St Eunan’s College hold on to lift Under 14.5 title against Loreto Milford

St Eunan’s College went clear late on to defeat Loreto Milford in the Under-14.5 A football final by five points at Páirc Adhamhnain.

The Letterkenny side went into the lead early on and while Jake Morgan hit the net for Milford, Charlie Carr’s goal a minute later restored their advantage as they led by a point.

Eoghan Callaghan hit the net soon after the restart and Patrick Gallagher added a third, but Connor Patton’s late goal made it all to play for, but St Eunan’s hit three late points to seal the win.

Loreto got up and running early through midfielder Conor Patton, and after a couple of wides from St Eunan’s, they got their first score through Oisin Sweeney, cutting in from the right.

A couple of further efforts didn’t raise a white flag, while a pass from Oisin McHugh into Daire Faulkner gave him a goal chance, but Cian Gildea made a good save.

Ryan Connolly kicked a free for the visitors, but ‘Eunan’s midfielder Lewis Gallagher responded at the other end, and Oisin Tourish put the hosts back ahead again.

They had a good spell in this period, with four points in as many minutes, Seve Roarty hitting the final two and Eoghan Callaghan forced a save from Roan Ladley.

A great dummy and point from Connolly followed, and a Dylan Harkin free narrowed the deficit to the minimum.

Roarty then got a third score after a good move involving Patrick Gallagher, but Connolly replied with a free.

Milford midfielder Jake Morgan then took a shot from 20 yards and found the top corner to put his side ahead, but it lasted less than a minute as Charlie Carr found the roof of the net at the other end.

Sweeney and Connolly traded points before Callaghan scored with the outside of the boot, but a Harkin free made it 1-8 to 1-7 at the break.

Soon after the restart, Caolan Ward and Neil Gordon’s side hit the net again after a good move between Zac O’Carroll, Roarty and Callaghan saw the latter played in and he dummied before firing low into the net.

A couple of points from Morgan, the first a free, with a point from Mark Mitchell coming between those two scores.

Gerald McGeever had a goal chance blocked, but another Connolly free made it a two point game coming into the last ten minutes.  

But after a Sweeney shot dropped short, Patrick Gallagher palmed in for a third goal.

Connolly pointed again, but Lewis Gallagher responded with a free as there were five between the sides with minutes to play.

St Eunan’s had a let off when a Connolly free came off the bar and Sam Tourish cleared off the line, but a minute later a free from Patton was blocked and the rebound was smashed in from Patton to leave just two points in it.

But St Eunan’s went clear late on, points from substitute Caolan Devine and added time points from Gallagher and Roarty made the margin five points and a win for the Letterkenny college.

St Eunan’s College scorers: Seve Roarty 0-4; Eoghan Gallagher and Patrick Gallagher 1-1 each; Oisin Sweeney 0-3; Charlie Carr 1-0; Lewis Gallagher 0-2; Mark Mitchell and Caolan Devine 0-1 each

Loreto Community School: Ryan Connolly 0-6,1f; Jake Morgan 1-2; Conor Patton 1-1; Dylan Harkin 0-2f.

St Eunan’s College: Cian Gildea; Patrick Haslette, Stephen McShane; Ryan Gallagher; Ryan McDaid, Sam Tourish, Mark Mitchell; Zac O’Carroll, Lewis Gallagher; Seve Roarty, Eoghan Callaghan, Charlie Carr; Oisin Sweeney, Patrick Gallagher, Daniel Kiely Clarke. 

Subs: Kurt Obanor and Caolan Devine for Kiely Clarke and O’Carroll (35), Ashton Forester for Callaghan (55), Abraham Igiebor for Sweeney (61)

Loreto Community School, Milford: Roan Ladley; Brandon Murray, Riley Burrowes, Odhran McGlynn; Ben Fowell, Gerald McGeever, Oisin McHugh; Connor Patton, Jake Morgan; Daire Faulkner, Jack Barrett, Jay Harrison; Dylan Harkin, Ryan Connolly, Ruairi Kerr.

Subs: Faolan Caldwell for Harkin (39), Tarlach Duggan for Faulkner (48)