Four Masters minors reach the Promised Land second time around

With 54 minutes on the clock on January 1st 2023, Four  Masters minors led Dungiven by a point and looked to be on their way to Ulster glory. But it was snatched from them by a late Dungiven goal.

One year on and they were back in similar territory on Monday last as they faced Cavan Gaels in the decider. And in the 54th minute Kevin Muldoon found  young Tomás Carr with a sizzling cross-field pass. Carr was fouled as he went for a point and up stepped Oisin Doherty to push the Donegal Town boys three clear.

It was still in the melting pot but when the magnificent Carr brothers, Turlough and Tomás combined to set Conor McCahill on his way a minute before the end of normal time, the insurance point allowed the huge Four Masters support to breathe a little easier.

It was never going to be as easy as their facile win over Castleblayney Faughs in the semi-final but it should have been easier than it was. The eventual three point win didn’t reflect the difference between the two sides. The need to fight to the bitter end and win the battle will stand to these young lads.

The Four Masters management celebrate after final whistle

Standing a few yards from the sideline, you get a great perspective on how tough a battle this was. The intensity from the players from both sides was commendable, with 50-50 balls fought for in a tigerish yet sporting way. It was a joy to watch.

Four Masters had seven players involved from the start this year who played some part a year earlier and that was a factor. The seven included Daniel McGinty, Terence McGovern, Callum McCrea, Conor McCahill, Kevin Muldoon, Turlough Carr and Oisin Doherty.

McCahill picked up the man of the match award. He had made a huge impression on the tournament with  his direct style and over the three games he notched 4-8, an average of almost 0-7 per game.

It is always a subjective thing but I was leaning towards Kevin Muldoon and Tomás Carr, two players who were so involved, especially the moves that led to scores. Young 15-year-old Tomás Carr had a game that made you wonder if his birth certificate was tampered with. He opened the scoring from distance, turned over the ball for Conor  McCahill’s goal and when the game was in the melting pot in the second half with Cavan Gaels back on level terms, young Carr was instrumental in four of the Masters’ six second half points. Amid the mayhem he won a 50-50 ball and took a heavy knock in a head-on-head (accidental) collision with a Cavan player but still got up and played on.

Tomás Carr celebrates with last year's captain Caolan Sweeney

Muldoon hit three of the best dead ball kicks you will ever see - two ‘45s’ and a free from fully 50m on the angle. Overall, he had an involvement of six of the 11 Four Masters scores despite also coming in for some tough tackling. He was selected as the Player of the Tournament.

McCahill took his goal with aplomb and is a real talent. You just have to  love his directness. His 100-mile-an-hour style is difficult to contend with and with a little finesse and experience he can become something special.

I would probably have had the awards the other way around with Muldoon man of the match in the final and McCahill the player of the tournament.

Writing about this team is an easy task, such is the talent. Daniel McGinty, the Luke Littler of the panel, was the ‘keeper last year, and was influential in playing as a sweeper, helping out captain Callum McCrea in dealing with the big Cavan threat,  Joshua Shehu. McCrea has all the hallmarks of being a big player for the future.

Cian Gavigan put in a great shift and Eoghan O’Neill and Terence McGovern shut the door on any Cavan revival in the second half. Big Tiarnan McBride’s ability to turn over ball and contest in the air with Theo Colhoun was also vital. And the one ingredient needed to win any game is workrate and safe hands and this is where Turlough Carr played such a big role, covering every blade of grass and turning defence into attack.

Proud grandfather: Sam Gallagher with his man of the match Conor McCahill

Captain Callum McCrea had words of praise for the backroom team, especially Greg Doherty, who had suffered the loss of his mother, during the campaign.

In his victory speech he said that the panel had won many underage titles but “this was the best of the lot”.

It was special for the winning captain, who was part of the team last year that were beaten by a late goal.

“Last year we got pipped at the end and it was good to come out on the right side this time,” said McCahill, who felt that all the games in the competition were tough.

“They got two goals (in the first half) but we tried to shore up the defence in the second half and keep out the goals.

“It was a privilege to lead these lads out today and bring home the cup. It’s unreal,” said McCrea.

It was special also for the Carr family with two involved again this year. Last year Seanán was the spiritual leader while Turlough came on as a sub. This time both Turlough and Tomás were in the starting line up. “He’s older than me, although you wouldn’t think it,” quipped Turlough afterwards.

“It’s some achievement and it’s some feeling after the win. After last year, I was a sub, we were gutted after,” said Carr, who added: “We’ll have another go at it next year, so we will, both of us.”

Indeed, the two Carrs could have more than one more go at it as the St Paul’s Minor competition will revert to U-18 again next year, so all the teams involved this year will be eligible if they can win their county title. And amazingly for Tomás Carr, he will have three more chances to be involved.

“It’s a great experience playing with the likes of Kevin (Muldoon), Callum McCrea, Conor McCahill, a bunch of superstars around you. It’s unreal.”

Introducing Donegal's six debutants who faced Armagh in the Dr McKenna Cup

Kevin McGettigan and Finbarr Roarty from Naomh Conaill, St Eunan's Ciaran Moore, Oisin Caulfield from Na Rossa, and Four Masters' Seanan Carr played for Donegal for the first time last night, with Daithi Roberts from Gaoth Dobhair joining them from the bench

The win came after three games with Four Masters needing a little luck in the first game to come from behind with two late goals to defeat Magherafelt, in what many pundits described as the real final.

“You say it’s luck, but we did dominate them in the last 15 minutes. And in this final we did use what happened last year, it wasn’t going to happen this year, never,” said Turlough, who praised the work of the big men in the middle of the field.

He also praised the running of Kevin Muldoon. “You can’t stop him when he’s running at full speed,” said Turlough, who felt that stopping the Tully-Shehu combination in the second half was vital.

“We had to get that sorted and putting Danno (Daniel McGinty) out in front was the winning of the game in my opinion.”

Mention must also be made of the huge support which Four Masters took to  Belfast on Monday. The joy on their faces said it all at the end.  For the likes of Sam Gallagher of Robert Emmett’s, seeing his grandson Conor McCahill perform on the highest stage. There was support from the neighbouring clubs extending as far as Naomh Columba with the Doherty connection. Also among the familiar faces on the terrace was Malachy McCann  from Buncrana, a real supporter of Donegal GAA.

The win is another boost to the Four  Masters club and augurs well for the future. They are just the third club from Donegal to  take home the  Jimmy McConville Cup. Killybegs did the double in 1984 and 1985 while Aodh  Ruadh were the last team to win in 1992.

The Killybegs side was laden with talent that was the forerunner for great success at senior level - among them Manus Boyle, the Cunninghams, John and Barry, Barry McGowan, John Bán Gallagher, who would go on to win All-Ireland U-21 and senior medals.

Aodh Ruadh also had a talented side that backboned an Ulster U-21 win in 1995 as well as winning three Donegal senior championships. Brian Roper was man of the match in their winning year with Eamon O’Donnell, Donal Buggy, Anthony McGrath and current Donegal minor manager, Barry Ward, among their ranks.

Aodh Ruadh were also defeated in the 1990 final and with Four Masters making it back-to-back finals, the omens look good for the future of the Donegal Town club.

The Four Masters panel pictured prior to the game

FINAL STATS

Four Masters 1-10, Cavan Gaels 2-4

Four Masters scorers: Conor McCahill 1-1;  Oisin Doherty 0-3,2f; Kevin Muldoon 0-3,2'45s',f; Tomás Carr, Cian Gavigan, Callum  McCrea 0-1 each.

Cavan Gaels scorers: Joshua Shehu, Cormac Crotty 1-0 each; Ben Tully 0-2,1f; Jakub Jaskiewicz (f), Finn Crowe 0-1 each.

Four Masters: Lewis McCaughan, Eoghan O’Neill, Daniel McGinty, Terence McGovern; Cian Gavigan, Callum McCrea, Aidan Quinn; Tiarnan McBride, Theo Colhoun; Tomás Carr, Kevin Muldoon, Patrick McGonagle; Conor McCahill, Oisin Doherty, Turlough Carr.

Sub: Alan McHugh for McGonigle (43)

Cavan Gaels: E Vennettilli; D Sommers, C Doyle, E Griksas; C Galligan, B Hanly, MA McDonagh; B Tully, M Monaghan; C Crotty, J Shehu, F McNamara; J Jaskiewicz, F Crowe, J Dunne. 

Subs: Darragh McDonald for Galligan (39); Marcel Holko for Dunne (53); Josh Dunne for Monaghan (59)

Referee: Brendan Toland (Lamh Dearg, Antrim)