A performance of two halves almost cost St Eunan’s a place in the SFC semi-final in a game they should really have closed out much earlier.
By Charlie Collins at MacCumhaill Park
It looked as if the Letterkenny could well put the foot down and cruise to a comfortable victory at MacCumhaill Park.
For many this was being touted as the real final as the county’s two in-form sides met under the lights on what was a perfect evening for football.
It was a clash of what many consider to be the top two contenders for the Micheal Murphy Sports and Leisure Senior Championship. Naomh Conaill, hoping to complete a three in a row of championship victories in 2024 and Eunans, the last team to beat them in the knockout stages in the final of 2021.
The teams had met in the early stages of this year’s Group games with St. Eunans winning. bragging rights in Glenties, but this was an entirely different situation with the losers seeing their championship hopes.
Shane O Donnell and James Kelly points gave Eunans an early lead , Ciaran Thompson’s free in the 10th minute got Naomh Conaill going on the scoreboard.
St.Eunans then hit three points in four minutes, Conor O Donnell Snr , Conor O Donnell Jnr and Niall O Donnell, all from play and all fine scores, 0-05 to 0-01.
Charles McGuinness converted a free but Niall O Donnell replied with an excellent point and a minute later Naomh Conaill got their first score from play , a fine effort from Anthony Thompson .
St. Eunans had the final say of the half when Conor Morrison did well to won a free close in which Conor O Donnell Jnr converted to leave Eunans four ahead at the break , 0-07 to 0-03.
St. Eunans had a real goal chance in third minute of the second-half , from a breakaway Niall O Donnell put Darragh Mulgrew through but he hesitated and then shot wide.
Noamh Conaill responded with points from Ciaran Thompson, Charles McGuinness and Keelin McGill and Thompson again and the sides were level, 0-07 apiece, Eunans without a score in the second-half and the momentum with Naomh Conaill.
They then took the lead for the first time with a John O Malley score but Darragh Mulgrew Equalized immediately, 0-08 points each .
McGuinness put the Glenties men ahead again and it looked like the Gelnties men had pulled off a shock comeback victory.
But late points by Young Player of the Year nominee Ciaran Moore and sub Eoin McGeehan snatched victory and a semi-final place over their biggest rivals in recent years.
Naomh Conaill ; Stephen McGrath , Jason Campbell, AJ Gallagher, Logan Quinn , Kevin McGettigan , Anthony Thompson (0-01) , Finbar Roarty , Charles McGuinness (0-03) , Ciaran Thompson (0-03), Brendan McDyer , Odhran Doherty , Ethan O Donnell , John O Malley(0-01) , Keelin McGill (0-01), Leo McLoone. Subs ; Dermot Molloy for McGettigan ( 42mins), Mark McDevitt for O Malley 58mins).
St. Eunans; Shaun Patton , Aaron Deeney, Eamonn Doherty , Conor Morrison , Anthony Gallagher , Conor O Donnell (Srn) 0-01), Kieran Tobin . Eoin Dowling, James Kelly ( 0-01) , Ciaran Moore (0-01), Shane O Donnell (0-01), Conor O Donnell (Jnr) ( 0-02), Pauric Boyle , Niall O Donnell (0-02), Kevin Kealy. Subs ; Darragh Mulgrew 0-01 for Kealy (25mins), Eoin McGeehin (0-01)for Boyle (37mins), Caolan Ward and Lee McMonagle for Tobin and Gallagher (50mins), Oran Winstone for O Donnell (Jnr) 60mins),
Referee ; Marc Brown (Four Masters ).
