Slick Setanta prisved too hot to handle as Paul Campbell’s men booked a place in the Ulster Junior Hurling Championship final.
Setanta 1-20 Gort na Mona 1-6
Kevin Campbell from play and a free by Declan Coulter got Setanta off to a good early start inside four minutes.
However the Antrim men hit back in the 6th minute when Patrick Mc Caffrey’s long range free dropped in near the goal line and despite Setanta’s protests one umpire deemed it had crossed the line and the goal was awarded.
McCaffrey then pointed a free to put his team two in front.
Setanta took control and produced an impressive period of scoring, knocking over eight unanswered points, Bernard Lafferty, Danny Cullen, Richie Kee and Colm Melaugh with two all scored from play while Coulter (two) and Kevin Campbell converted from frees to leave it 0-10 to 1-1 in the Donegal men’s favour.
Gort na Mona who hadn’t scored since the 8th minute finally replied with two injury time points from mc Caffrey and Sean Doyle to leave five in it at half-time , 0-10 to 1-03 in Setanta’s favour.
Martin Ward and Darren Boyd gave Gort Na Mona a great start to the second-half with quick points to narrow the lead to two but Setanta’s response was brilliant as Melaugh, Coulter and Campbell drove over excellent points and then Campbell set up Coulter who hammered the ball low to the net to make it 1-13 to 1-05 and Setanta in control.
Coulter added a free and Bernard Lafferty an excellent point from play to make it a ten point game.
A Campbell ’65 and free plus a Coulter point from play made it 1-18 to 1-05 and Setanta in cruise control.
McCaffrey and Campbell exchanged frees and Colm Melaugh knocked over his fourth point from play to round off a super Setanta performance on a winning scoreline of 1-20 to 1-6 and a first final place since 2008.
Setanta: Gary McGettigan, Brendan Tourish, Simon McMenamin, Mark Callaghan, Sean Anderson, Martin Bonner, Justin McBride , Richie Kee (0-1), Danny Cullen (0-1), Bernard Lafferty (0-2), Colm Melaugh (0-4), Mark Kane, Niall Cleary, Declan Coulter (1-6, 4f), Kevin Campbell (0-6, 3f, 1 ’65 ). Subs used: Jonny Carlin, Dean McDevitt and Shane Flynn.
Gort na Mona: Conner McCann, Chris Devlin, Gavin McKenna, Conor Connelly , Padraig McHugh, Mark Rea, Gary Doyle, Patrick McCaffrey (1-3f), Declan Hughes, Sean Doyle (0-1), Martin Ward (0-1), Thomas McGoran, Thomas McCaffrey, Padraig Fryers, Darren Boyd (0-1).
Referee: Colin Murray ( Down ).
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