Naomh Conaill get the better of St Eunan's in a cracking U-21 A quarter-final tussle

A strong performance in a wind-assisted second half saw Naomh Conaill edge a real high-quality thriller in Davy Brennan Memorial Park.

For this was a game studded with some fine scores, exhilarating moments of individual magic and some magnificent saves from both keepers.

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St Eunan’s had the wind in their favour in the first half and deservedly led by 1-7 to 0-6 at the break.

But they could only muster four points in the second half as Naomh Conaill tagged on ten points to edge out their opponents.

Eunan’s looked the sharper side in the early stages and midfielders Luke McGuinness and Pauric Hughes were especially prominent, and the surging runs of Noah Barrett were putting the Naomh Conaill defence under heavy pressure.

Eunan’s keeper Fintan Doherty made the first of four super saves when a relatively quiet Finbarr Roarty put Marc Gavigan through on goal only for Doherty to make a fantastic save.

The towering Oisin Scanlon opened the scoring for Eunan’s in the eighth minute.

It got even better for Eunan’s two minutes later when a clever chip from Brynn Drumm sailed into the Naomh Conaill net via the upright to put the Letterkenny lads into a 1-1 to 0-1 lead.

But keeper Doherty was back in action again as he smothered a goal-bound shot from Roarty.

Shay Malone pointed a free for the home side as Doherty landed a 35-metre effort for the visitors.

Further points from Thomas Roche and David Horgan pushed Eunan’s to a 1-4 to 0-1 lead after 15 minutes.

It was then Stephen McDevitt showed real leadership for Naomh Conaill as he galloped through the Eunan’s defence and hit a fine point into the teeth of the breeze.

The nippy Barrett and dual star John Kealy put Eunan’s in front by 1-6 to 0-2 after 21 minutes.

Naomh Conaill’s Danny Brown broke through, but his low shot went agonisingly on the wrong side of the post as Malone landed a badly needed point from a free for the home side.

Brown atoned for his miss with a fine point and Tiernan Ward reduced the deficit to four points.

At the other end, Eunan’s Philip Doherty had two point-blank shots stopped by keeper Dylan McGlynn.

Ward and Max Campbell pointed for Naomh Conaill to leave Eunan’s leading by 1-7 to 0-6 at the break.

A wind-assisted Naomh Conaill had a strong restart when McDevitt, Sean Doherty and Brown hit three points in a blistering four-minute spell.

Campbell levelled matters in the 38th minute as Eunan’s struggled to get forward against a strong Naomh Conaill press.

They found their feet with points from Luke McGuinness and Oran Ryan.

Naomh Conaill had another great chance of a goal when Brown’s shot was smothered by Doherty — but he had two colleagues in better positions.

At the other end, McGlynn brilliantly denied Eunan’s Philip Doherty a certain goal.

It was all square five minutes from time, but three late points from McDevitt, Ward and Malone sealed a narrow but deserved win for the home side.

Naomh Conaill scorers: Shay Malone 0-4, 3f; Danny Brown 0-4; Tiernan Ward 0-3; Max Campbell and Stephen McDevitt 0-2 each; Sean Doherty 0-1.

St Eunan’s scorers: Fintan Doherty 0-2; Brynn Drumm 1-0; John Kealy, David Horgan, Luke McGuinness, Noah Barrett, Thomas Roche, Oisin Scanlon, Oran Ryan and Philip Doherty 0-1 each.

Naomh Conaill: Dylan McGlynn; Fergus Campbell, Jackie Chen, Niall Roarty; Marc Gavigan, Thomas McDevitt, Oran Doherty; Max Campbell, Finbarr Roarty; Marc McDevitt, Danny Brown, Sean Doherty; Stephen McDevitt, Shay Malone, Tiernan Ward. 

Subs: Jamie Byrne for Fergus Campbell (h-time), Leon Gallagher/McDyer for Sean Doherty (35), Daniel Breslin for Marc McDevitt (45).

St Eunan’s: Fintan Doherty; Senan Martin, John Kealy, David Horgan; Evan Daly, Eoghan Farren, Brynn Drumm; Luke McGuinness, Pauric Hughes; Evan Hickey, Philip Doherty, Noah Barrett; Oran Ryan, Thomas Roche, Oisin Scanlon. 

Subs: Owen Doherty for Evan Hickey (43), Luca Barrett for Brynn Drumm (53), Rory Kavanagh for Philip Doherty (58).

Referee: Pat Barrett (Milford).