ST EUNAN’S TURNED the table on Termon in Convoy this evening to win the County Under-14A Division 1 Championship final.
St Eunan’s 3-11 Termon 2-8
The Letterkenny side – managed by Danny O’Donnell – were much the better side for the majority of the opening period and manged to see it out as Termon made a fight of it until the finish.
Photo caption: The St Eunan’s side celebrate their victory in the County Under-14A Division 1 Championship final over Termon this evening in Convoy. Photo: Geraldine Diver
But in the end, goals from Tony Gallagher, Caolan Collier and Lorcan O’Donnell were enough for the Cathedral Town side to retain the trophy their predecessors won so impressively last year.
[adrotate group=”37″]Termon managed second half goals from Mark Gallagher and then Conor Black but when they look back it will be the first half an hour that will disappoint them.
Collier scored two points and David Smith three as a 1-5 to 0-0 lead was established for St Eunan’s by the 26th minute.
[adrotate group=”56″]The goal arrived on nine minutes when Tony Gallagher was on hand to slot past Emmet Maguire from close range after a long ball in from Smith was laid off by Eoin Devenney.
Termon, who won the Under-13 title against the same opposition last November, were struggling to make any sort of impact on the game to begin with.
Tony Gallagher on the break for St Eunan’s as Conor Black of Termon tracks back in the County Under-14A Division 1 Championship final in Convoy this evening. Photo: Geraldine Diver
When the sides met in the Northern Regional Board final, it was St Eunan’s who were 2-2 to 0-4 in front six minutes before half-time. Termon, that evening in Milford three weeks ago, chipped into their arrears before the break and eventually ran out winners on a 1-16 to 3-5 scoreline.
[adrotate group=”38″]And Termon, managed by Patrick Gallagher, James Cassidy and Paul McIntyre, needed something similar this evening.
Their support, who were in good voice throughout, finally had something to cling onto when Jack Alcorn popped over their first score on 29 minutes. It was, in fact, their first shot in the contest at that point. And when Aaron Reid and Stephen Black added on scores late in the half, the teams went in with St Eunan’s 1-5 to 0-3 in front.
Smith’s fourth point for St Eunan’s got the scoreboard ticking in the second half and Ciaran Moore soon followed up to stretch their lead out to seven points.
[adrotate group=”68″]Again, though, Termon looked capable of playing in bursts and two quick points from Grant and Reid but St Eunan’s saw Moore score again on 41 minutes to make it 1-8 to 0-5.
But St Eunan’s fashioned a second goal through Collier 12 minutes from time. Collier took responsibility on himself following a quick-handed pass from Eoin Devenney, following a raking ball from O’Donnell to gave St Eunan’s a 2-8 to 1-5 advantage.
Conor Cassidy of Termon holds onto the ball as Marc Cannon from St Eunan’s gives chase during the County Under-14A Division 1 Championship final in Convoy this evening. Photo: Geraldine Diver
Termon needed something and need it fast to inject something into their challenge and got it two minutes later when Gallagher stabbed home a goal from close range as St Eunan’s struggled to clear a dropping ball.
There was a rawness to the play at that stage and St Eunan’s had O’Donnell to thank for scoring their third goal when he showed diligence not to give up on what appeared to be a lost cause after he looked to have given the ball away. His goal made the score 3-9 to 1-6
Termon continued to push but it looked as though the game had passed them. Bobby McGettigan went for goal from close in from a free but his effort fizzed over the St Eunan’s crossbar. The side from the Burn Road did manage a goal late on when Conor Black scored a fine individual effort – cutting in from the right and shooting across Cillian Crobbin but it was St Eunan’s who were winners in the end.
St Eunan’s: Cillian Gribbin; Odhran Brogan, Lucas Cassidy, Nathan Plumb; Marc Cannon, Noel O’Donnell, Oisin Farren; Ciaran Tobin, David Smith (0-4, 3f, 45); Tony Gallagher (1-0), Caolan Collier (1-2, 45), Seamie Breslin (0-1); Ciaran Moore (0-2), Eoin Devenney, Lorcan O’Donnell (1-0). Subs: David Boyle (0-1) for Breslin (57), Donnachadh Devenney (0-1) for O’Donnell (60), Josh Haye for Cannon (60+2)
Termon: Emmet Maguire; Michael Trearty, Bobby McGettigan (0-1, 1f), Mark Toye; Jack Alcorn (0-1), Marty Steele, Conor Black (1-0); Jamie Grant (0-2, 1f), Stephen Black; Conor Cassidy, Aaron Gallagher (0-1), Aaron Reid (0-2); Damien Egan (0-1), Kevin McGettigan, Mark Gallagher (1-0). Sub: Manus O’Connell for K McGettigan (51).
Referee:Â Robbie O’Donnell (Naomh Muire).
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