Carndonagh proved too strong for Naomh Ultan in this Junior A championship semi-final in O Donnell Park.
Carndonagh 3-10 Naomh Ultan 2-7
By Charlie Collins
Ryan Kelly’s 23rd minute goal put four between the teams and Carndonagh never looked back after that , keeping Naomh Ultan at arm’s length for the remainder of the game to book a final spot against Letterkenny Gaels.
Two players not included in the programme’s starting line-ups did the early scoring. Dermot Gallier opened Naomh Ultan’s account in the first minute but Conor O Donnell replied quickly from a free and then from play to put Carndonagh ahead.
Cian Kennedy levelled it up from a close range free at 0-02 apiece but a fine effort from a 35mts free out on the left by Fergal Doherty put Carndonagh ahead again.
Cian Doherty made it a two point lead , clipping over a fine point after an excellent run and pass by wing back James Monagle.
Paddy White kicked a super long range point to leave just one in it again but almost immediately Carndonagh struck a big blow when Ryan Kelly drilled the ball to the net after excellent build-up work by Conor O Donnell and James Monagle , 1-04 to 0-03 to Carndonagh.
Cian Kennedy and Eoghan Kelly exchanged excellent points from play but Carndonagh finished the half with two important scores , a fine mark from Cathal Doherty and a super Anthony Doherty effort from distance to leave the half-time score 1-7 to 0-4 in favour of Carndonagh.
Scores were hard to come by in the early stages of the the second-half , it was nine minutes before Conor 0 Donnell kicked the opening point. Donal Doherty added another for Carn before Daniel Gallagher and Cian Kennedy replied for Naomh Ultan , 1-9 to 0-6.
This was followed by exciting high scoring in the last ten minutes.
Ryan Kelly pointed and then we had three goals in three minutes. Kelly finished a fine move involving Will Quinn for his second , then Fergal Doherty set up Conor O Donnell who slotted the ball low to the net, 3-10 to 0-6 , but Cian Kennedy replied immediately with a Naomh Ultan goal , Joe Alvey pointed for them , Will Quinn converted for Carndonagh and in the last minute of injury time , Paddy White goaled for Naomh Ultan to leave the final score 3-10 to 2-7 in favour of Carndonagh.
Carndonagh: Kyle Harkin , Cormac Monagle , Conor Doherty , Darragh Browne , James Monagle, Danny Monagle, Anthony Doherty (0-1), Ryan Kelly (2-1), Will Quinn (0-01), Cian Doherty (0-1), Donal Doherty (0-1), Eoghan Kelly (0-1), Cathal Doherty (0-1), Fergal Doherty (0-1f), Conor O’Donnell (1-3).
Subs: Conor Fegan for Cian Doherty (34mins), Chris McDaid for Fergal Doherty (58mins).
Naomh Ultan: Daniel McGlynn, Kevin McGuinness, Jack Boyle, Daniel Gallagher (0-1), Peter Alvey, Aaron Kyles, Joseph Alvey (0-1), John Knightly, Paddy White (1-1), Darragh Murrin, Cian Kennedy (1-3), Kyle Breslin; Mark Erskine , Sean White, Dermot Gallier (0-1).
Subs: Aiden Duddy, Jordan Watters, Jamie Cunningham, Darragh Byrne, Dermot McGlynn , Ciaran Cunningham.
Referee: Pat Barrett ( Milford).
