Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair snatch dramatic late win over Scoil Muire, Buncrana

Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair are celebrating Ulster School Championship success following their dramatic Faul Cup final win over Scoil Muire, Buncrana, in MacCumhaill Park. 

Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair 1-11:1-10 Scoil Muire, Buncrana 

In an evenly contested decider it took a late final point from corner forward Aaron MacGabhain to snatch a dramatic win for Pobalscoil.

Corner forward MacGabhain stood up and backed himself from 35m out to nail the winning point seconds after Máirtin Mac Giolla Comhaill had tied up the game from a similar free. 

That was deep in injury time and it was a cruel blow for the Ciaran Thompson managed Scoil Muire, who led by two points going into time added on.

Thompson had seen his charges come from four points down ten minutes into the second period.

The Inishowen boys, in a carbon copy of their fine first half performance, with big Tiarnan Doherty storming into the game in the middle off the park and with Darragh Coyle, Dylan Mulholland and Donal Óg Ó Brien busy up front, struck 1-2 without reply as they reeled back in the Gaoth Dobhair boys.

The goal rifled to the net by O’Brien was as cheeky a three pointer as ever scored in MacCumhaill Park.

A long delivery from the towering Tiarnan Doherty broke between Scoil Mhuire full forward Darragh Coyle, and the Pobalscoil number three Dalan O’Baoill. And although going away from goals the crafty Coyle - brother of League Ireland player Mark Coyle - back heeled the ball into the path of O’Brien who made no mistake from the edge of the small rectangle.

The goal levelled the tie at 1-8 each and was a big game changer and when Doherty split the post shortly afterwards Scoil Muire were ahead 1-9 to 1-8. 

Though playing into a stiff wind, the momentum was with the Buncrana boys and when Mulholland converted from a close in free the margin was out to two and time almost up.

It was backs to the wall stuff for Scoil Muire in the four additional minutes of time added on. And while the game was still alive after Mac Giolla  Comhaill reduced the margin to the minimum for a 1-10 to 1-9 game on 60 minutes, it looked as if time was not on Pobalscoil’s side. 

When MacGiolla Chomhaill tied up the game  at 1-10 each on 63 minutes a draw and extra time looked on. But Pobalscoil were not thinking along those lines and in final play MacGabhain  came up with the goods and a first Ulster title at senior level for Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair. 

LED AT BREAK

Scoil Muire led by two points at the break thanks to a late scoring flurry and points from Donal Og O’Brien, Sean McLaughlin and Dylan Mullholland.

Pobalscoil, managed by Niall Friel and Danny Curran, got off to the better start and though playing into a stiff breeze, kicked the game’s opening two scores.

Jack O’Dochartaigh hit the first inside the three minute mark and Máirtin MacGiolla Comhail found the target from a free way out on the stand side, four minutes later.

Dylan Mulholland and Conor Graham responded for Scoil Muire  to leave it level after ten minutes.

But with Darragh O’Fearraigh driving forward Pobalscoil were  two ahead again  by the 20 minute mark courtesy of Cathal De Burca and Jodie Gribin.  

Scoil Muire stormed into the game and reeled off five unanswered points to go 0-7 to 0-4 in front before MacGiolla Chomhaill brought the curtain down on the first half scoring. Scoil Muire led 0-7 to 0-5 at the half-time break. 

Still, in that titanic second half tussle it was Pobalscoil that just about came out on top. 

Pobalscoil scorers: Máirtin Mac Giolla Chomhaill 0-5,3f, Cathal De Burca 1-1, Jodie Cribbin, Jack O’Dochartaigh, Cronan MacPhaidin, Darragh O’Fearraigh, Aodhan MacGabhain 0-1 each. 

Scoil Muire scorers; Donal Og O’Brien 1-2, Dylan Mulholland 0-4,2f; Conor Graham, Darragh Coyle, Sean McLaughlin, Tiarnan Doherty 0-1 each. 

Pobalscoil Gaoth Dobhair: Padraig Mac Giolla Bhride;  Padraig  Ó’Frighil, Dalan O Baoil, Cathal Mac Aodh; Cathal O’Gallchóir, Darragh O Fearraigh, Adam MacIomhair; Darragh O Dochartaigh, Jordie O Gribín; Mairtin Giolla Comhail, Johnnie Mac Giolla Bhride, Lee Mac Giolla Bríde; Cronan Mac Pháidin, Cathal De Burca, Aodhan MacGabain. 

Sub: Alan Dochartaigh for L MacGiolla Bride (46). 

Scoil Mhuire Buncrana: Jamie McCauley: Sean Daly, Leo Kelly, Jamie Friel, Conor Graham, Daniel McMenamin, Andrew Davison; Tiernan Doherty, Oisin McIntyre; Caolan McKinney, Seán McLaughlin, Donal Og O’Brien, Dylan Mulholland, Darragh Coyle, Billy Duffy.

Subs: Aaron Cleary for B Duffy (ht), Elliot Friel for J Friel (50). 

Referee: Marc Brown (Four Masters).