THIRTEEN-MAN ST COLUMBA’S COLLEGE eventually unravelled to go down to Rosses Community School in the Donegal Senior ‘A’ Vocational Schools Championship this afternoon.
St Columba’s College 0-10 Rosses Community School 0-11
In the autumnal surrounds of Red Hugh’s home patch in Killygordon the side from the Twin Towns started impressively to build themselves a cushion. But it was one they needed having lost two men to dismissals inside of 25 minutes.
St Columba’s almost held in but by the bitter end the numbers stacked against them.
Firstly, Odhran Doherty was given a straight red for striking Matthew O’Brien by referee Liam McConigley, although the Stranolar contingent claimed it wasn’t an isolated incident.
That happened on 22 minutes and just two minutes later, St Columba’s had further numerical bother when Aodhfhin McGlynn was given his marching orders for picking up a second yellow card for a shove.
The St Columba’s team managed by Mark Cannon made the brighter start to move 0-7 to 0-2 in front by then.
On 13 minutes, Carl Dunnion, at 0-5 to 0-1, had a great chance to extend that lead but shot marginally wide when in on Connor O’Donnell’s goal.
At that early juncture, Rosses CS (pictured above) were having bother making any significant inroads.
Meanwhile, at the other end, Conor McBride was the hub of a lot of St Columba’s attacking promise, both from play and particularly from placed balls.
By halftime, McBride had scored five points to give his team a 0-9 to 0-3 lead. Rosses’ only point from play came from Caolan Ward in the second minute and Daniel Ward added two frees.
St Columba’s College
But regardless of that advantage, a different type of game was expected in the second half as compared with the first.
The onslaught from Rosses was well dealt with by admirably to begin with by St Columba’s. And by the 40th minute, both teams had scored once apiece in the second half so the margin remained at six.
It seemed as though a goal was the only way to fast-track the Dungloe based school, but two more Daniel Ward frees meant they trailed 0-10 to 0-6 with 15 minutes to play.
Barry Curran, Ryan Curran and Ward pointed and Rosses were just one down with the wind at their backs.
It was five in a row and with just a minute left, a close range free from Barry Curran levelled it.
Then, having turned over a St Columa’s attack in injury time, the same player knocked over what proved to be the winning point.
St Columba’s: Christopher Gallagher; Johnny Black, Jerome Duffy, David Gallen; Padhraic Patton, Aodhfhin McGlynn, Eoin Burke (0-1); Conor McBride (0-5, 3f, 45) Conor Dalton; Rory Mulligan, Carl Dunnion, Odhran Doherty (0-1); Adam Lynch (0-1), Stephen Carr (0-1), Kevin Bonner (0-1). Sub: Darren Bonner for Mulligan (41)
Rosses CS: Connor O’Donnell; Jason McBride, Christy Green, Aidan Gillespie; Mark Curran, Cian Boyle, Daniel Ward; Eoin Duggan, Ryan Curran (0-1); Matthew O’Brien, Caolan Ward (0-1), Seami Grant; Barry Curran (0-3, 2f), Daniel Ward (0-6, 2f), Jack Boyle. Subs: James McComhaill for Gillespie (11), Declan Ward for Grant (23), Nathan Whyte for Doogan (56)
Referee: Liam McConigley.
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