St Eunan’s lift Junior Hurling Championship title at the expense of Burt 

St Eunan’s are the new Donegal JHC title holders after they comfortably seen off the challenge of Burt. 

St Eunan’s 2-13 Burt 2-8

The Letterkenny men held their Inishowen counterparts off at a comfortable arm’s length throughout having really gotten on top thanks to the first of Eugene Organ’s two goals, registered right at the end of the opening half. 

And when the veteran Organ netted once again at the three quarter hour mark, there simply was no way back for Burt. 

St Eunan’s, on their own patch, also held the upper hand at the end of what was a pretty poor first-half spectacle. But it could have been much different had Burt’s early goal not been blown for over carrying. 

Instead, Eunan’s would eventually head for the changing rooms six points to the good thanks, in large, to Organ’s fortuitous opening goal. 

Burt’s Gerard Boyle had broken through just seconds in but saw his pull on the grounded sliotar saved by Daire McBride. 

Niall Campbell picked up the pieces and while he arrowed to the back of the net, he was adjudged, harshly perhaps, to have carried possession for a little too long. 

Organ would then open the scoring for the Black and Amber while Campbell quickly had the Inishowen men off the mark up the other end.  

St Eunan’s would manage to grab the next four overs as Organ bagged a double and Gavin Forde (free) and Paul O’Donnell also posted. 

0-5 to 0-1 behind, Campbell nabbed his and his side’s second on 27 minutes to reduce the gap back to a goal. 

However, Eunan’s would then somehow scramble the ball to the back of the net as Organ managed to convert with four or five others also attempting to pull on the grounded sliotar.

Mickey McCann had the final say of the opening period for Burt but by the midpoint, the scoreboard would read 1-5 to 0-3 in St Eunan’s favour.  

O’Donnell grabbed his second of the contest, right after the restart as he let fly from distance. Burt were up and running once more three minutes in thanks to another Campbell free.

Eoin Scanlon then got his name on the scoresheet as Eunan’s continued to lead, on a scoreline of 1-7 to 0-4. 

Burt’s most prolific outlet, Campbell, added his fourth of the contest, again from a free, to reduce arrears to five. The back and fourth continued as Forde moved Eunan’s out to 1-8 for the afternoon on 37 minutes. 

McCann nailed his second of the game to leave it 1-8 to 0-6. Brilliant and direct play from Calvin Aidoo then drew a close range free which allowed Forde to once again gift his side a six-point cushion. 

Burt then almost forced a goal but the Eunan’s defence cleared the danger. A direct delivery into the Eunan’s area right after wasn’t dealt with competently by McBride but with Campbell pulling on the grounded sliotar, he could only send it wide of the target. 

Eunan’s drifted to 1-10 through Forde and with Organ majestically plucking out of the air close to goal, his turn and finish was just as sweet as the Letterkenny outfit finally put this one beyond all doubt.  Forge got on the mark again right after to leave it 2-11 to 0-6. 

Leo Kelly did pull a goal back for Burt while McCann quickly added a point to trim the gap back to seven. 

Before the end, Forde added Eunan’s final two points. And while Leo Doherty did bag a late, late Burt goal it was a case of much too little and much too late for Paul Burns’ team. 

St Eunan’s scorers: Eugene Organ 2-3; Gavin Forde 0-7,3f; Paul O’Donnell 0-2; Eoin Scanlon 0-1. 

Burt: Niall Campbell 0-4,3f; Mickey McCann 1-3,1f1’65; Leo Doherty 1-0; Callum Porter 0-1.  

St Eunan’s: Daire McBride; James Patrick Curran, John MacIntyre, Mark Mulholland; Chris Murray, Adie Gaffey, Lee Scanlon; Colm Flood, Noel O’Donnell; Calvin Aidoo, John Lambe, Eoin Scanlon; Paul O’Donnell, Eugene Organ, Gavin Forde. 

Subs: Thomas Crossan for Aidoo (51), Aidoo for Lambe (53), Ronan Kelly for Organ (58), Mark McGinty for Scanlon (58), Eoin Boyle  for Mulholland (59) 

Burt: Enda McDermott; Darius McColgan, Ciaran Dowds, Callum Porter; Mickey McCann, Patrick Curran, Niall McGlynn; Rory Grant, Conor McLaughlin; Ciaran Kelly, Gerald Boyle, Jack Gallager; Niall Campbell, Jack Lavery, Leo Kelly. 

Subs: Leo Doherty for Lavery (ht), Leo Kelly for Grant (51), Michael Gill for C Kelly (53), Colm Toner for Conor McLaughlin (55) 

Referee: Aidan McAleer (Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaion).