Four Masters show brilliance as they defeat Buncrana to retain their minor title

Four Masters retained their Division 1 Minor Championship title with a devastating performance to defeat Buncrana at the Donegal Training Centre in Convoy.

Four Masters 3-14 Buncrana 0-5

Oisin Doherty hit 2-9 but arguably Conor McCahill was man of the match, almost unmarkable in this contest. There were many other great performers also, not least the Carr brothers Turlough and 15-year-old Tomas.

Kevin Muldoon, the midfield pairing of Theo Muldoon and Tiarnan McBride as well as captain Callum McCrea all played their part.

The sides had met in the Division 1 League decider earlier in the year with Buncrana victors. But that was against a Four Masters team that had been split evenly into two teams.

Prior to the start of both minor finals in Convoy, a minute's silence was observed in memory of those lost in the Creeslough Tragedy one year to the day.

It was the Oisin Doherty show in the opening quarter as the Four Masters full-forward helped himself to 2-3. Four Masters were playing against the breeze but made light of it with Conor McCahill tearing their backline to shreds with his runs.

Doherty had the scoreboard ticking after just 19 seconds and there were just a minute on the clock when McCahill cut inside the full-back and fired for a goal. The 'keeper Stephen McNulty saved but Oisin Doherty had the simple task of tapping home the rebound.

When McCahill won a free on five minutes, Doherty again tapped over. Buncrana did get a couple of scores by the 10th minute, Dylan Mulholland from a free after Aidan Quinn overcarried and another from play.

But the Four Masters machine was still going well. Tomas Carr won a free for Doherty to point and when Conor McCahill rounded Elliot Friel once more, he set up Doherty to fire home a second goal.

Conor McCahill eventually got his name on the board with a brilliant point on 20 minutes while Donal Og O'Brien replied at the other end.

Oisin Doherty added another point and then brought a great save from McNulty in the Buncrana goal. Conor McCahill and Kevin Muldoon (with his left) added to their tally. Dylan Mulholland, after missing a free, fired over from the 13m line before Oisin Doherty, fittingly, had the final point of the half from a free to leave it Four Masters 2-8, Buncrana 0-4 at the break.

There was no let up from Four Masters as Conor McCahill had a point after 25 seconds. Oisin Doherty missed a free but then despatched another for a 12 point lead.

Four Masters celebrate their win Picture: Evan Logan

Further frees followed from Doherty, the second after he was scythed down by Donal Og O'Brien, who was shown a black card and lucky to escape a red.

The third goal arrived on 40 minutes when Dylan Mulholland was turned over and the long delivery found Kevin Muldoon, who sent Conor McCahill through the middle to fire to the net with his right.

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Cloughaneely side not flattered by the three point win as they had much the better all-round team

With the Buncrana heads down, they game ambled to its inevitable conclusion. Oisin Doherty and Mulholland traded scores with Four Masters throwing in five substitutes.

Aaron Cleary closed out the scoring with a Buncrana free in added time but the game was up at that stage

Four Masters scorers: Oisin Doherty 2-9,4f; Conor McCahill 1-3; Kevin Muldoon, Theo Colhoun 0-1 each.
Buncrana scorers: Dylan Mulholland 0-4,2f; Donal Og O'Brien 0-1; Aaron Cleary 0-1,f.

Four Masters: Lewis McCaughan; Alan McHugh, Daniel McGinty, Terence McGovern; Cian Gavigan, Callum McCrea, Aidan Quinn; Tiarnan McBride, Theo Colhoun; Tomas Carr, Kevin Muldoon, Patrick McGonigle; Conor McCahill, Oisin Doherty, Turlough Carr.
Subs: Callum Dunnion for Muldoon (45); Lee McNamee for McGovern (49); Jake Quinn for T Carr (51); Darragh Griffin for Gavigan (53); Fintan Quinn for McCaughan (56).

Buncrana: Stephen McNulty; Jack Gill, Elliot Friel, Shay Deeney; Shay Coyle, Andrew Davison, Devin McCarron; Ciaran McNulty, Aaron Cleary; Billy Duffy, Dylan Mulholland, Donal Og O'Brien; Daithi Shaw, Jack Guilfoyle, Daire McColgan.
Subs: PJ Doherty for Shaw (25); Padraig McGonigle for D McColgan (45); Killian Doherty, Brendan Sharkey and Darragh McDaid for PJ Doherty, Shay Coyle and Jack Guilfoyle (all 60)

Referee: Anthony McCallig (Naomh Ultan)