Moville overcome Ardara to land historic U-14 A crown

Moville U-14 footballers wrote a new chapter in their history with their U-14 A championship final win over Ardara at the Donegal Training Centre, in Convoy. 

Mark Faulkner, Oisin O’Hare, Finn Kealey and  Sean McColl scored the goals in the three-point win over the south west lads.

In a cracking game of football, played under the lights, Moville claimed the club’s first ever underage A champions success. 

And they join Buncrana and Carndonagh as the only Inishowen clubs to win Donegal underage club A football championships.

Joint captain Faulkner O’Hare, along with other goal scorers Kealey, Parker Craig and Jack Gill, were also among the point scorers for the first time U-14 A champions.     

Tadgh Earley, Eoghan Boyle and Mark Boyle Gildea scored the Ardara goals with the trio also kicking the most of the Ardara points. 

“It is a huge achievement for Moville to win an underage and, obviously, a big boost for the club and for Inishowen football overall. 

And to beat one a big tradition club like Ardara is a wonderful achievement, ” Moville club chairman told Donegal Live. 

“They also won the Division One U-14 League too. They beat another big club, Gaoth Dobhair, in the league final and they also beat Gaoth Dobhair in the championship. 

“They also won the Joe McGeady Cup here in Inishowen and are unbeaten all season. They are a quality side and a very talented group of footballers and are well coached. 

“The success  really is all down to coaching and the dedication of their coaches  Eamonn Reddin, David Lee and my brother Gerard Faulkner.

“They have been working with these lads since they were six years of age which goes to show that hard work pays off and we can build on this success now long into the future.”

Moville got the final off to a dream start and led 2-2 to 0-1 at the end of the first quarter hour courtesy of a goal each from Sean McCool and Mark Faulkner and points from Jack Gill and Faulkner. Eoghan Boyle scored the Ardara point and the opening score of the game. 

And while Ardara responded with goals from Tadgh Earley and Boyle, Moville still took a commanding six-point lead to the dressing room at half-time.

They led 4-3 to 2-3. Faulkner with his second green flag and Finn Kealey scored the other Moville goal. Eoghan Boyle scored Ardara’s second goal and also kicked three points to bring his personal first-half tally to 1-4. 

Ardara, through points from Tadgh Earley and Eoghan Boyle and a Mark Boyle goal, did trim the Moville lead back to three points at one stage in the second half.

But a goal and two points from midfielder Paul O’Hare settled Moville and despite Ardara cutting the lead to two in the final quarter, the leaders pushed on as Mark Faulkner brought down the curtain on the scoring with the game’s last point and a deserved win.

Moville scorers: Mark Faulkner 2-3, Oisin O’Hare 1-3, Finn Kealey 1-1, Sean McColl 1-0, Jack Gill, Parker Craig 0-1 each. 

Moville; Matthew Doherty; Charlie O’Donnell, Gavin McGill, Harry McDaid; Noah Mason, Harry McHenry Pike, Micheal Keogh; Oisin O’Hare,Tony Reddin; Sean McCool, Finn Kealy, Jack Gill; Ben McLaughlin, Mark Faulkner, Parker Craig. 

Subs: Tierna Doherty, Finn Diver, Evan Doherty, Louis McLaughlin, Adam Marston, Conan McLaughlin. 

Ardara: Dean McHugh; Jarlaith O Dochartaigh, Jack McGill, Gary Gallagher; Lucas Gallagherm Sé Byrne, Donal Dorrian; Mark Boyle Gildea, Charlie Brennan; Calvin McHugh; Tdgh Earley, Kian McShane; Evan Elliot; Eoghan Boyle, Joseph Doherty.

Subs: Joseph McGill, Dylan Gallagher, Daithi McGrenra, Eddie Doherty, Odhran Boyle, Cian Heekin Gallagher, Callum McShane, Jarlaith Brennan, Ryan Craig, Harry Lambe.