Loreto Community School, Milford staged a super comeback to prise the Donegal Under-16 Schools crown away from Abbey Vocational School at the Donegal Training Centre in Convoy.
Loreto Community School, Milford 2-14 Abbey Vocational School 4-7
When Rory Kennedy netted a fourth Abbey goal in the 41st minute, the Donegal Town side were seven points up.
But that goal would be their final score of the afternoon.
Soon, Loreto were chipping into the deficit.
Matthew McLaughlin and Eoin O’Donnell kick-started the comeback before Kyle McFadden hit five points in a row to move Milford level in the final minute.
Remarkably, Liam McGrenaghan pushed them ahead for the final time in the game to take the title in dramatic style
At the break, Abbey had led 3-5 to 2-3.
The Donegal Town scholars got a blistering start when Conor Campbell, after a superb move with Conor McCalmont, rattled the Milford net inside of two minutes.
Abbey VS
By the end of the first quarter, Abbey were 1-2 to 0-1 in front, but might have had a second goal, only for John Matthews, the Milford goalkeeper, to deny Rhys Boyle with a superb save.
Milford hit two goals in as many minutes to take the lead.
Liam McAlary riffled home to draw them level before Matthew McLaughlin volleyed to the roof of the Abbey net after getting on the end of a long ball into the danger zone.
But it was Abbey who responded and within two minutes they were on level terms again as Boyle hammered to the net.
And it got even better for Abbey when McCalmont polished off a fine move with an excellent finish.
Eleven minutes into the second half, Kennedy tapped in to punish an error by Matthews and it looked for all the world as if they Abbey men were on their way to glory.
Abbey Vocational School: Oisin McCallig; Sean Boyle, Shane Meehan, Andrew Monaghan; Shane Breslin, Jamie Morrell, Tom Daly; Alex McCalmont (1-1), Richard O’Rourke (0-2); Ultan O’Grady (0-1), Connor Campbell (1-2, 1f), Rhys Boyle (1-0); Mark Jordan, Frank Cormyn (0-1), Rory Kennedy (1-0). Sub: Jarad Harvey for O’Grady (54)
Loreto Community School, Milford: John Matthews; Fallon McBride, Tiernan McBride, Eamon O’Donnell (0-1); Eoin O’Donnell, Dean McBride, Rory Pyper; Liam McGrenaghan (0-1), Ethan Cullen; Liam Donnelly (0-1), Kyle McFadden (0-7, 5f), Liam McAlary (1-0); Shane Black (0-1), Matthew McLaughlin (1-3, 2f), Ryan Canning. Subs: Patrick McDaid for McBride (12), Lorcan Callaghan for Canning (25)., Manus O’Connell for Pyper (38).
Referee: Gerard McHugh (St Mary’s, Convoy).
