St Eunan's ease past MacCumhaills to book Senior Hurling Championship final spot

St Eunan’s are back in the Donegal SHC final after they easily seen off MacCumhaills in Letterkenny on Saturday. 

In a landslide 24-point victory, Cathal O’Brien starred for the winners as he accumulated 13 overs while the likes of Peter Kelly, twice, Conor Parke and Cian Randles bagged the goals. 

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MacCumhaills had opened in competitive enough fashion but, by the break, Chris McAuley’s team comfortably led 1-15 to 1-6. 

And with St Eunan’s turning the screw immediately after the restart, they coasted through the remainder to ease over the line. 

The Twin Towns outfit had taken the early lead, seconds in, in fact, as Jacob Malone tore through the centre. 

St Eunan’s quickly tied it up as O’Brien let fly from distance and the same player then chipped his side in front from a close-range free. 

Gavin Browne again levelled it before the lead switched hands once more thanks to another Malone effort. 

In what was a pacey opening to matters in O’Donnell Park, James O’Donnell levelled it up once again at 0-3 each on seven minutes. 

Lee Henderson then made his presence felt for the first time as he won well out in front before turning and hooking over the crossbar. 

The contest was level for the fourth time as O’Brien landed another free. 

St Eunan’s then began to take a grip on matters, landing the next three overs to move 0-7 to 0-4 clear. 

Peter Kelly and Kevin Kealy, around the middle of the park, both notched points from play while O’Brien once again lashed over a brilliant effort, from a free, from way out the park and a three-point gap now opened up. 

O’Brien again showed that his radar was on point with another superbly struck effort, this time from play. 

Henderson stemmed the tide down the other end and Gavin Browne added another for Jamesie Donnolly’s team. 

But that respite was fleeting as Brian MacIntyre, Ryan Hilferty and Russell Forde all struck to make it a five-point game at 0-11 to 0-6.  

Seven minutes out from the break and St Eunan’s stole a real march as an undercooked O’Brien free dropped into the MacCumhaills area. 

Peter Kelly was allowed to field far too easily and turning for goal he hammered past Dylan Laverty for the contest’s opening three-pointer. 

O’Brien, John Kealy and Kelly all nailed subsequent points as 1-14 led 1-6 three minutes out from the midpoint. 

MacCumhaills themselves then went direct as Browne sent one in on top of Henderson and the latter showed all his guile and experience to flick towards the net. 

Just before the short whistle, O’Brien brought his tally to seven, fourth from a placed ball, as Eunan’s exited with a nine-point advantage. 

But a lightning-fast start to the new period from the leaders put paid to any lingering hopes MacCumhaills might have had of keeping this one alive as a contest. 

Kelly grabbed a second goal to start a scoring avalanche as O’Brien added three more to his name while Kealy and Hilferty were also on the mark. 

Henderson finally broke the MacCumhaills duck nearing the end of the third quarter as 2-20 comfortably led 1-7. 

Things got even better for St Eunan’s as Conor Parke got up from wing back to deftly lob the sliotar over the head of the advancing Laverty for a brilliant third goal for the Black and Amber. 

Before the end, O’Brien rounded off his individual tally to 13 points while substitute Cian Randles arrowed in a fourth St Eunan’s goal.

Hannigan did bundle home a late goal for MacCumhaills but it much too little and much to late to put any kind of a dent on the final scoreline.  

St Eunan’s scorers: Cathal O’Brien 0-13, 8f; Peter Kelly 2-1; Conor Parke 1-1; Cian Randles 1-0; Kevin Kealy 0-3; Ryan Hilferty 0-2; Brian MacIntyre, Russell Forde, James O’Donnell, John Kealy and Matt Ahern 0-1 each. 

MacCumhaills scorers: Lee Henderson 1-3,2f; Dean Hannigan 1-0; Jacob Malone 0-2; Gavin Browne 0-2.  

St Eunan’s: Cian Hennessy; Seán Halvey, Conor O’Grady, David Horgan; Conor Parke, Kieran Larkin, Brian MacIntyre; Peter Kelly, Kevin Kealy; Russell Forde, Ryan Hilferty, James O’Donnell; Cathal O’Brien, Conor McVeigh, John Kealy.

Subs: Cian Randles for Forde (40), Fearghal Delaney for Horgan (50), Matt Ahern for Kealy (53), Bernard Horgan for Parke (55), Oisin Radles for MacIntyre (58)

MacCumhaills: Dylan Laverty; Pete Byrne, Aaron Toner, Davitt Bradley Flynn; Gavin Browne, John Anthony Chambers, Sean Brady Devanney; Jacob Malone, Conor Griffin; Rory Doherty, Fintan Griffin, Darren McGowan; Lee Henderson, Pauric Kelly, Jamie de Ward.

Subs: Conor Murphy for Byrne (37), Dean Hannigan for De Ward (40), Bernard McMenamin Doherty (50)

Referee: Trevor Maloney (Buncrana).