PADDY MCGRATH making his way to the sideline after only 19 minutes will be a worry for club and county as his Ardara side eventually lost out to St Eunan’s.
Ardara 3-4 St Eunan’s 0-15
The Donegal corner-back walked off freely enough rubbing the back of his knee but his forced withdrawal will be something both Ardara – two weeks out from a championship opener against Glenswilly – and Donegal manager Rory Gallagher will sweat over.
On the other hand, Rory Carr of St Eunan’s played his first competitive game since St Stephen’s Day – when he dislocated a shoulder playing against Enniskillen Gaels in the Ulster Club Minor semi-final.
[adrotate group=”56″]Ardara, tonight at Pearse Park, opened brightly with two goals in the first half, to leave them 2-2 to 0-7 in front at the break.
However, it was St Eunan’s who finished the stronger to join Kilcar at the top of the AllSportStore.com All-County Football League Division 1. David Tyrrell, Patrick McGowan and Donnacha Gallagher did the damage.
After Tomás Boyle had opened with a long range score, Gareth Concarr then, on 11 minutes, smashed a fine goal for the hosts when he planted the ball into Sean Daffan’s top corner on the run following a pass from Jack Brennan.
St Eunan’s – who had only dropped points in draws at Gaoth Dobhair and Naomh Conaill this season so far – saw Tyrrell score two early points, while Darragh McWalters and McGowan were also on the mark in an awkward wind.
[adrotate group=”37″]When McGrath departed through injury, his side were 2-1 to 0-4 up but three points in a row from McGowan brought St Eunan’s back on terms.
However, right on the stroke of half-time a point from Aaron Bennett – McGrath’s replacement – gave the side managed by Seamus Gallagher a slender half-time advantage of a single point.
The Letterkenny team had a breeze at their back in the second half and Conall Dunne soon levelled.
But Ardara were game and eked in front again when Bennett scored a nice point from the right.
Then, though, Tyrrell clicked into gear by posting three successive points – two from play and then a crisp long range free when the floodlights began illuminating the night.
Six points in succession brought Eunan’s from one down to five up.
Jimmy O’Connell drew a good save from Aidan Simmons, the St Eunan’s substitute goalkeeper, with four minutes to go. Tomás Boyle for Ardara and St Eunan’s Brendan Maguire traded late scores.
In the third minute of injury time, CJ Molloy spun to shoot Ardara’s third goal of the evening past Simmons after close-range blasted free from Boyle was blocked by Sean Hensey in a crowded square.
[adrotate group=”42″]Ardara: Cathal Gallagher; Joe Melly, Declan Gavigan, Kevin Breslin; Kevin Herron, Paddy McGrath, Nicholas Maguire; Nicholas Breslin, Jimmy O’Connell; Martin Shovlin, Ryan Malley, CJ Molloy; Jack Brennan (1-0), Gareth Concarr (1-0), Tomás Boyle (0-2, 1f). Subs: Aaron Bennett (0-2) for McGrath (19).
St Eunan’s: Sean Daffan; Conor Morrison, Sean Hensey, Conor Parke; Darragh McWalters (0-1), Caolan Ward, Eamonn Doherty; Brendan Maguire (0-1), John Haran; Oisin Carr, Conall Dunne (0-1), Rory Carr; David Tyrrell (0-5, 2f), Donnacha Gallagher (0-2), Patrick McGowan (0-5, 3f). Subs: Aidan Simmons for Daffan (half-time).
Referee: Jimmy White (Killybegs).
