FANAD GAELS 2-12 V 0-10 KILCAR Two super second-half goals by Darren Mc Elwaine and Joshua Mc Ateer proved to be the vital scores in this keenly contested Division Two County Minor Final played at the excellent facilities in St. Mary’s Park in Convoy. The teams shared four points in the opening ten minutes , Darren Mc Elwaine and Mark Mc Ateer for Fanad Gaels and in between those Eoin Cormack and Oran Doogan for Kilcar , the only time Kilcar would lead in the game. Shaun Kerr added a third for the Fanad lads , tapping over after Joshua Mc Ateer’s shot hands come back off a post and when Mc Elwaine and the excellent Bernard Mc Gettigan added two more Fanad Gaels led by 0-05 to 0-02 in the 15th minute. Charlie Collins reports from St.Mary’s Park. In the second quarter of the opening half the teams exchanged six points , Bernard Mc Gettigan got Fanad’s three, one a brillant solo effort , but Ryan O Donnell matched him with three for Kilcar to leave the half -time score 0-08 to 0-05 in Fanad Gaels favour. The same two players exchanged points in the opening three minutes of the second-half and when Oran Doogan scored for Kilcar in the 35th minute there was only two points between them. However the game was decided in the next four minutes of play. In the 36th minute with the Referee’s arm raised playing advantage Darren Mc Elwaine showed great strength, skill and determination to burst through and drive the ball low to the net for the game’s opening goal, and when he and Joshua Mc Ateer added quick points there was seven between them and Fanad Gaels in control at 1-11 to 0-07 ahead. Doogan pointed a free , Fanad were reduced to 14 men when Mark Mc Ateer was red carded for his reaction to a Ryan O Donnell tackle which earned him a yellow card but a few minutes later Joshua Mc Ateer cracked in a super second Fanad Gaels second goal when he half-volleyed the ball into the far corner to any slim hopes of a Kilcar comeback. Doogan and O Donnell added late points for the losers but Fanad sub James Howe added a point to make the final score 2-12 to 0-10 in Fanad Gaels favour. FANAD GAELS ; Eoin Mc Gonigle , James Sweeney, Jonathan Gallagher, Michael Sweeney , Liam Mc Grenaghan , Matthew Gallagher , Brandon Mc Clafferty , Fergus Friel , Bernard Mc Gettigan ( 0-05 1f ) , Darren Mc Elwaine ( 1-03 ) , Mark Mc Ateer ( 0-01) , Eoghan mc Grenaghan , Joshua Mc Ateer ( 1-01 ), John Friel , Shaun Kerr ( 0-01 ). SUBS USED ; Liam Sweeney , Kieran Coyle , Eoghan Shiels , Kane Mc Laughlin , James Howe (0-01), Peter Carr. KILCAR ; Colm Garvey , Dara Rowan , Dillian O Gara , Eoin Love , Eoin Cormack ( 0-01) , Kenny Doogan , Cormac Leime , Oran Doogan ( 0-04 3f ), Ryan O Donnell ( 0-05 1f ) , Ryan Mc Shane , Keelan Curran , Liam Gavigan , Shaunie Boyle , Pauric Love , Conner O Donnell. SUBS USED ; Evan Bonner and Patrick Mc Neilis. Referee ; Paul Clifford.
Fanad Gaels take Division Two Minor title.
written by
Chris McNulty
September 12, 2018
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.