Burt 3-16 v 1-18 Setanta
By Charlie Collins at O’Donnell Park
With a total of 1-10 Liam McKinney led his club Burt to a super victory over Setanta in a super County Final. The Donegal Senior hurling final of 2024 brought together old rivals Burt and the defending champions Setanta. Both teams included a number of Donegal’s winning Nicky Rackard Cup squad and in ideal playing conditions, overhead and underfoot at O’Donnell Park, we were set-up for an exciting County Final.
Burt raced to a 0-07 to 0-01 lead after twelve minutes, that after Gerard Gilmore had given Setanta an early lead, Liam McKinney converted three frees and one from play, with the other scores from Dara Grant, Conor Gartland and Aidan McKinney . Setanta hit back with three points in a row from Danny Cullen, Ruairi Campbell and Oisín Marley, Caolan McDermott replied for Burt but another three in a row blast from Dean Harvey, Gerard Gilmore and Sean Ward left just a point between them 0-08 to 0-07 to Burt.
Kieran Brady made it a two point game and then a long ball into the goal area by Kevin Curran found its way to the net and Burt led by five again, 1-09 to 0-07. Gerard Gilmore converted a free and then Josh McGee Cronolly burst through for a super solo goal and it was back to a one point game.
That didn’t last long as Burt replied immediately with a Liam McKinney goal, finishing at the second attempt and they led by four at half-time, 2-09 to 1-08. The teams exchanged six points early in the second half, two from Liam McKinney and one from Aidan McKinney for Burt, with two from Gerry Gilmore and one from Josh McGee Cronolly for Setanta, 2-12 to 1-11.
Setanta were then reduced to 14 players when Caolan McDermott received a second yellow card. Declan Coulter and Ruairi Campbell converted points but Dara Grant cracked home another Burt goal, 3-12 to 1-13 with less than ten minutes left.
Back came Setanta with two from Gilmore and one from Coulter left just two between them, 3-12 to 1-16. Liam McKinney added three points, Gerard Gilmore added two, 3-15 to 1-18 and then McKinney made his total to 1-10 and Burt collected their first Senior title since 2018 on a final score of 3-16 to 1-18.
Setanta: Kevin Campbell, Conor McGettigan, Steven McBride, Ruairi McLaughlin, Ryan Coyle, Bernard Lafferty, Niall Cleary, Declan Coulter (0-02), Dean Harvey (0-01), Sean Ward (0-01), Danny Cullen (0-01), Oisín Marley (0-01), Josh McGee Cronolly (1-01), Gerard Gilmore (0-09), Ruairi Campbell (0-02). Subs used: Justin McBride, Colm Melaugh, Mark Callaghan, Fionn Farren.
Burt: Paul Burns, Oisín Kelly, Ciaran Bradley, Callum Pervue, Kevin Curran (1-00), Christopher McDermott, Caolan McDermott (0-01), Stephen Gillespie, Dara Grant (1-01), Conor Gartland (0-01), Liam McKinney (1-10), Ronan McDermott, Ciaran Porter, Kieran Brady (0-01), Aiden McKinney (0-02).