A YOUTHFUL St Eunan’s had too much for Naomh Conaill in the All-County Football League Division 1 in Letterkenny today as five players saw red.
St Eunan’s 3-14 Naomh Conaill 3-8
There was always a bit of needle in the contest, with the teams due to meet in the club championship in September, and things spilled over in the second half.
Both teams were reduced to 14 men on 42 minutes when Ultan Doherty of Naomh Conaill and St Eunan’s Ciaran McCloskey were given straight reds by referee Jimmy White for their part in an alternation. Then, just a minute later, Marty Boyle was sent to the line for lashing out at Oisin Toal.
In the last minute, Kevin McGettigan struck Conor ‘Duck’ O’Donnell and was dismissed and when Ross Wherity got involved he too was sent off.
The home side registered the first goal of the afternoon on seven minutes when Ross Wherity tucked home from close range. Sean Hensey made an enterprising break and appeared to be fouled by Seamus Corcoran. Whether referee Jimmy White was going to point for a penalty or not was irrelevant, as Wherity made the most of the chance as it fell to his feet.
It was the very least that Maxi Curran’s young team deserved after an enterprising first half. As well as the goal, St Eunan’s saw Aaron Deeney, Niall Hannigan, Sean Hensey, Conor O’Donnell, Conor Parke and Lee McMonagle on the mark.
John O’Malley, with four points, was the only scorer for Naomh Conaill bar one effort from Seamus Corcoran in the first half. At the break, it was 2-6 to 0-5 for St Eunan’s, who lost Rory Carr through injury just after the quarter-hour.
The second goal was from McMonagle, right on the stroke of half-time. The substitute, who replaced Carr, tucked home at the second attempt after Stephen McGrath had saved his initial effort following a Crossfield ball from Conor Gibbons.
In the first minute of the second half, Gibbons opened his account for the day with a free before a decent score form Kieran Gallagher at the other end for the visitors.
However, St Eunan’s continued their forward trajectory with fine scores from Hannigan and Peter McEniff.
O’Malley caught St Eunan’s napping on 50 minutes. When faced with a routine free, instead of of going for a point, O’Malley shot past Eoin O’Boyle for a Naomh Conaill goal. That made the score 2-12 to 1-7.
Naomh Conaill kept at it and four minutes from time, substitute Jamie McHugh plundered his way through the St Eunan’s backline to prod home.
And a minute later, a third goal came to bring Naomh Conaill back to one down – 2-12 to 3-8 – with Gallagher slapping in from close range following a centre from Kevin McGettigan.
St Eunan’s, though, responded well through scores from Hannigan and Gibbons to edge out to three. In injury time, St Eunan’s broke away after Conor Parke won possession and O’Donnell set up McMonagle for a simple goal.
Conor Morrison denied Naomh Conaill a fourth goal when he cleared off the line from Logan Quinn.
St Eunan’s: Eoin O’Boyle; Anthony Gallagher, Ciaran McCloskey, Conor Parke (0-1); Oisin Toal, Conor Morrison, Aaron Deeney (0-1); Ross Wherity (1-0), Sean Hensey (0-1); Conor O’Donnell (0-1), Conor Gibbons (0-3, 2f), Sean McVeigh (0-1); Rory Carr, Niall Hannigan (0-4), Michael Miller. Subs: Lee McMonagle (2-1) for Carr (16), Peter McEniff (0-1) for Miller (25), Brian McIntyre for Deeney (30), Conor ‘Duck’ O’Donnell for Toal (51)
Naomh Conaill: Stephen McGrath; Kevin McGettigan, Jason Campbell, Logan Quinn (0-1); Ultan Doherty, AJ Gallagher, Eoin Waide; Charles McGuinness, Ethan O’Donnell; Eunan Doherty, Kieran Gallagher (1-1), Marty Boyle; John O’Malley (1-5, 1-2f), Seamus Corcoran (0-1), Seamus Ellis. Subs: Jeaic MacCeallabhui for McGuinness (half-time), Jamie McHugh (1-0) and Oran Doherty for O’Donnell and Ellis (56)
Referee: Jimmy White (Killybegs)
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