Sean MacCumhaills 0-14
St Eunan’s 1-11
A last-gasp point from St Eunan’s Eoin McGeehan deep in injury time, tied this entertaining affair at Sean MacCumhaill Park.
The home side were minus Oisin Gallen which was a huge blow for them as they faced in form St Eunan’s.
But the home side turned in a superb display in the opening half as they deservedly led by 0-11 to 0-3 at the break.
But a much- improved St Eunan’s stormed back on the restart to level matters at 1-8 to 0-11 in the 40th minute.
They went ahead for the first time through James Kelly and seemed to be heading for a win.
But back came MacCumhaills with two great points from sub, Kevin McCormack and Sean Martin to set up a frenetic finish.
On balance, a draw was probably a fair result in a game of two halves.
But the Gallen-less MacCumhaills will be happy with how they coped with the absence of their talisman and how they bounced back from last week’s disappointing defeat to Dungloe.
The home side opened the scoring with a converted free from Aaron Kelly who was filling in for the injured Gallen.
St Eunan’s countered with a fine move that ended with a Noah Barrett point.
It was pretty turgid stuff, as Sean MacCumhaills went in front with a soaring point from the returned Conor McGinty.
And then a poor St Eunan’s kick out was punished when Chad McSorley put his team two points up.
Sean MacCumhaills was dominating in all sectors and Kelly thumped over a fine two pointer to put them into a 0-5 to 0-1 lead.
The influential Sean Martin made it 0-6 to 0-1 by the 20th minute.
Eunan’s had a mini revival when Eoin McGeehan and Shane O’Donnell rifled over two fine points.
But MacCumhaills responded in style with a fine point from Jamie Keegan for the home side.
McSorley and Jamie Keegan made it 0-9 to 0-3 as half time beckoned.
And the excellent Keegan capped a great half with a superb two pointer to put his side into a 0-11 to 0-3 at the break.
Eunan’s came out like a freight train on the resumption with man of the match Shane O’Donnell and Conor O’Donnell Jnr tagging on three rapid fire points
O’Donnell hit two more points to leave just a goal in it as MacCumhaills were struggling to get into the St Eunan’s half and Shaun Patton’s booming kick outs were having an effect.
But then in the 40th minute MacCumhaills full-back Joe Boyle was turned over, and Dylan Doogan was clean through to roll the ball soccer style to the MacCumhaills net to level matters.
Sean Martin tried to rally his troops, but the whole momentum was with Letterkenny.
James Kelly and Eoin Dowling made it a two- point game as Eunan’s led by 1-10 to 0-11, before Martin got the home side’s first score in 22 minutes.
MacCumhaills substitute Kevin McCormack was barely on the field when he hit two great points before McGeehan saved the day for the visitors.
Teams
Sean MacCumhails: Eoin Gallen; Fionn McGinty, Joe Boyle, Cian Mulligan; Shaun McMenamin (0-1) Sean Martin (0-2), Conor McGinty (0-1); Luke Gavigan, Ruairi Callaghan; Fintan Griffin, Jamie Keegan (0-3,1tp), Gavin Gallagher; Thomas McNulty, Chad McSorley (0-2,0-1f), Aaron Kelly (0-3,0-3f). Marty O’Reilly for Gallagher (47 mins), Adam Byrne and Kevin McCormack (0-2) for Kelly and McGinty (56 mins).
St Eunan’s: Shaun Patton; Noah Barrett (0-1) Caolan Ward, Josh Hay; Kieran Tobin, Conor O’Donnell, Oran Winston; Ciaran Moore, Eoin Dowling (0-1); Luke McGuiness, Shane O’Donnell (0-4), James Kelly (0-1); Brian MacIntyre, Eoin McGeehan (0-2) Conor O’Donnell Jnr (0-2,1tp) Subs: Dylan Doogan (1-0) for Brian MacIntyre (half-time).
Referee: Enda McFeely (St Mary’s Convoy)