St Mary’s, Convoy lift Junior B title following replay victory over Robert Emmets

St Mary’s, Convoy are celebrating after their one-point win over neighbours Robert Emmets in the replayed Donegal Junior B football final played in Pair Aaoidh Ruaidh, in Killgordon. 

St Mary’s, Convoy 0-12 Robert Emmets 1-8 

After ending all square last weekend, this was another closely contested encounter with the bare minimum splitting the sides at the end.

Benny Bonner and Conor Bonner top scored for the winners with three points each while corner forward Dylan McNamee, with four pointed frees led, the Robert Emmets charge. 

Action from St Mary's, Convoy's Junior B final win over Robert Emmets

The Castlefin men got off to a dream start with a Jordan Tourish goal two minutes into the game. The cornerback, who was up in the attack, was in the right place to toe poke to the net when the ball broke in the St Mary’s goalmouth. 

That was after Jason McDaid kicked the game’s opening point. Benny Bonner responded to reduce the margin to a single over before McNamee landed the first of his two first-half frees as Robert Emmets went back in front by one.

But with Bonner storming into the game, St Mary’s scored the next three points to pull two clear by the 20-minute mark.

Bonner kicked two of those points while Oran Patterson knocked over the other for a 0-5 to 1-1, St Mary’s lead. Dylan McNamee and Conor Patton, after a great run from midfield, then tied up the game for the first time. ‘

Liam Prunty, from long range, sent St Mary’s in, 0-7 to 1-3 in front, at the half-time mark. The teams were level three times in the third quarter and Robert Emmets led once through a McNamee free.  

But three points on the spin from Oran Patterson and Conor Bonner, twice, saw St Mary’s move two clear, 0-11 to 1-6, with under five minutes of normal time remaining. 

Rory Dalton, one of the Robert Emmets players to really rise a challenge in the second period, again made it a one-point game before Conor Bonner, on the break, kicked a fine point to restore St Marys’s two-point advantage. 

Robert Emmets pressed in injury time but another McNamee free from three late strikes was  all the men from Emmet Park had to show for that late push. 

St Mary’s, Convoy scorers: Benny Bonner 0-3,2f, Conor Bonner 0-3, Darren Bonner 0-2, 2f, Oran Patterson 0-2, Jason McDaid, Liam Prunty 0-1 each. 

Robert Emmets scorers; Dylan McNamee 0-4,4f, Jordan Tourish 1-0, Rory Dalton 0-2,1f, Conor Dalton, Owen Haran 0-1, each.  

St Mary's, Convoy: Dannan O'Kane; Oran Patterson, Ronan Donnellan, Conor Bonner; Rory Craig, Ciaran McNamee, Liam Prunty; Cormac Mulrain, Benny Bonner; Michael Patton, Laurence McMullan, Conor Gordon; Darren Bonner, Michael Ayton, Jason McDaid. 

Sub: Cathal Browne for McDaid (13).

Robert Emmet's: Sam McGlinchey; Oran Farrell, Ryan McGirr, Jordan Tourish;  Owen Harran,  Paul Farrell, Niall Quinn; Neil Mulcahy, Conor Dalton; Dean Hughes, Rory Dalton, Jordan McKinney; Ciaran Dalton, Darren McBride, Dylan McNamee. 

Subs: Marcus Curran for McBride (29), Ryan Roe for Tourish (38), Ronan McDaid for Hughes ( 42), Reece Gallagher for Ciaran Dalton (48 mins), Brian Lafferty for Quinn (57)

Referee: Anthony McCallig (Naomh Ultan).

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