Mac Cumhaill’s claim first under-age hurling title of season with win over Burt

Sean Mac Cumhaill’s claimed the first title of the under-age hurling season with a good win over reigning champions Burt in the U14A League final at the Donegal GAA Centre in Convoy on Thursday night.

Emmet Cannon hit an early goal and two points for Mac Cumhaill’s who raced quickly into the lead, and only for some brave saves from Burt keeper Darragh Lowth might have been further ahead.

Conor Lynch got Burt’s opening point and Cian Clarke hit a 21st minute goal that left it 1-4 to 1-1 in favour of the Twin Towns club, and Mac Cumhaill’s finished the half strongly with goals from powerful full forward Zach Carroll and Mark McGranaghan to lead by 3-4 to 1-2 at half time.

From their full back Oran Cannon all the way up through Eanna Byrne, the midfield pairing of Daithi Doherty and Patrick McNulty, centre forward Emmet Cannon and full forward Carroll, Mac Cumhaill’s had a powerful spine to their team and plenty of talent in wide men like Jake Patton and Jake Murray.

Burt were well served by Kyle Boyle who hurled his heart out, battling midfielder Dara Toner, and the hard-working Oisin Henry and Cillian Kerr. But with Carroll in irresistible form at full forward and helping himself to 2-2 despite the attentions of Conor Kerrigan, Mac Cumhaill’s forged further ahead in the second half.

Jake Murray and Emmet Cannon hit a goal apiece, with points coming from the sticks of James Donnelly and Jake Patton as Mac Cumhaill’s added to their tally, with Ronan Ferguson poking home a late consolation goal for Burt.

Mac Cumhaill’s, then, continue on from where they left off last season when they completed a clean sweep of county A hurling championship titles from U12 to U18.

Elsewhere at the Donegal GAA Centre on a busy night of U14 finals, a late goal helped Dungloe-Gaoth Dobhair to a 2-8 to 2-6 win over St Eunan’s in the B league decider.

Mac Cumhaill’s scorers: Zack Carroll 3-2, Emmet Cannon 2-2; James Donnelly 0-3, Jake Murray 1-1; Mark McGranaghan 1-0; Jake Patton 0-1

Burt scorers: Cian Clarke 1-0, Ronan Ferguson 1-0, Conor Lynch 0-1, Kyle Boyle 0-1

Sean Mac Cumhaill’s: Braedon Byrne; Darragh Browne, Oran Cannon, Connla Ó Giollagáin; James O’Connor, Eanna Byrne, Finn McDaid; Patrick McNulty, Daithi Doherty; Jake Patton, Emmet Cannon, James Donnelly; Mark McGranaghan, Zack Carroll, Jake Murray. Subs: Subs: Andrew Tourish, Kofi Osel Nyarko, Oliver Dunkley.

Burt: Darragh Lowth; Caoimhinn Barr, Conor Kerrigan, Tiernan Long; Cillian Kerr, Oisin Callaghan, Kyle Gallagher; Dara Toner, Oisin Henry; Cianan Wallace, Kyle Boyle, Conor Lynch; Cian Clarke, Conor Green, Dáire Dowds. Subs: Ronan Ferguson, Shane Tierney, Paddy Farnan, Harry Simpson.

Referee: James Connors (St Eunan’s)