St Eunan’s go top while Termon scrape through to knockout stages in 12th spot

Eoin McGeehin and Philip Doherty scored the goals for St Eunan’s that proved decisive in this crunch Round 4 SFC match against Termon at a wet and windy Burn Road on Saturday evening.

The three Letterkenny goals came in the first half with sharpshooter McGeehin pouncing for the first 11 minutes into the contest to bring the reigning champions back into the tie after the locals had got off to a lightning-fast start.

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Patrick Fegan, John James Sweeney (2) and Ricky Gallagher had scored the four opening Termon points to race into a 0-4 to 0-1 lead inside the first eight minutes.

Oran Winston had registered the Black and Amber’s only point six minutes into the game.

There was a touch of good fortune about McGeehin’s opening three-pointer when his looped shot into the wind from outside the D dropped short and was caught under his crossbar by Termon netminder Emmet Maguire.

But the ‘keeper was adjudged by the umpire on the green flag that in claiming the ball he stepped back over his own line. 

His second, 26 minutes into the lively and full-blooded contest, was a brilliant strike from a man with a goal poacher's instinct.

With wind-assisted Termon leading 0-9 to 1-2, McGeehin got on the end of a sweeping St Eunan’s move involving the two Conor O’Donnell’s junior and senior, and Ciaran Moore to unleash an unstoppable shot as he cut in from the right wing and about 14 metres out.

All of a sudden, after being under the cosh and a number of two-point strikes from Ricky Gallagher and the elusive Daire McDaid, St Eunan’s were now back to within a point of Termon.

The men in maroon and white kicked on again and looked to be on the way to a comfortable five-point lead thanks to a McDaid two-point free and a super individual Jack Alcorn goal.

Alcorn, taking a pass from McDaid, bore down on Shaun Patton’s goals but instead of trying to beat the county custodian from close-range, he rounded the St Eunan’s number one to fire into an empty net.

Termon now led 1-12 to 2-5 with the clock ticking into injury time. But there was more to come when Maguire came to claim a high ball in the Termon goalmouth. 

But he was beaten to the delivery by St Eunan’s Philip Doherty who got a flick to guide the ball to the Termon net for St Eunan’s third goal and, instead of the champions going in four down, they trailed by just one.

Termon, who lost Aaron Reid to a black before half-time, led 1-12 to 3-5 at the break.

With the wind in their backs, St Eunan’s dominated the third quarter and, courtesy of points from Conor O’Donnell senior, Conor O’Donnell junior, Moore, Winston and Anthony Gallagher, they led 3-11 to 1-12 by the three-quarter mark.

Looking down the barrel of heavy defeat and the prospect of being dragged into a relegation battle, Termon rallied in the final quarter.

Substitutes Ciaran Cassidy and John James Sweeney landed points for the locals who, despite losing Ryan McFadden to a black card five minutes from time, battled right to the end with Daire McDaid bringing down the curtain on the scoring in the fifth minute of injury time.

In the end, with Glenfin coughing up a 15-point lead and crossing the line with ten to spare over Ardara, it’s Frank McGlynn’s men that ended up finishing fourth from bottom and in the relegation shake-up. 

Termon scorers: Daire McDaid 0-7, 1 ’45, 2 tpf, 1f; Jack Alcorn 1-0, John James Sweeney 0-3, Ricky Gallagher 0-3, 1 ’45; Patrick Fegan and Ciaran Cassidy 0-1 each.

St Eunan’s scorers: Eoin McGeehin 2-2, Philip Doherty 1-0, Conor O’Donnell jnr 0-3, 1f, 1 ’45; Oran Winston 0-2, 1f; Conor O'Connell snr and Ciaran Moore 0-2; Anthony Gallagher 0-1.

Termon: Emmet Maguire; Cormac Brady, Conor Gallagher, Oisin Cassidy; Patrick Fegan, Conor Cassidy, Ricky Gallagher; Oisin Harkin, Kevin McGettigan; John James Sweeney, Aaron Reid, Evan Coleman; Daire McDaid, Jack Alcorn, Ryan McFadden.

Subs: Ciaran Cassidy for E Coleman (46); Steve McDaid for J J Sweeney (57); James McSharry for O Harkin (59); Barry McGeehin for P Fegan (61).

St Eunan’s: Shaun Patton; Peter Devine, Sean Ryan, Aaron Deeney; Caolan Ward, Kieran Tobin, James Kelly; Conor O’Donnell snr, Ciaran Moore; Oran Winston, Eoin McGeehin, Philip Doherty; Conor O’Donnell jnr, Pauric Boyle, Philip Doherty.

Subs: Padraig McGettigan for S Ryan, Anthony Gallagher for Peter Devine (both 37); Luke McGuinness for P Boyle (56); Eamon Doherty for P Doherty (62).

Referee: Enda McFeely (St Mary’s, Convoy).