Setanta. 1-20. v 1-06 Gort na Mona Kevin Campbell from play and a free by Declan Coulter got Setanta off to a good early start inside four minutes. However the Antrim men hit back in the 6th minute when Patrick Mc Caffrey’s long range free dropped in near the goal line and despite Setanta’s protests one umpire deemed it had crossed the line and the goal was awarded. Mc Caffrey then pointed a free to put his team two in front. Setanta then took control and produced an impressive period of scoring, knocking over eight unanswered points, Bernard Lafferty, Danny Cullen, Richie Kee and Colm Melaugh with two all scored from play while Coulter ( two ) and Kevin Campbell converted from frees to leave it 0-10 to 1-01 in the Donegal men’s favour. Gort na Mona who hadn’t scored since the 8th minute finally replied with two injury time points from mc Caffrey and Sean Doyle to leave five in it at half-time , 0-10 to 1-03 in Setanta’s favour. Martin Ward and Darren Boyd gave Gort Na Mona a great start to the second-half with quick points to narrow the lead to two but Setanta’s response was brilliant as Melaugh, Coulter and Campbell drove over excellent points and then Campbell set up Coulter who hammered the ball low to the net to make it 1-13 to 1-05 and Setanta in control. Coulter added a free and Bernard Lafferty an excellent point from play to make it a ten point game. A Campbell ’65 and free plus a Coulter point from play made it 1-18 to 1-05 and Setanta in cruise control. Mc Caffrey and Campbell exchanged frees and Colm Melaugh knocked over his fourth point from play to round off a super Setanta performance on a winning scoreline of 1-20 to 1-06 and a first final place since 2008. Setanta : Gary Mc Gettigan , Brendan Tourish , Simon Mc Menamin , Mark Callaghan , Sean Anderson , Martin Bonner , Justin Mc Bride , Richie Kee ( 0-1 ), Danny Cullen ( 0-1 ), Bernard Lafferty ( 0-2 ), Colm Melaugh ( 0-4 ), Mark Kane , Niall Cleary, Declan Coulter ( 1-06 4f ), Kevin Campbell ( 0-06 3f /65 ). SUBS USED : Jonathan Carlin, Dean Mc Devitt and Shane Flynn. Gort na Mona ; Conner Mc Cann , Chris Devlin , Gavin Mc Kenna , Conor Connelly , Padraig Mc Hugh , Mark Rea , Gary Doyle Patrick Mc Caffrey ( 1-03f ). Declan Hughes , Sean Doyle ( 0-1 ), Martin Ward ( 0-1 ), Thomas Mc Goran , Thomas Mc Caffrey , Padraig Fryers , Darren Boyd ( 0-1). Referee : Colin Murray ( Down ).
Impressive Setanta cruise to Ulster Junior Championship Semi Final victory
written by
Chris McNulty
October 22, 2017
Chris McNulty
Author of 'Boxing In Donegal: A History (2021)' - the definitive history of the sport in County Donegal - and 'Relentless: A Race Through Time', the 2019 memoir of former Irish Athletics Team Manager Patsy McGonagle. From St Johnston and now based in Letterkenny, Chris was a nominee for NUJ Sports Journalist of the Year in 2010. Honoured by the Donegal Boxing Board in 2016 for his coverage on the sport.