THREE GOALS IN the final 14 minutes gave the Donegal Schoolboys Under-15s the perfect start to their SFAI Inter-League campaign.
Sligo/Leitrim Under-15s 1 Donegal Schoolboys Under-15s 4
On the astroturf facility in the Knocknarea Arena, situated on IT Sligo’s impressive campus, Conor McCullagh’s team finished with a flourish to win.
Their followers were beginning to bite their fingernails, at a stage when Sligo/Leitrim were turning the screw when Liam McFadden drilled in the second goal that made safe the win.
A sixth minute penalty by Connor O’Reilly had sent them on their way, but they lived dangerously thereafter with Sligo/Leitrim having the better of the chances until McFadden doubled the lead.
O’Reilly got his second and sub Jack O’Donnell bagged the fourth, after Kallum Burns scored a consolation for the home side.
In those chaotic few moments, it seemed like anything could have happened, but Donegal had the greater know-how in testing conditions with the driving rain making a skiddy surface even more ice-like.
Donegal got off to a dream start as they found the opener after just six minutes.
Garbriel Aduaka’s close-range shot, after good work by Mikey McFadden, cannoned off the arm of a Sligo/Leitrim defender and referee, Stephen McCarry, pointed to the spot.
O’Reilly picked his spot and neatly fired past Keelan Dunleavy to put the visitors ahead.
https://wwwyoutube.com/watch?v=gw-fVnsYr3I
Captain Daragh Ellison drove over, but slowly and surely it was Sligo/Leitrim who began to control the tempo.
When Aaron Perry connected with Ryan Gilroy’s corner and delicately rolled wide, the warning lights were on. A minute later, Donegal survived again when Perry dispossessed Liam McFadden before centring for Tyler Stallard, whose first-time shot was mere inches wide.
Gilroy volleyed over and Donegal shook the heads clear with Ellison testing Dunleavy’s palms with a stinging long-range attempt.
Donegal goalkeeper Eoin McGonigle got his fingertips to a low shot by Gilroy before Diarmuid Kelleher’s downward header lacked the direction to beat McGonigle.
The nerves were eventually calmed when Liam McFadden netted the second Donegal goal.
Aidan McHugh – brother of Plymouth Argyle’s Carl McHugh – delivered a teasing free from the left-hand side, Ellison flicked on for Aduaka and the ball broke to McFadden’s whose finish was precision personified.
Five minutes later, they were three-up as Bonagee United team-mates Ellison and O’Reilly combined for a move straight off the training ground, Ellison rolling out for O’Reilly who smashed to the net in style.
Burns breached the Donegal defence when he rolled in off the post but it was too little and too late for Sligo/Leitrim.
Just for good measure, Donegal added a fourth, sub Jack O’Donnell taking a pass from the ever-dangerous Aduaka before coolly slotting across Dunleavy.
Sligo/Leitrim Under-15s: Keelan Dunleavy; Sean Doyle (JJ McGowan ’20), Shane McGloin, Lee Wilson, Noah O’Kane (Oisin Bohan ’65); Ryan Gilroy (Kallum Burns ’61), Adam Lynch, Gearoid Mulligan, Diarmuid Kelleher; Tyler Stallard (Seamy Keogh ’51), Aaron Perry.
Donegal Schoolboys Under-15s: Eoin McGonigle (Oisin Cannon ’65), Jack Parke, Dylan O’Brien, Odhrán McGuinness, Conor Doherty (Aidan McHugh ‘36); Connor O’Reilly, Liam McFadden, Daragh Ellison, Joel Bradley-Walsh (Rory O’Donnell ‘61); Mikey McFadden (Jack O’Donnell ’49), Gabriel Aduaka.
Referee: Stephen McCarry.
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