ST EUNAN’S will contest this year’s County Minor Football Championship final after defeating Aodh Ruadh in Convoy this evening.
St Eunan’s 0-14 Aodh Ruadh 0-7
The double-score winning margin of seven points makes for what looks on paper to be a comfortable win. In reality, it could’ve been so much different as with four minutes to go the Ballyshannon side were awarded a penalty as they trailed by only three points, 0-10 to 0-7.
St Eunan’s appealed that Darragh Toal’s contact with Oisin Rooney was outside the square but match referee Liam McConigley awarded the penalty.
Nathan Boyle, though, rolled the spot kick wide of Matthew Gallagher’s post and those in the black and amber corner would’ve perceived it as justice being done.
The fact Aodh Ruadh were still in touch then was a consequence of a spate of missed St Eunan’s chances, with their wide count seven in each half compared with the four in total of Peter McKenna’s team.
St Eunan’s will be looking for a more profitable scoring return when they face Naomh Conaill or Gaoth Dobahir after their 2-6 to 0-12 draw on Friday in the final.
In Niall O’Donnell, St Eunan’s had a match-winner with the forward kicking eight points – seven from play – and contributing much more besides in an excellent all-round performance.
Late in the match, he scored twice, while substitute Ciaran Kelly and a fine Rory Carr free from the flank sealed the win. Aodh Ruadh had seen Ryan McKenna sent off in injury time after a scuffle broke out.
Aodh Ruadh, who defeated Naomh Conaill on Monday evening to win the Southern Regional Board title, started much the better. After 10 minutes they were 0-4 to 0-1 up with O’Donnell’s opener cancelled out by Gareth Sheerin’s point before Boyle, Philip Patton’s free and Cáelán Drummond scored to give the Fr Tierney Park outfit some hope.
Patton added a second score, from another free, after Kevin Keely’s point for St Eunan’s.
However, 0-5 to 0-2 down, it was Eddie Brennan, Paul Carr and Ciaran Maguire’s team, who lost out to Gaoth Dobhair in the Northern Board Minor final, that started to swing over the scores.
Carr’s 45, O’Donnell with two and Ciaran Maloney were on the scoreboard, as Toal struck the crossbar on 21 minutes. St Eunan’s were 0-7 to 0-5 at the break.
Patton’s free for Aodh Ruadh opened the second half scoring as, peculiarly, St Eunan’s were dominating centre-field with Kevin Grant and Oisin Toal taking charge.
But either side of the half-time whistle, they kicked seven wides in succession and then, from a rare attack, Aodh Ruadh levelled at 0-7 to 0-7 out of the blue when Rooney pointed.
But St Eunan’s knew if they kept pushing the case then their luck would change, particularly with O’Donnell in the form he was.
Between the 46th and 56 minute, he scored three fabulous scores – the middle one of those from a seemingly impossible angle on the right.
Sean Taylor in the Aodh Ruadh goal also save smartly to keep his team in the game, something they still were when the late penalty drama unfolded.
St Eunan’s: Matthew Gallagher; Conor Moore, Darragh McWalters, Sean Halvey; Brian McIntyre, Darragh Toal, Kevin Keely (0-1); Oisin Toal, Kevin Grant; Padraig McAleer, Niall O’Donnell (0-8, 1f), Ciaran Maloney; Odhran McGinley, Rory Carr (0-2,1f, ’45’), Jake Whelan. Subs: Ciaran Kelly (0-1) for McAleer (22), Oisin O’Boyle for Whelan (57), Ciaran Diver for D Toal (60).
Aodh Ruadh: Sean Taylor; Jason Granaghan, Callum O’Halloran, Cáelán Drummond (0-1); Cian McGloin, Conall Sweeny, Daniel Warnock; Nathan Boyle (0-1), Oisin Rooney (0-1); Philip Patton (0-3, 3f), Oisin Roper, Shane Mcgrath; Gareth Sheerin (0-1), Jason Gallagher, Ryan McKenna. Subs: Dylan Gallagher for J Gallagher (34), Conor Kennedy for Sheerin (43).
Referee: Liam McConigley (Downings).
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