Gaoth Dobhair under-21s reached the final of the U21 A Championship with a six point win over MacCumhaills at the GAA Centre in Convoy.
Gaoth Dobhair 1-12 Sean MacCumhails 0-9
Six points from Cathal Mac Giolla Easpaig and a Cian Mac Giolla Bhríde goal helped them on their way to victory while battling the elements at a cold and windy Convoy.
MacCumhaills took an early advantage through Kevin McCormick with the help of a strong breeze in their favour.
Cathal Mac Giolla Easpaig opened the account for Gaoth Dobhair and Daithí Mac Roibeard’s dead ball taking would make one doubt the strength of the wind as he fired a 45 over to take the lead.
Joel Bradley Walsh got MacCumhaills back and firing with two scores and he tried to set up Fionn McNulty for an easy tap in to the net but it went too high and towards goal and he could only point, 0-4 to 0-2 after 15 minutes.
That would be the last MacCumhaills point of the half however, as Cian Mac an tSaoi pointed before Mac Roibeard scored a free from near the 45 to level.
Mac Giolla Easpaig then gave Gaoth Dobhair the lead on 20 minutes and added just before half-time, with three sides from both sides in between those two scores, 0-6 to 0-4 at half-time.
MacCumhaills again started strong in the second half as Conor McGinty hit the bar after 20 seconds with his point attempt that lobbed over Mac Roibeard.
Alex McGeehan got the first score of the half for the losing side but Mac Giolla Easpaig capitalised on an error to point.
Joel Bradley Walsh replied with a free but when Gaoth Dobhair went on the attack and Eoin De Burca found Cathal De Burca, his shot at goal was saved and as the ball trickled towards the net, Cian Mac Giolla Bhríde made sure of the goal.
Eoin De Burca and Bradley Walsh exchanged points, the latter from a free while Stíofan Mac Phaidín made it 1-9 to 0-7.
Two more points from Bradley Walsh, one from a free, made it a three point game as MacCumhaills looked for a goal.
But Mac Giolla Easpaig hit two of his own in the same manner to stretch the lead back out to five.
Bradley Walsh then surrounded by green jerseys found a way through with his shot but it cannoned back off the woodwork into added time.
Mac Giolla Easpaig then fired over a final point to end it 1-12 to 0-9 as Gaoth Dobhair reach the final and will face Termon.
MacCumhaills: Cian Gallen; Alan Sproule, Pete Byrne, Eoin McGonagle; Cian Mulligan, Aaron Gillooley, Sean Martin; Jack Duffy, Fionn McNulty (0-1);Conor McCormick, Conor McGinty, Conor Doherty; Alex McGeehan (0-1), Joel Bradley Walsh (0-6, 3f) Kevin McCormick (0-1).
Subs: Dylan Doherty for Conor Doherty (half-time), Sean Breen for Conor McCormick (39 mins)
Gaoth Dobhair: Daithí Mac Roibeard (0-2,1f, 1 45) Sean Mac Phaidín, Sean Ó Gallchóir, Aodhan Breathnach; Cian Mac an tSaoi (0-1), Dáire Ó Fearraigh, Cathal De Burca; Domhnaill Mac Giolla Bhríde, Stíofan Mac Phaidín; Cian Mac Giolla Bhríde (1-0) Fionnan Mac Giolla Chomhaill, Cathal Mac Giolla Easpaig (0-6,1f) Stiofan Mac Phaidín (0-2), Eoin De Burca (0-1), Jamie Ó Dochartaigh.
Subs: Fiachra Coyle for Cian Mac Giolla Bhríde (39 mins)
Referee: Marc Brown (Four Masters).
