IT’S DIFFICULT TO know just where to start and where to end on this one.
PCC Falcarragh 4-13 Carndonagh Community School 6-6
It was a bit like a game of musical chairs and when the music stopped – courtesy of referee Leo Devenney’s final whistle – it was PCC Falcarragh who were sitting following their one-point win over Carndonagh Community School in the last Schools’ County Under-14 final, before the regrading next year.
Photo caption: The PCC Falcarragh side celebrate their victory in the County Under-14A Schools final at Hibernian Park in Burt this afternoon
As a contest, it could’ve gone either way and three minutes into injury time, Brian McDermott’s PCC side trailed by a point – having been down at eight at one stage – before an amazing effort from the sideline from Krystan Fuit drew them level before Conor Coyle edged them in front.
But there was even time for more drama as in the sixth minute in injury time, Luke Doherty – who had contributed handsomely with 2-3 to his name – had the chance to force extra-time from a free, but opted to go for goal and PCC, who had their entire team on the line, managed to get a block from somewhere in the last play of the game.
It was rough on the Inishowen team as few would’ve complained had another two 10-minute periods been required. Both sets of players contributed to a wonderfully entertaining spectacle in conditions that varied between wind and hail, rain and shine.
It was the Carndonagh school who started the brighter, with Doherty shooting a goal over Ciaran Coll with exactly a minute played.
And although PCC began to claw their way back into the game slowly, Matthew Mullarkey added a second Carndonagh goal on 23 minutes when he smashed home on the turn, following a precise pass from Conor O’Neill. It meant Carndonagh were 2-3 to 0-4 in front.
PCC had captain Paddy McCafferty on the edge of the Carndonagh square but all too often, his supply chain was being cut out by some resolute defending, particularly by Ronan Kelly.
However, on 24 minutes McCafferty goaled, with the aid of a slight deflection, after midfield partnership Sean Geaney and Oisin Cannon were involved in the build-up.
Then, a minute before the break, McCafferty got on the end of a raking ball in from Coyle and managed to score his and his team’s second goal. At half-time, PCC were 2-6 to 2-4 up.
The Carndonagh Community School panel before their County Under-14A Schools final at Hibernian Park in Burt this afternoon
No doubt at the break, the Carndonagh management team of Padraig McCafferty and James Doherty would’ve wanted to cut into their arrears as soon as possible.
As it turned out, their start to the second half couldn’t have been any more emphatic as the scored 3-1 inside of just four minutes, to go 5-5 to 2-6 in front.
Substitute Ben Curly scored the first of that trio of goals when he dinked the ball around the corner with considerable aplomb before finding the next 55 seconds into part two.
Following a point from O’Neill, Carndonagh’s fourth goal – from Doherty again – concluded a move that saw Mullarkey, the driving Gavin McDaid and Anthony Doherty play significant roles.
And with PCC still reeling, Carndonagh managed to score a third goal in four minutes, by now the 34th of the match, when centre-back Luke Rudden joined the attack and his shot deflected in.
An eight-point lead looked commanding but, again, PCC refused to lie down.
Midfielder Geaney pulled a goal back within seconds, when he collected a quickly-taken free from Coyle to shoot past Niall Gallagher.
And in the 37th minute, there was another goal – the fifth of the second half – when PCC were again on the mark. This time Carlos O’Reilly’s shot pierced into the top corner after he was set-up by Kieran Mulhern.
Blake McGarvey, on 43 minutes, almost scored another PCC goal but his effort clipped the crossbar and went over.
But there wasn’t much disappointment from those in blue, they were by now level with their 4-8 equating to Carndonagh’s 5-5.
After such a flying start to part two, it seemed as though Carndonagh were wilting but Rudden, on 44 minutes, took it upon himself to join the attack with menace from centre-back.
After a fabulous solo run, he worked an angle to shoot his side’s sixth goal and, when Doherty added a free moments later, Carndonagh, now 6-6 to 4-8 up, had grappled back control.
PCC had 12 minutes to save themselves and, not for the first time, played with abandon. Points from Geaney, Coyle and McCafferty brought them back to just one down, 6-6 to 4-11, with four minutes left.
Carndonagh were defending with every ounce they had left and survived a couple of scares as the clock turned from black to red. PCC pushed and pushed and having snatched at a couple of late chances, it seemed as though extra-time was even beyond them.
But those two late scores – through Fuit and Coyle  – pinched victory from the fire’s embers to conclude a final that will be talked about for some time.
PCC Falcarragh: Ciaran Coll; Jack McKinlay, Paddy Doherty, Sean McFadden; Jordan Stewart, Kyle McMullan (0-1, ’45’), Ciaran Gallagher; Sean Geaney (1-1), Oisin Cannon; Blake McGarvey (0-2), Carlos O’Reilly (1-3, 2f), Conor Coyle (0-2, 1f);Â Krystan Fuit (0-1), Paddy McCafferty (2-2), Lorcan McFadden. Subs: Kieran Mulhern (0-1) for McFadden (16), McFadden for Mulhern (56).
Carndonagh Community School: Niall Gallagher; Oran Doherty, Ronan Kelly, Peter McCallion; Oisin Devlin, Luke Rudden (2-0), Paul Doherty; Gavin McDaid, Anthony Doherty; Tiernan McDonald, Matthew Mullarkey (1-1), Sean McCarron; Will Quinn (0-1), Luke Doherty (2-3, 2f), Conor O’Neill (0-1). Subs: Ben Curley (1-0) for McDonald (25), Matthew Brennan for McCarron (half-time), Eoin McLaughlin for McCallion (54).
Referee: Leo Devenney (Naomh Colmcille).
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