Aedán Stokes steps up to earn Buncrana a share of the spoils at home to Setanta

A point 30 seconds from time from Buncrana’s Aedan Stokes earned the home side a draw with Setanta in a scrappy affair at The Scarvey.

In a game where Buncrana hit nine wides to Setanta’s twelve, the home side might feel they left victory behind, having led for considerable periods.

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Buncrana led 0-6 to 0-5 at halftime in a wind-assisted opening half. Setanta welcomed back county man Sean Ward and new signing Rory Porteous, who was joint captain of the Fermanagh county team in 2025 and has recently moved to the club’s area.

Buncrana, with the breeze, eased into a 0-3 to 0-0 lead thanks to two pointed frees from marksman Caolan O’Neill and another point from play. Setanta responded with a pointed free from Niall Cleary, but the home side quickly restored a three-point lead with a point from play from Stokes.

O’Neill landed another free to put Buncrana 0-5 to 0-1 ahead after 20 minutes. However, they hit a number of wides in the run-up to the break, as Setanta settled and replied with points from Niall Cleary (free) and Ryan Coyle (play).

Sean Ward, back from the Middle East, pointed from a free for the visitors, leaving Buncrana ahead 0-5 to 0-4. O’Neill added their final point of the half, to which Cleary replied from a free, leaving Buncrana 0-6 to 0-5 at the break.

Setanta had the wind in the second half but, like Buncrana in the first, struggled with wides. Dean Harvey levelled matters with a pointed free, and O’Neill responded from play to leave it 0-8 to 0-6, ten minutes into the second half.

Setanta keeper Kevin Campbell took over free-taking duties as his side had been missing too many placed balls. He landed two points to tie the game at 0-8 each by the 50th minute.

Both sides then exchanged wides until Campbell hit his side’s final point to put Setanta ahead for the first time in the 57th minute. But Stokes pounced 30 seconds from time to level matters for Buncrana.

Buncrana scorers: Caolan O’Neill 0-7, 5f; Aedan Stokes 0-2

Setanta scorers: Niall Cleary 0-3, 3f; Kevin Campbell 0-3, 3f; Dean Harvey, Sean Ward and Ryan Coyle 0-1 each.

Buncrana: Tom Clare; Noel McLaughlin, Ciaran McLaughlin, Luke Lafferty; Caolan Mulholland, Conor Grant, Peter Grant; Aedan Stokes, Caolan O’Neill; Jack Callaghan, Ruairi Doherty, Kevin O’Rourke; Ross Doherty, Gavin Teehan, Darren Doherty. Subs used: Carl Mallon, Adam Houten, Alex Duffy.

Setanta: Kevin Campbell; Thomas McMenamin, Rory Porteous, Denim Rowan; Mark Callaghan, Ruairi McLaughlin, Ryan Callaghan; Justin McBride, Dean Harvey; Sean D’Arcy, Niall Cleary, Ryan Coyle; Aed McLaughlin, Noel Ewing, Sean Ward. Subs used: Bernard Lafferty, Cathal Foy, Simon McMenamin.

Referee: James Connors (St Eunan’s).