SEAN MACCUMHAILL’S TRIUMPHED in the Northern Board Under-16 Division 1 championship final against St Eunan’s tonight at St Mary’s Park in Convoy.
Sean MacCumhaill’s 2-14 St Eunan’s 1-16 (after extra-time)
It was a dramatic contest from start to finish and over the course of the hour and the 20 minutes extra-time that followed, the side from the Twin Towns were deserving winners, with three points at the start of the first period of that extra-time from Oisin Gallen proving vital.
What the match didn’t deserve, though, was a meleé that developed approaching half-time in extra-time with a large quantity of players from both sides, as well as management, which rumbled on.
Both MacCumhaill’s mentor Luke Gavigan and Paul McGovern, the manager of St Eunan’s, were sent to the dressing room by match referee Liam McConigley.
Afterwards, there were claims and counterclaims but one thing is for certain, it was an unsavory incident and one that shouldn’t have taken place.
Sean MacCumhaill’s Chad McSorley is tracked by Aaron Deeney from St Eunan’s in the Northern Board Under-16 Division 1 championship final at St Mary’s in Convoy this evening. Photos by Christopher Doherty
Both teams contributed to an exciting game and it was Eamon Griffin’s MacCumhaill’s who started the brighter as inside of three minutes they were 1-2 to 0-0 in front.
The goal coming from Conor Lillis after seizing a kick-out some 45 metres from goal and burst straight through the St Eunan’s defence and planted past Ronan McGeehin.
Stunted at the start maybe, St Eunan’s spun right into gear themselves and between the sixth and the 18th minute scored 1-6 without reply as the pendulum turned black and amber.
Their goal came on 11 minutes when a 45 from Aaron Deeney seemed to be dropping short but the alert Matthew McGovern got a decisive punch on the dropping ball. In that positive spell for the Letterkenny team, Niall Hannigan stood out with four points.
Luke Gavigan on the burst for Sean MacCumhaill’s against St Eunan’s
The second half began with St Eunan’s three in front, 1-8 to 1-5 and the tit-for-that nature that was apparent at the end of the first half was there in the second with Oisin Purdy impressing for St Eunan’s and Luke Gavigan pointing an excellent long ranger for MacCumhaill’s.
However, on 49 minutes, referee Liam McConigley made a big call to award MacCumhaill’s a penalty. Whether Gallen was fouled or not was not the issue as St Eunan’s claimed – with some justification – that the attacking player had touched the ball on the ground beforehand.
The penalty was awarded and Gallen, having converted past McGeehin, had to retake the kick because of encroachment and duly scored his second attempt – going left instead of right this time – to put his team 2-9 to 1-11 in front.
In a frenetic last 10 minutes, Fintan Griffin put MacCumhaill’s two up only for Hannigan to pull one back and then Gallen put MacCumhaill’s two up again only for Purdy to pull one back. MacCumhaill’s had nine fingers on the trophy in the third minute of injury time when Patrick McColgan scored for St Eunan’s to confirm extra-time, 2-11 to 1-14.
In that first period, it was MacCumhaill’s who settled the best and scored the first three points through Gallen to move 2-14 to 1-14 in front. After Eoin McGeehin could only point from a late goal chance, and after Gallen for MacCumhaill’s and St Eunan’s Hannigan traded points, that was it.
As Northern champions, MacCumhaill’s will now take on the Southern runners-up Four Masters in the county semi-final as St Eunan’s face Kilcar.
Sean MacCumhaill’s: Ciaran Foy; Matthew Doherty, Christopher Gallagher; Jack Burke, Rory Mulligan, Joe Boyle (0-1); Fintan Griffin (0-2), Chad McSorley (0-1); Calvin O’Brien (0-2), Luke Gavigan (0-2), Jamie Keegan; Anthony Britton, Conor Lillis (1-0), Oisin Gallen (1-5, 1-0 pen, 5f). Subs: Cormac Glackin (0-1) for McCafferty (39), Joey Lafferty for Britton (56), Austin Duignan for Gallen (80, black card).
St Eunan’s: Ronan McGeehin; Ciaran McCloskey, Conor McWalters, Michael McGrory; Jerome Angel Atuahene, Aaron Deeney (0-1), Donal Farren; Patrick McColgan (0-4, 3f), Eoin O’Boyle; Shaun Curran (0-1), Niall Hannigan (0-6, 3f), Eoin McGeehin (0-1); Louis Hassey, Matthew McGovern (1-0), Oisin Purdy (0-3). Subs: Ryan Hilferty for Angel Atuahene (44), Angel Atuahene for O’Boyle (64).
Referee: Liam McConigley (Downings).
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