St Eunan’s had too many gears and goals for Naomh Padraig, Muff in this evening’s Donegal Minor Championship final at Convoy.
St Eunan’s 3-14 Naomh Padraig 1-8
By Charlie Collins in Convoy
James Kelly and Conor O’Donnell netted goals in the first half for the black and amber, who led 2-9 to 0-3 at half-time.
Padraig McGettigan added a third goal 14 minutes from the end and Pauric Ryan’s team were whistling for the duration of the second half.
It might well have been more but for the performance of Naomh Padraig’s goalkeeper, Kia McDonald, who had an outstanding game.
Indeed, in the second half, McDonald denied Oisin McGarvey and McGettigan with excellent saves.
In the first period, after Ronan McGeehin shot off the post, McDonald thwarted McGeehin’s rebound with a stunning stop.
There were only eight minutes gone at that point and St Eunan’s were already 1-2 to no score in front with Kelly finishing well from Cormac Finn’s pass.
In the 24th minute, they bagged a second goal, as O’Donnell lit up the night with a fabulous finish. O’Donnell played a neat give-and-go with Peter McEniff before arrowing superbly to the top corner of the Naomh Padraig net.
The third arrived as McGettigan batted in from Conor McKinney’s ball.
Jonathan Toye found the net for the Inishowen side, but it was St Eunan’s night as they retained the minor crown.
St Eunan’s: Eoin O’Boyle; Conor McKinney, Anthony Gallagher, Ronan McCann; Peter McEniff (0-1), Sean Ryan, Domhnall Higgins; Shane O’Donnell, James Kelly (1-0); Sean Breen (0-2), Conor O’Donnell (1-4, 1f,1 ’45), Ronan McGeehin; Cormac Finn, Padraig McGettigan (1-4,1f), Oisin McGarvey (0-3). Subs: Cormac O’Kane and Paddy Tobin for Higgins andBreen (36), Dylan Doogan for McGarvey (44), Iarlaith McGinley for R.McGeehin (50), Ben Whelan and Oran Winston for McCann and McKinney (58).
Naomh Padraig, Muff: Kia McDonald; Caolan McColgan, Patrick McGroddy, Shane Grant; Ronan Hoye (0-1), Shay Davenport, Caolan Harkin; Jonathan Toye (1-1, 1f), Shane McColgan; Dylan McCallion, Denim McLaughlin (0-3f), Rory Hirrell (0-1); Evan Craig (0-1), Alan Clarke, Kevin Doherty. Subs: Aaron McColgan (0-1) for McCallion (35), Rhys Roberts for Harkin (45), Patrick McCauley for K.Doherty (50), Jack Butler McCallion for Grant (59).