Last year’s beaten finalists St.Eunans got their 2023 campaign in the Micheal Murphy Sports and Leisure Senior Championship off to a winning start with this victory over St.Nauls at O Donnell Park on Saturday evening.
St Eunans…1-14 St Nauls…1-7
The home team welcomed back Niall and Shane O’Donnell from the United States and both started on the bench. The first-half was well contested and Eunans led by three points at half-time , 0-07 to 0-04.
By Charlie Collins at O’Donnell Park
They racked to a 0-04 to 0-02 lead early, Darragh Mulgrew with two, Conor O Donnell and Kevin Kealy with the others while Peadar Mogan kicked both St.Nauls points from play.
Eoin McGeehin and Stephen Griffen exchanged quick points and Conor O Donnell converted two frees to put Eunans four ahead but an excellent Barry Griffen point left at 0-07 to 0-04 at half-time.
Ciaran Moore and Conor O Donnell with his fourth free made it a five point game but two Stephen Griffen frees brought it back to just three again , 0-09 to 0-06.
Back came Eunans again with an other fine O Donnell free and Caolan Ward from play , quickly followed by Conor O Donnell’s sixth successful free , 0-12 to 0-06 .
Stephen Griffen converted a free and then a penalty after a foul by Caolan Ward on Joe Campbell to leave just three in it but Shaun Patton’s super kick-out found Darragh Mulgrew who passed to the unmarked Eoin McGeehin in front of an empyrean net and he tapped the ball to the net.
Niall O Donnell kicked the final point of the game to see St.Eunans win by 1-14 to 1-07 and looking forward to a trip to meet Naomh Conaill next Sunday.
St.Eunan’s: Shaun Patton, Conor Morrison , Caolan Ward (0-01), Peter Devine , Kieran Tobin ,Noel O Donnell , Peter McEniff , Darragh Mulgrew (0-02), Kevin Kealy (0-01), Brian McIntrye , Ciaran Moore (0-01), Dylan Duggan , Eoin Dowling , Conor O Donnell (0-06f’s), Eoin McGeehin ( 1-02). Subs: Conor Parke for Devine ( 35mins), Niall O Donnell 0-01 for Duggan (45mins), Eamonn Doherty for O Donnell (58mins),.
St Naul’s: Gavin Mulreany , Niall Prenderville , Brendan McCole , Caolan Gaffney , Martin Breslin , Oisin Mogan , Thomas White , Kyle Campbell , Shane Connelly , Barry Griffen ,(0-01), Stephen Griffin ( 1-04),Michael Coughlan , Stuart Johnston, Ian Campbell , Peadar Mogan (0-2 ). Subs ; Joe Campbell for Prenderville (37mins), Declan Duignan for Connelly (55mins),
Referee : Shane Murrin ( Killybegs),
