A 58TH MINUTE 45 from goalkeeper Shane Graham was enough for Letterkenny Gaels to defeat Urris by the minimum in the Junior A Football Championship this evening.
Letterkenny Gaels 0-12 Urris 1-8
Gaels went into the contest having beaten St Mary’s Convoy the first day out, while Urris had taken care of Na Rossa.
Photo caption: Conor Browne on the charge for Letterkenny Gaels alongside teammate Nicky McGarrigle as Gary Doherty/Reilly from Urris gives chase in this evening’s Michael Murphy Sports & Leisure Junior A football championship clash at Pairc na nGael in Letterkenny
It was the home team that started much the brighter but they didn’t show it on the scoreboard. On just three minutes referee Tony Gallagher awarded a penalty after penalising Kevin McLaughlin for a foot-block on Cormac Cannon.
Up stepped Conor McBreaty, who skied the penalty for a point.
Gaels kept pushing and McBrearty set Liam Doherty free on 14 minutes but his shot rammed off the crossbar and then three minutes later Paddy Doherty struck the visitors’ post when going for goal.
[adrotate group=”70″]At the other end, Urris were much more economical and a point from Mickey Grant made it 0-3 to 0-3 on 17 minutes.
Urris had a decent goal chance themselves when Kevin McLaughlin got onto a pass from Mark McLaughlin only for Graham to save in the Letterkenny Gaels goal.
After McBrearty had put Gaels back in front again, Urris did fashion a goal when Gary Doherty/Reilly  played in Paddy Doherty and this time Graham was beaten.
That made the score 1-3 to 0-4 and two fine Kevin McLaughlin points before the break meant the Inishowen team were 1-5 to 0-5 up at half-time.
[adrotate group=”46″]Substitute Jason Doherty scored right at the start of the second half for Urris to create a four-point lead but from then on they had to play on the break with Gaels having the wind at their backs.
Three points on the spin – two McBrearty frees and then a score from the industrious Nicky McGarrigle – took the home side back to within a point but they were fortunate when, at the other end, Urris full-back Danny Devlin almost goaled, only to see his shot cannon off the post on 41 minutes.
Another McBrearty free levelled it up at 0-9 to 1-6 and then Aaron Bradley put Letterkenny Gaels ahead with 11 minutes left.
[adrotate group=”38″]However, Urris were still dangerous and first half goalscorer Paddy Doherty then fired over a point to equalise.
Margins were wafer-thin at this stage and after Sean McDonagh scored for Gaels, Jason Doherty restored parity again on 52 minutes.
McBrearty cut in from the left to create a chance. He opted for goal and Johnny Noone in the Urris goal saved. Graham’s 45 was short but when he got a second chance with two minutes left he made no mistake.
[adrotate group=”56″]Letterkenny Gaels: Shane Graham (0-1, 45); Ciaran Cannon, Ray Quinn, Kevin Kilkenny; Conor Coll, Darren Hunter, Conor Browne; Aaron Bradley (0-1), Brendan O’Brien; Sean McDonagh (0-1), Liam Doherty, Paddy Doherty; Cormac Cannon (0-1), Conor McBrearty (0-7, 5f, 0-1 pen), Nicky McGarrigle (0-1). Subs: Mickey Harte for P Doherty (46), Donal O’Malley for McGarrigle (52), John Doran for L Doherty (58).
Urris: Johnny Noone; James Griffin, Danny Devlin, Gary Doherty; Mickey Grant (0-1), Ciaran Doherty, Declan Grant; John McCarron, Ryan Doherty; Kevin McLaughlin (0-4, 2 ’45’), Paddy Doherty (1-1)(, Gary Doherty/Reilly; Peter Devlin, Mark McLaughlin, Conor Bradley. Sub: Jason Doherty (0-2) for R Doherty (12).
Referee: Tony Gallagher (Red Hugh’s)
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