It was heartbreak for St.Eunans College, Letterkenny as a point by Holy Trinity College, Cookstown in the final minute of extra-time gave the Tyrone lads victory in this epic final replay at Celtic Park.
The sides were level at the break and after the lead had changed hands a few times in the second-half it also finished level again at full-time. St.Eunans led late in extra-time but points by Tiernan Mackle and Oran Mulgrew won it for Holy Trinity.
Man of the Match Shane O Donnell who kicked a magnificent nine points opened the scoring for Eunans after a minute with a fine solo effort.
Holy Trinity hit back with two points in the seventh minute, a Tiarnan Quinn free and Eoin Gallagher from play.
A minute later the Tyrone lads hit the net, Mark Kearney created the chance with a accurate pass into Tiernan Mackle who hammered the ball past Eoin O Boyle to make it 1-02 to 0-01.
Eunans hit back immediately with another Shane 0 Donnell point. A minute later Holy Trinity opened up the Eunans defence and Pauric Lagan set up Mackle for what looked a certain goal only for Eoin O Boyle to deny him with a brillant save.
By Charlie Collins at Celtic Park
It was eight minutes before another score, with the Letterkenny lads showing great patiences in the build up before Cormac Finn kicked a fine point from 25 mts to leave two points in it.
In the 21th minute Tiarnan Quinn’s point left a goal in it but Shane O Donnell’s third point and a fine effort from midfielder Shane Doherty left a point in it.
They were level in the 27th minute when that man Shane O Donnell burst through to kick a super score off his left foot. Holt Trinity had a couple of chances before the break but failed to take them and as they were at the finish last Monday the teams went in level at the break, Holy Trinity 1-03 /St. Eunans 0-06.
The Donegal lads had a big let off in the first minute of the second-half when half-time sub Aaron Moore got through but his shot crashed back off the post.
They regained the lead a minute later with a fine Mark Devlin point but Conor O Donnell replied with an excellent 45 to leave it level at 1-04 to 0-07.
Pauric Lagan’s super point edged Holy Trinity ahead again but Shane O Donnell produced another masterpiece to level it again.
Conor O Donnell’s free put Eunans ahead but two minutes later Trinity’s Tarlach Quinn was fouled in the big square and Tiarnan Quinn hammered home the penalty to make it 2-05 to 0-09. Shane O Donnell got his sixth point to leave two in it.
Eunans Conor O Donnell and Trinity’s Tiarnan McNamee received red cards for an off the ball incident in the 56th minute.
Tiarnan Quinn kicked another super point to make it a three point game with five minutes left but three Shane O Donnell points , two from frees drew a battling St.Eunans level in the fifth minute of injury time.
The drama didn’t end there as with extra-time beckoning Holy Trinity were awarded a free 30mts out in front of goal but Mark Devlin kicked it wide and into extra-time we went.
The start of extra time saw a long delay as St.Eunans Ryan Diver pick up an injury in the first seconds which held up play for five minutes.
We had only one score in the first-half and it was yet another Shane O Donnell classic, turning away from several defenders and steering a beauty over the black spot to leave it 0-13 to 2-06 to the Letterkenny lads, his ninth point of the game.
Tiernan Mackle pointed in the second minute of the second period to draw Holy Trinity level yet again. Shane O Donnell had chances from play and a free but was wide and short with his efforts.
In the final minute Oran Mulgrew collected a Mark Devlin free and kicked a mighty point for Holy Trinity and that proved to be the winning score as the Cookstown lads took the MacLarnon Cup 2018.
St. Eunan’s College ; Eoin O Boyle ( Capt ), Ryan Hilferty, Anthony Gallagher , Shane Mc Daid , Peter Mc Eniff , Brian Diver , James Kelly , Shane Doherty ( 0 – 1 ), Tony Toye, Shane O Donnell ( 0 – 09 ) P J Mc Brearty , Shane Mc Devitt , Conor O Donnell ( 0-02 45/f ), Oisín Purdy , Cormac Finn. ( 0- 01 ). SUBS ; Kieran Tobin for Toye ( 23mins ) , Paddy Tobin for Mc Devitt ( 39mins ), Oisín Cassidy ( Shane Doherty b/c ) , Brian Alcorn for Hilferty ( 57mins ). Extra – Time subs used ; Tony Toye, Shane McDevitt , Michael Mc Fadden , Holy Trinity College ; Conor Loane , Patrick Quinn , Tarlach Quinn , Tiarnan McNamee , Oran Mulgrew ( 0-01 ), Conor Donnelly , Mark Mc Kearney , Eoin Gallagher ( 0 – 01 ), Pauric Lagan ( 0-01 ), , Kyran Robinson , Eunan Devlin , Shane Murphy ( Capt ), Tiarnan Quinn ( 1- 03 Pen 2f ), Tiernan Mackle ( 1 – 01 ), Mark Devlin. ( 0-01 ). SUBS ; Aaron Moore for Mackle ( h/t ), Conor Quinn for Murphy ( 47mins ), Tiernan Mackle for Lagan ( b/c 53mins ) , Thomas Mackle for Robinson ( 56mins ) Paul Quinn for Mc Kearney ( 62mins ). Murphy for Eunan Devlin ( 60mins ). Extra-Time Subs : Sean Mc Kenna , Eunan Devlin, Mark Mc Kearney , Thomas Mackle, REFEREE : Dan Mullen ( Derry ).
