Danske Bank Rannafast Cup Quarter Final, Wed Oct 24th at 4pm
Colaisti Inis Eoghain v St Eunans College, At Hibernian Park, Burt.
The arrival of one Sam Maguire and the eagerly awaited meeting of Colaisti Inis Eoghain and St Eunans has generated a lot of interest among GAA supporters in Inishowen this week, as the two rivals go head to head in Hibernian Park Burt on Wednesday afternoon, throw in time 4.00 pm for a semi final place in the Danske Bank sponsored Rannafast Cup.
Gary Duffy’s Inis Eoghain team, are relative newcomers to Ulster Colleges competitions compared to the Letterkenny School and the current squad are the first to come through the process of developing schools football in Inishowen, but they are beginning to make an impact. They had sensational start back in 2010 when they shocked St Pat’s Maghera in their opening Corn na nOg game, and also defeated St Mary’s Magherafelt but they did suffer a heavy defeat at the hands of St Eunans in O’Donnell Park and some would say that result still hurts. Lat year they had a good run in the Brock Cup with a couple of good victories also, making it to the Shield quarterfinal, where they lost to Abbey CBS. This season they started well in the Rannafast Cup with good victories over Our Lady’s Castleblaney and St Colman’s Newry, before losing to an impressive Omagh CBS in their final group game, played in Buncrana and qualified for the quarter final as runners up in a tough group. In defence Peter Doherty, Stephen O Donnell and Darren Gallagher all look impressive, while Georgie Kelly, Tony McClenagahan, Sean McHugh, Caolan Mailey and John Campbell are certain to be key players in midfield and attack. Some of the players have benefited greatly from their involvement with Donegal U15 and U16 teams during the year, but the aim now as a team is to progress even further and reaching the semi final of this prestigious competition would be one way of doing just that.
St Eunans, who have qualified for the quarterfinals for the first time in almost three decades, will start as favourites for the game. In their first year together they won the Ulster Colleges Corn Colmcille Cup, although that was a “B” competition and after moving up to the “A” grade the following year they reached the semi final of the Corn na nOg Cup, inflicting that heavy defeat on Colaisti Inis Eoghain on the way, before losing to eventual winners St Pat’s Cavan. Last season they reached the quarterfinals of the Brock Cup, but again fell to the Cavan outfit. They topped Group D in the qualifying stages of a three-team group in the Rannafast, with impressive victories over St Mary’s Magherafelt and St Patrick’s Armagh thanks to a late goal from Michael Miller and six points from D Tyrell (five from frees). Managed by Glenswilly man Gary McDaid, they have a large panel to choose from with players such as Darragh McWalters and Sean McDonagh strong at the back, while Christopher Flanagan, Michael Miller, C Morrisson and the reliable D Tyrell sure to play a key part in attack
Quite a number of players on both sides have already been selected at U15 and U16 County Development teams and it is fair to say that several of those will be pushing hard for places on the Donegal minor team in two years time. Ulster Colleges competitions are a great way of developing such players, so a good game is envisaged on Wednesday afternoon with the result hanging very much in the balance.
Colaisti Inis Eoghain: Jamie Barr, Tommy Byrne, Peter Doherty, Stephen O Donnell, Ultan Doherty, Darren Gallagher, Darragh Browne, Georgie Kelly, Tony McCleneghan, Mark Coyle, Sean McHugh, Christopher McLaughlin, Caolan Mailey, John Campbell, Joshua Lafferty, Christopher McCormick, Ronan Hartin, Ryan Doherty, Danny McCarron, John Collins, Jonathan McDaid, Ryan McLaughlin, Phil Brennan.
St Eunans: S Dafflan, M Friel, D McWalters, S McDonagh, O Shiels, M Patton, C O Boyle, P Diver, D Tyrell, N O Donnell, M Miller, R Toner, C Morrisson, R Carr, C Flanagan, C McDaid, O Hilley, Ciaran Maloney, Kieran McPherson, Jason Quinn, Cormac Callaghan, Ryan Rainey, Caolan O Donnell, Ronan Dorrian, Cormac Cannon, Owen McFadden, Chris Carr, Kevin Grant, Caolan Toye.
Referee Jim McCallion (Tyrone)
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