By Matthew Wilson
St Eunan’s 2-23
St Michael’s 1-7
St Eunan’s produced a brilliant second half performance to secure a convincing victory over St Michael’s at O’Donnell Park on Sunday afternoon.
Kieran Donnelly’s side led by four points at the short whistle but they pushed on after the restart to seal the two league points.
St Eunan’s made a fast start to this encounter, kicking three points inside the first three minutes courtesy of Jordan O’Dowd, Noah Barrett and Dylan Doogan.
St Michael’s got off the mark after seven minutes, with Daniel McLaughlin converting a free for his side but it was immediately cancelled out by O’Dowd at the other end.
On 13 minutes, the hosts landed a major as a swift attacking move concluded with Kieran Tobin squaring the ball to Luke McGuinness who palmed home, stretching their lead to six.
Shortly afterwards, the away outfit reduced the arrears through a well-taken free from goalkeeper Oisin Cannon which saw the orange flag raised.
The next four scores of the contest were shared two-apiece, with Oran Winston and Eoin Dowling finding the target for the Letterkenny men while Oisin Cannon (free) and Carlos O’Reilly pointed for the visitors.
Carlos O’Reilly was soon on the scoresheet again, landing a great score, but the home side quickly hit back through a pair of Conor O’Donnell Snr points to increase their lead to five.
In the closing stages of Act One, St Michael’s found a goal of their own. A shot from Carlos O’Reilly dropped short and Shaun Patton could only punch it into the path of Edward O’Reilly who slotted the ball home.
The O’Donnell Park residents responded well and two further points from O’Donnell Snr left them with a four-point cushion at the interval.
Kieran Donnelly’s outfit commenced Act Two in a similar fashion to the first half and three superb scores within the opening five minutes through Winston, Barrett and Doogan stretched their lead to seven.
Further points were added to the hosts tally for the afternoon courtesy of O’Donnell (Snr) and Doogan before the former landed his side’s second major of the afternoon to leave them 12 ahead.
County senior Eoin McGeehin soon entered the action and quickly made his mark, converting a brilliant free from out on the left after 43 minutes of play.
On the 50 minute mark, Shaun Patton stretched his team’s cushion further, slotting over a superb placed ball from outside the arc, before Barrett and McGeehin saw the white flag raised for their efforts.
The Bridge residents found their first score of Act Two after 54 minutes, with Carlos O’Reilly converting a close range free.
However, the Letterkenny men finished with a flourish and three further points through James Kelly, McGeehin and Doogan capped off a fine afternoon for Kieran Donnelly’s charges.
Teams
St Eunan’s: Shaun Patton (0-2,1tpf); Peter Devine, Eamonn Doherty, Josh Hay; Noah Barrett (0-3), Caolan Ward, Kieran Tobin; James Kelly (0-1), Eoin Dowling (0-1); Luke McGuinness (1-0), Conor O’Donnell (0-5,0-2f), Oran Winston (0-2); Jordan O’Dowd (0-2), Oisin Scanlon, Dylan Doogan (1-4). Subs: Eoin McGeehin (0-3) for O’Dowd (39 mins), Padraig McGettigan and Brian MacIntyre for Scanlon and Doogan (50 minutes), Evan Daly for Barrett (56 mins).
St Michael’s: Oisin Cannon (0-3,1tpf,0-1f); Seamus Ferry, Stephen Doak; Kit Regan; Patrick Francis Spier, Ciaran Kelly, Fionn Chernick; Michael McGinley, Michael Cannon; Max Roarty, Martin McElhinney, Daniel McLaughlin (0-1,0-1f); Edward O’Reilly (1-0), Carlos O’Reilly (0-3,0-1f), Ethan Ferry. Subs: John McFadden, Paul Creamer and Andrew Kelly for Chernick, Kelly and Francis Spier (50 mins), Ciaran McGinley for McLaughlin (53 mins).
Referee: Anthony Finn (Naomh Colmcille)