Naomh Columba leave it late to reach IFC final four despite Buncrana fightback

Naomh Columba reached the last four of the Donegal Intermediate Football Championship but only after withstanding a Buncrana fightback and a thrilling closing moments on Sunday at the Burn Road.

At half-time, Naomh Columba led 1-5 to Buncrana 1-2 with the Dohertys, Aaron and Phillip, to the fore, and they would stretch that lead out to nine in the second half.

But two pointers from Caolan McGonagle and Kevin Jordan, along with a Michael Bernard McLaughlin goal, had the game level going into the final minutes.

And that’s when Naomh Columba showed their grit to come away with the win as Padraig Byrne hit the net and they added two more points to make it a more convincing win than it may have been and set up a semi-final tie with Red Hughs next weekend.

Finn Gallagher and Aaron Doherty pointed the opening scores for the Glen men before John Campbell pointed for the Inishowen side. 

Alex Cunnea extended the lead for Naomh Columba before a long ball in from William McLaughlin found Campbell, who fisted to the net to put Buncrana into the lead.

But that didn't last long as Phillip Doherty hit the back of the net himself, before two Aaron Doherty frees had the Páirc na nGael side three up at the break. 

In the second half, Naomh Columba got off to a good start with a point from Ryan Gillespie and a goal from Kevin McNern had Naomh Columba well on top in the opening ten minutes of the second half.

Two further points from Shane Callaghan stretched the lead out to nine, but coming into the final quarter, a dramatic turnaround began.

First, a point from Kevin Jordan was followed by a goal from Michael Bernard McLaughlin to leave it at 2 -4 to 2-9 on 48 minutes, and a Caolan McGonigle two pointer from play left three in it.

The county star repeated the same trick, this time from a free, but his fellow Donegal teammate Aaron Doherty brought the lead back out to two.

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Former Finn Harps defender Kevin Jordan hit a two pointer with one minute of normal time to play,  but Naomh Columba didn't wilt and scored 1-2 in the closing moments.

A goal from Padraig Byrne after excellent work from Paul O'Hare gave them a cushion and they added two more points from O'Hare and Pauric Hegarty as Pat Barrett sounded the final whistle.

Buncrana scorers: Caolan McGonigle 0-4,2tp,1f; Kevin Jordan 0-4,1tp; John Campbell 1-1; Michael Bernard McLaughlin 1-0; Peter McLaughlin and Dylan Mullholland 0-1 each.

Naomh Columba scorers: Aaron Doherty 0-5,4f; Philip Doherty, Kevin McNern and Padraig Byrne 1-0 each; Shane Callaghan 0-2; Finn Gallagher, Ryan Gillespie, Paul O'Hare, Alex Cunnea and Pauric Hegarty 0-1 each