Limited fuss as St Eunan's defeat St Naul's to get SFC bid underway

St Eunan’s, the beaten finalists last year, began their latest Donegal SFC quest with a routine home win over St Naul’s.

St Eunan’s 1-14 St Naul’s 1-7

Six converted frees by Conor O’Donnell junior helped Rory Kavanagh’s men get off and running with limited fuss.

Three points in as many minutes, two of them O’Donnell frees which sandwiched a Caolan Ward point, as the game entered its final quarter, put any lingering doubts firmly to rest.

Stephen Griffin slammed home a penalty for St Naul’s in added time after Ward was deemed to have fouled Joe Campbell.

However, Shaun Patton - with his opposite number Gavin Mulreany well out the field - thumped the subsequent kick-out right into the hands of Dara Mulgrew, who fed Eoin Geehin to net with ease.

Ten minutes into the second half, Kavanagh could be heard telling his charges to ‘keep it for ten minutes’. There were periods when there was just a kick of the ball between them, but St Eunan’s never looked in danger of being caught napping.

Dara Mulgrew posted the game’s first point after 52 seconds and they led from then until the last blow of Shane Murrin’s whistle.

Donegal ace Peadar Mogan got St Naul’s off and running, but St Eunan’s were 0-4 to 0-1 ahead by the 11th minute when Mulgrew nailed his second of the evening.

The lively Conor O’Donnell junior helped keep St Eunan’s in front, but St Naul’s managed to stay in touch and they were within three when Barry Griffin surged forward and launched over from 40 metres.

Visiting ‘keeper Gavin Mulreany held onto the ball when stopping a McGeehin centre at his near post late in the half and Stephen Griffin was off-target with a chance to narrow the margins a little more.

St Eunan’s were 0-7 to 0-4 in front at the interval and an excellent Ciaran Moore point stretched the advantage two minutes after the restart.

St Eunan’s were dethroned as Donegal champions in controversial circumstances last October. They were 1-3 to 0-4 in front of Naomh Conaill at half-time when Shane O’Donnell was sent off. That decision was a crucial factor in the turning of the tide as Naomh Conaill grabbed hold of Dr Maguire on a day that has left a sour taste in the Cathedral Town.

The O’Donnell brothers - Shane, Conor and Niall - were kept in reserve here having just returned from a summer in the United States, although Niall appeared for the last 15 minutes and clipped the game's final point.

St Eunan’s scorers: Conor O’Donnell 0-6, 6f; Eoin McGeehin 1-2, 1m; Dara Mulgrew 0-2; Kevin Kealy, Ciaran Moore, Caolan Ward 0-1, Niall O’Donnell each,

St Naul’s scorers: Stephen Griffin 1-4, 1pen, 4f; Peadar Mogan 0-2, Barry Griffin 0-1.

St Eunan’s: Shaun Patton; Conor Morrison, Caolan Ward, Noel O’Donnell; Peter McEniff, Kieran Tobin, Brian MacIntyre; Kevin Kelly, Dara Mulgrew; Eoin Dowling, Dylan Doogan, Ciaran Moore; Conor O’Donnell Junior, Eoin McGeehin, Peter Devine. Subs: Conor Parke for Devine (35), Niall O’Donnell for Doogan (46), Eamonn Doherty for Noel O’Donnell (57).

St Naul’s: Gavin Mulreany; Niall Prenderville, Brendan McCole, Caolan Gaffney; Martin Breslin, Oisin Mogan, Thomas White; Kyle Campbell, Shane Connelly; Barry Griffin, Stephen Griffin, Michael Coughlan; Stuart Johnston, Peadar Mogan, Ian Campbell. Subs: Joe Campbell for Prenderville (36), Declan Duignan for Connelly (55).

Referee: Shane Murrin (Killybges).