keegan was also on the mark.
St Eunan’s scorers, to begin with, were Ellison and Shane O’Donnell as Conor O’Donnell posted three early frees.
The first goal was always going to provide whoever got it with an acceleration boost and it was St Eunan’s who conjured it up to go in at half-time 1-5 to 0-5 in front.
Ellison, on 26 minutes, was the goalscorer as he shot past Ciaran Foy on the turn following a pass from McGettigan and assist from Conor O’Donnell.
MacCumhaill’s almost levelled it right at the outset of the second half when Anthony Bruton struck the base of the post when going for goal.
[adrotate group=”85″]A minute later, at the other end, St Eunan’s fashioned a fine second goal when Cormac Finn set Shane O’Donnell off on a gallop from halfway and when the midfielder released to his right McGettigan was on hand to slap home.
MacCumhaill’s managed to cling to the St Eunan’s coattails when Luke Gavigan and then Joel Laverty scored to leave their deficit at five points, 2-6 to 0-7 down.
Nine minutes from time, though, St Eunan’s pieced together a third goal and again it was Ellison – who would score 2-2 in all – who gave the move the finish in deserved.
Conor O’Donnell’s fourth free of the contest completed the win.
[adrotate group=”76″]St Eunan’s: Eoin O’Boyle; Brendan Horgan, James Kelly, Anthony Gallagher; Cormac O’Kane, Sean Ryan, Peter McEniff; Conor McKinney, Shane O’Donnell (0-1); Sean Breen, Darragh Ellison (2-2,1f), Michael Gallagher; Conor O’Donnell (0-4, 4fs), Pauric McGettigan (1-0), Cormac Finn (0-1). Subs: Ronan McGeehin, Oisin McGarvey, and Ronan McCann for O’Kane, Breen and Ellison (58), Ben Whelan and Michael Shiel for Gallagher and McGettigan (62).
Sean MacCumhaill’s: Ciaran Foy; Matthew Doherty, Jack Burke, Shane Griffin; Aaron Gillooley, Joe Boyle, Austin Duignan; Luke Gavigan (0-1), Chad McSorley; Daire McCafferty, Jamie Keegan (0-1), Alex McGeehan (0-2); Anthony Bruton, Oisin Gallen (0-3), Joey Laverty (0-2). Subs: Joel Bradley-Walsh for Keegan (half-time), Cian Gallen for Doherty (50), Shaun O’Donnell for McGeehan (58), Shane Rowan for McSorley (60+1).
Referee: Liam McConigley (Downings).
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