St Eunan's beat Dungloe with minimal fuss to reach semi-final of U-21A

St Eunan’s eased their way into the last four of the Donegal U-21A Championship following a comfortable win over Dungloe under the lights at MacCumhaill Park, with David Boyle scoring 1-7.

St Eunan’s 3-18 Dungloe 0-1

The side managed by Sean McVeigh and Peter Devine were in control right from the off and scored the first seven points of the evening. When Dungloe finally got going with a score from Oran Gallagher, it only acted as a prelude to two St Eunan’s goals in the space of a minute with Boyle and Daragh Ellison the scorers to make for a 2-7 to 0-1 lead. Donal Higgins would add a third in the second half. 

The first of those goals came when Boyle rounded off a fine move that involved Ciaran Moore and Cian McMonagle on 23 minutes. Then, from the very next play Ellison was on hand to slot past Caolan Bonner following Shane O’Donnell’s pass.

The Letterkenny side continued to work through the processes and Winston’s second point of the game and Ellison adding to his goal, it meant the half-time score was 2-9 to 0-1.

The Dungloe panel before their quarter-final of the Donegal U-21A Championship in Ballybofey

The fixture had been moved all week between on and off, Monday and Thursday, and venues at Dunfanaghy, Convoy and the Banks - although at half-time it mattered little with the contest well and truly over.

Ellison and Boyle got the second half scoring going for St Eunan’s and on 37 minutes Higgins, who had been brought in at the break, smashed a third goal. On 45 minutes it was 3-12 to 0-1.

Draw made for Donegal U-21A Championship semi-finals

St Eunan's, Termon, MacCumhaill's and Gaoth Dobahir all met in the northern group stage of the U-21A Championship and having defeated the southern qualifiers in the last eight, now meet again in the semi-finals

St Eunan’s ran the bench in the closing stages and Boyle and Winston in particular kept the scoreboard ticking.

St Eunan’s scorers: David Boyle 1-7, 1f, 2m; Daragh Ellison 1-2; Oran Winston 0-5; Donal Higgins 1-0; Ciaran Moore 0-2, 1f; Shane O’Donnell, Cian McMonagle 0-1.
Dungloe scorers: Oran Gallagher 0-1, 1m.

St Eunan’s: Ronan Coady; Gavin McCarron, Pauric Hughes, Brian Drumm; Noah Barrett, Kieran Tobin, Cian McMonagle; Eoin Dowling, Cian McMonagle; Oran Winston, Ciaran Moore, Dylan Doogan; Shane O’Donnell, David Boyle, Daragh Ellison. Subs: Donal Higgins for Drumm (half-time), Josh Haye for Tobin (36), Eoghn Doherty for O’Donnell (43), Nathan Plumb for Hughes (46), Donnache Devenney for Ellison (51).
Dungloe: Caolan Bonner; Anthony O’Donnell, Aaron Ward, Aidan McGee; Cian McGee, Dylan Wallace, Conor Diver; Brendan McCafferty, Ryan Brennan; Ethan McCaffrey, Jordan Saville, Patrick McGarvey; Oran Gallagher, Dylan Sweeney, Dara Ward. Subs: Sean O’Donnell Brown for Wallace (34), Cian Gallagher for McCaffrey (45), Eoghan Walsh for Diver (50)
Referee: Sean McDaid (Urris).