ST EUNAN’S COLLEGE bowed out of the Danske Bank MacLarnon Cup today after a narrow quarter-final defeat to Our Lady’s, Castleblaney in Drumragh.
St Eunan’s College 0-12 Our Lady’s, Castleblaney 1-10
Aaron Courtney’s goal late in the first half was the game’s key score with St Eunan’s – who saw Niall O’Donnell clip eight points – unable to get over the line despite several good chances throughout.
Neil Gordon’s men will certainly feel that they could have advanced to the semi-finals, but were left cursing a chance spurned.
[adrotate group=”90″]James Wilson had given Our Lady’s the lead after only ten seconds but St Eunan’s responded well with Dylan McCroary, Shay Doherty and a brace from their talisman O’Donnell putting them in front.
Wilson, David Hanley and Frank Connolly landed points for the Monaghan men but an O’Donnell brace took St Eunan’s two ahead, 0-6 to 0-4.
However, it was Our Lady’s who held the upper hand at the changeover thanks to Courtney’s goal.
John Gorman’s free was dropped into Courtney, who fielded superbly before turning and firing low past the reach of Eoghan O’Boyle to put his side into a 1-4 to 0-6 lead.
[adrotate group=”53″]Our Lady’s extended their lead early in the second half with James Wilson and Tiernan Duffy firing over points.
Four minutes into the new half, St Eunan ‘s had a goal chance denied by Cian O’Connor, the Our Lady’s goalkeeper.
O’Donnell and Courtney exchanged points before a purple patch by Eunan’s yielded four-in-a-row.
O’Donnell, McCroary, O’Donnell again and Shay Doherty hit four points in a four-minute spell to put the Letterkenny scholars ahead.
James Kelly leveled things up again. St Eunan’s fashioned another good goal chance when Doherty ran onto a pass from O’Donnell, but the 2016 Donegal minor captain fired wide of the post
Wilson and John Gorman put Our Lady’s ahead by two and the arrears were reduced by an O’Donnell free with five minutes remaining.
Our Lady’s held out in a busy finish. St Eunan’s finished with 14 men when Doherty was sent off for a striking offence and they also saw goal chances for Shane O’Donnell and McCroary blocked as Our Lady’s stood strong to creep through to the semi-finals.
St Eunan’s College, Letterkenny: Eoghan O’Boyle; Sean Halvey, Aaron Deeney, Michel McGroary; Brian Diver, Ruairi Friel, Barry Gallagher; Shane Doherty, Kevin Kealy; Shane O’Donnell, Shay Doherty (0-2), Niall O’Donnell (0-8, 5f); Dylan McCroary (0-2), Patrick McColgan, Louis Hasson. Subs: Evan McCroary for Friel (black card, 16), Peter McEniff for Gallagher (38), Oisin Purdy for Hasson (51), Matthew Gallagher for McColgan (60).
Our Lady’s, Castleblaney: Cian O’Connor; Sean Markey, Callum Blanche, Craig Collum; Tommy Geahan, Frank Connolly, John Gorman (0-1); Hugh McGinn, Tiernan Duffy (0-1); Aaron Courtney (1-1), David Hanley ()-1), Darragh Drury; James Wilson (0-4, 2f), Kieran Duffy (0-1), Mark Mooney. Subs: Gavin Kelly for Mooney (19), Daniel Carraher for Connolly (black card, 34)
Referee: Kieran Eannetta
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