St Eunan’s 1-13 v 1-10 Dungloe
By Charlie Collins at MacCumhaill Park
Three injury-time points gave St Eunan’s victory after Dungloe had got level from a controversial penalty as normal time came to end in a cracking Donegal Senior Championship Final.
St. Eunan’s manager Barry Meehan during Sunday’s final. Photo Evan Logan
Dungloe manager Dessie Gallagher during Sunday’s final. Photo Evan Logan
The opening fifteen minutes produced just two points, Aaron Neely for Dungloe and Conor O’Donnell Jnr for Eunan’s, with both teams, especially Dungloe kicking some bad wides.
Dylan Sweeney and Conor Greene added Dungloe points but St Eunan’s replied each time from Pauric Boyle and Ciaran Moore, 0-03 apiece
Ryan Conners and Conor O’Donnell Jnr exchanged frees, 0-04 each after 20 minutes and that’s the way it stayed until half-time.
Dungloe’s Danny Rodgers and Conor O’Donnell are quick to deny St. Eunans’ Eoin Dowling during Sunday’s final. Photo Evan Logan
Danny Rodgers converted a long range free in the first minute of the second-half to put Dungloe ahead again but Niall O’Donnell replied with a free and then we had the first goal of the game.
Niall O Donnell went for a point, the ball hit a post and was grabbed by Pauric Boyle who quickly fed Conor O’Donnell who slid the ball low past Danny Rodgers, 1-05 to 0-05 and St Eunan’s ahead for the first time in the game.
St. Eunans’ Aaron Deeney breaks out of defence during Sunday’s final. Photo Evan Logan
Dungloe responded well to this setback, Ryan Conners missed a free but he and Danny Rodgers then converted frees to leave just one point in it again, 1-05 to 0-07.
Ciaran Moore and Niall O’Donnell both pointed from play for St Eunan’s, Dylan Sweeney replied, 1-07 to 0-08. Play flowed from end to end and each team added two points, Aaron Deeney and Conor O’Donnell Jnr for Eunan’s, Conor Green and Barry Curran for Dungloe – 1-09 to 0-10.
Kiernan Tobin added a Eunan’s point to put them three ahead and then a controversial moment as Referee Ryan Walsh awarded Dungloe a penalty for holding by a Eunan’s defender as Ryan Conners was about to take a free out from the field, Conners coolly slotted the ball to the net and the teams were level going into five minutes of injury-time 1-10 apiece.
Dungloe’s Conor Greene turns for goal during Sunday’s final. Photo Evan Logan
St Eunan’s responded brilliantly to dominate those five minutes with points from Man of the Match Conor O’Donnell Jnr, Ciaran Moore, and Eoin McGeehin to take the victory by 1-13 to 1-10 and the Dr. Maguire Cup was on its way back to Letterkenny.
St. Eunans’ Ciaran Moore and Eoin Dowling celebrate after Sunday’s final. Photo Evan Logan
St Eunan’s players celebrate after Sunday’s final. Photo Evan Logan
St Eunan’s: Shaun Patton, Aaron Deeney (0-01), Conor Morrison, Caolan Ward, Darragh Mulgrew, Conor O’Donnell (Snr), Kieran Tobin (0-01), Eoin Dowling, James Kelly, Ciaran Moore (0-03), Shane O Donnell, Kevin Kealy, Conor O’Donnell (Jnr)(1-04), Niall O’Donnell 0-02), Pauric Boyle (0-01). Subs used: Eoin McGeehin (0-01), Lee McMonagle, Oran Winston, Anthony Gallagher.
Dungloe: Danny Rodgers (0-02), Jason McBride, Aaron Ward, Mark Curran; Barry Curran (0-01), Conor O’Donnell, Karl Magee. Darren Curran, Ryan Connors (1-02) Dylan Sweeney (0-02), Daire Gallagher, Matthew Ward , Aaron Neely (0-01), Conor Greene (0-02), Oisin Bonner. Subs used ; Shaun McGee , Conor Diver , Oran Gallagher.
