Three late points gave Na Rossa victory in this exciting Junior A final at O Donnell Park.
Na Rossa …0-15 Moville…1-10
Moville led for long periods but couldn’t hold on at the end against a determined Na Rossa team.
By Charlie Collins at O’Donnell Park
Aidan McHugh put Na Rossa ahead with an early free and John McDyer added a second from play in the fifth minute.
Both teams also had reasonable early goal chances also , the best for Na Rossa in the 7th minute when Oisin Caulfield raced through but lost control at the key moment.
Danny Murphy tapped over Moville’s first score but Aidan McHugh converted another free to put Na Rossa 0-03 to 0-01 ahead.
After a quiet period in terms of scoring Cillian Bonner kicked two quick points from play and the lead was out to four in the 17th minutes , 0-05 to 0-01.
Danny Murphy replied with an excellent free and then Michael Barr and Christy Hegarty kicked two super points from play to leave just a point in it but Aidan McHugh converted his third free and Na Rossa led by 0-06 to 0-04.
Back came Moville again, Barr tapped over his second point and then a brilliant break forward put Seamus NcLaughlin through and he hammered the ball into the bottom corner to give Moville the lead for the first time 1-05 to 0-06.
An excellent first-half finished with another super score, Adam McHugh drilling the ball over the Moville bar to leave the Inishowen men ahead by one at the break, 1-05 to 0-07 and anybody’s game it seemed.
We had a hectic start to the second-half , Michael Barr and Padhraic Skelly increased Moville’s lead to three but points from Aidan McHugh , Odhran Molloy and Adrian Hanlon had Na Rossa back on level terms, 1-7 to 0-10 points.
Ciaran Diver and Shaun Doherty both pointed from play to send Moville two ahead again but Aidan McHugh’s fifth point left one in it again, and his sixth left them level again, 1-09 to 0-12.
Danny Murphy’s free put Moville ahead again but excellent points from Odhran Molloy and Cillian Bonner’s third of the game gave Na Rossa the lead for the first time in the second-half and when sub JP McCready converted a long range free Na Rossa had won the Junior A Championship by 0-15 to 1-10.
A gallant effort by Moville but Na Rossa just about did enough to win it.
Na Rossa: Aidan McCahill , Denis O’Donnell Daniel Martin Melly, Sean McMonagle; Oisin Caulfield, Johnny Bonner, Christian Bonner , John McDyer (0-01), Eugene Molloy , Adam McHugh( 0-01 ), Aidan McHugh ( 0-06 ), Matthew Smith , Cillian Bonner (0-03), Adrian Hanlon (0-01), Odhran Molloy (0-02), Subs ; Brian Breslin for Eugene Molloy (h/t), Brian O Donnell for Denis O Donnell (36mins),Adrian Sweeney for Smith 45mins), Mark Bonner for McMonigle (50mins), JP McGready (0-01) for McCahill ( 55mins),
Moville: Dylan Doherty; Brendan McClenaghan, Enda Faulkner, Oisin McElhinney; Michael Leech, Declan Diver, Eoghan McLaughlin; Padhraic Skelly(0-01), Ciaran Diver (0-01), Shaun Doherty (0-01), Joshua Lafferty , Michael Barr ( 0-03 ) Seamie McLaughlin 1-00), Chris Hegarty (0-01) , Danny Murphy (0-03), Subs ; Nigel McMonagle for Leech (47mins), Jamie McCormick for Hegarty (55mins).
Referee ; Seamus McGonigle ( Aodh Rua B/S).
