St Eunan's reserves defeat Dungloe to take the Intermediate hurling title

St Eunan’s reserves put in a controlled performance to win the Intermediate Hurling title against Dungloe in O’Donnell Park.

The Black and Amber were slow in starting as Dungloe went three ahead early on, but they would only get three more scores after that, while Gavin Forde’s free taking helped the St Eunan’s cause.

He hit four points in the first half, three from frees, as they led 0-7 to 0-4 at the break against a wasteful Dungloe.

And good ‘65 taking from Brendan Gaffey, along with points from play kept them well ahead and they could have won by more if not for five wides, but their defense stood strong as they looked to complete a double on the day, with their first team playing Setanta in the senior final.

When the sides met in the group, it was a complete opposite game and it was Dungloe who came out on top by 5-9 to 1-18, Richie Ryan getting 5-4 of that, and he began in a similar vein with a point from play after 35 seconds.

The former county star added a second point two minutes later from a free, while Conor Diver fired over from distance to increase the lead as Dungloe started strong.

But with Calvin Aidoo getting the first score on eight minutes, St Eunan’s began to grow into the game as Gavin Forde then converted a free.

Steve Donohue and a classy point from Forde on the turn put them in the lead by 15 minutes, although Damien McGowan levelled the game up.

Ryan then had a shot towards goal blocked by Shane Ellison, and Dungloe were wasteful between the posts, only scoring four of their nine first-half efforts for points.

Donohue restored the ‘Eunan’s lead, and they could have gone further ahead as Pierce Glynn’s shot looked to be heading into the top corner, but for a save from Philip Rodgers.

They did hit two late frees through Forde however, to lead by 0-7 to 0-4 at the break.

The second half had a bit less action, Jordan Barr firing over from the right after five minutes, while Dungloe got their first score for over 20 minutes through James Hartnett, although it was the Black and Amber who surged ahead and were the much better team in the last 20 minutes.

They did hit a number of wides, but Brendan Gaffey did hit a ‘65 before a great bit of skill from Pierce Glynn allowed Donohue in for his third score.

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Forde converted another free and Glynn then got his first point way out in the ‘65, which Gaffey then hit over from a placed ‘65.

Diver got a last score for Dungloe on 60 minutes but the contest was well over by then as St Eunan’s picked up the Intermediate title.

Dungloe scorers: Richie Ryan 0-2,1f; Conor Diver 0-2; Damien McGowan and James Hartnett 0-1 each.

St Eunan’s scorers: Gavin Forde 0-5,4ff; Steve Donohue 0-3; Brendan Gaffey 0-2,2’65; Calvin Aidoo, Jordan Barr and Pierce Glynn 0-1 each.

Dungloe: Philip Rodgers; Rob Ryan, Cormac Hanlon, Mark Gavigan; Nicholas Wehrley, Damien McGowan, Brendan Boyle; Conor Diver, Kevin Gavigan; Eoghan Walsh, Callan Wade, Sean O’Donnell; James Hartnett, Richie Ryan, Fionntan O’Toole.

Subs: John Boyle and Evan McFadden for Walsh and O’Toole (ht), Tristan Boyle for Rob Ryan (46), Eoghan Walsh for Brendan Boyle (48), Odhrán Mulligan for Wade (55)

St Eunan’s: Daire McBride; Killian Barr, Shane Ellison, JP Curran; Conor Neely, Adie Gaffey, Mark Mulholland; Paul O’Donnell, Steven Doherty; Jordan Barr, Steve Donohue, Calvin Aidoo; Gavin Forde, Pierce Glynn, Brendan Gaffey.

Subs: John MacIntyre for Gaffey (17), Colm McAnespie for Aidoo (50), Johnny Lambe for J Barr (55), Lee Scanlon for Donohue (57), Eoin Scanlon for Forde (60)

Referee: Marc Brown (Four Masters).