St Eunan’s full-back Darragh McWalters in possession against Letterkenny Gaels on Monday evening. Photo: Darren Crossan
BY CHRIS MCNULTY AND RYAN FERRY
GAOTH Dobhair at St Eunan’s served notice of their Minor Championship intentions on Monday night with Glenfin and Letterkenny Gaels the unfortunates on the receiving end.
Led by the excellence of Michael Carroll, Cian Mulligan, Niall Friel and Naoise Ó Baoill, Gaoth Dobhair are a serious outfit and were full value for a fourteen-point win.
Donegal minor star Carroll scored 1-8 again outlining a touch of class and maturity that goes beyond his sixteen years, while fellow county colleagues Mulligan and Friel were also to the fore and the nippy Ó Baoill was a constant menace.
Glenfin momentarily threatened to fire a spanner into the Gaoth Dobhair cogs as Christopher McBrearty batted home a third-minute goal that wasn’t scripted.
However, Gaoth Dobhair hit back and had 1-5 on the board by the time Glenfin next registered through Karl McGlynn in the eleventh minute.
Daire Ó Baoill laid on a goal for Carroll in the ninth minute and, in added time at the end of the first period, Friel drilled in a low effort.
Gaoth Dobhair led by ten (2-9 to 1-2) at half-time and would have been on the bus home but for the in-form Glenfin goalkeeper Liam O’Meara. Three times in the first-half, O’Meara – son of former long-time Glenfin netminder Benji – denied Gaoth Dobhair with excellent stops to deny Joe McFadden twice and Mulligan.
To their credit, Glenfin never gave up the fight with the tenacious Patrick McGrath leading the way at corner-back. Rampant Gaoth Dobhair reeled of five-in-a-row at the start of part two, while O’Meara twice denied Carroll and late in the day pulled another effort out of the top drawer.
Michael Miller recorded an impressive haul of 4-2 as his St Eunan’s minor team annihilated Letterkenny Gaels at the Glebe on Monday evening.
Gaels took the lead through Cormac Cannon with the first attack of the game, but they did not score for the rest of the half, as a hat-trick from Miller helped Eunan’s to a 3-7 to 0-1 lead at the break.
St Eunan’s continued to dominate after the break with Miller and David Tyrrell notching goals. Cannon finally registered Gaels’ second point in the 37th minute, but Eunan’s responded emphatically with Tyrrell and Darragh McWalters adding goals to their tally.
Mulroy Gaels, the new Downings-Fanad Gaels amalgamation, notched up a win in their first Minor Championship game on Monday night, when they overcame Naomh Colmcille at Portsalon.
Dale McFadden’s netted a goal as they recorded a narrow 1-10 to 1-9 win over the Newtown side. Oisin Friel top scored for the Mulroy men, who lined out without Donegal minor ace Lorcan Connor. Dylan McLaughlin found the net for Naomh Colmcille, but they were edged out as Mulroy got themselves into a position of strength in Group 2.
In Group 1, helped by goals from Stephen O’Donnell, Sean McHugh and Mark Coyle, Burt recorded a fine 3-15 to 1-10 win away to Urris. Ryan Doherty (J) was Urris’ top man pitching in with 1-5, and he was ably assisted by Gary Doherty and Ryan Doherty (R). Burt led by 1-10 to 0-6 at the break, and a couple of second half goals sent them on the way to victory.
In Division 2, Brian Farrelly’s Glenswilly had a whopping 8-16 to 0-2 win over Naomh Padraig, Lifford. Ryan Toner helped himself to 2-4 in a fine display, while Caomhin Marley scored 2-3, Padraig Boyle hit 1-3 with Conor Harkin and Jason Flood each scoring 1-1.
Kieran Kelly netted twice with Mark Stewart and Kieran McGinley also scoring goals as St Michael’s strode to a 4-11 to 1-4 win over Moville at The Bridge. With Kelly, Michael Langan and Ryan McFadden on form, St Michael’s had little trouble.
Termon were made fight all the way to the finish by Buncrana before scoring a 2-13 to 1-11 win. Enda McCormack helped himself to 1-6 and late in the game Shane Doherty netted a second goal for the Burn Road boys.
Elsewhere, St Mary’s Convoy blasted to a 3-19 to 1-5 win over Muff, St Eunan’s B had a big win over Milford and Carndonagh had the edge on Sean MacCumhaills.
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