Cill Chartha deserving winners as they capture All-Ireland Gaeltacht crown

It was a journey worth taking for all Cill Chartha fans on the June Bank Holiday as the men from Towney eased their way to All-Ireland Gaeltacht glory with a nine-point win over Naomh Anna in Cork in the Centenary Year.

There was no doubt that the Donegal side were the better of the two teams as they put down a real marker and, as usual, proved they will be one of the main teams to watch in Donegal this season. 

It was a slow start in Cork with Cill Chartha proving the more dominant team early doors. Matthew McClean would fire over his side’s first score in the opening minute from a free but a series of wides followed for the next eight minutes before Mark McHugh kicked over from distance. 

It took the Galway side a long time to settle themselves, with Naomh Anna not registering a shot for the opening 11 minutes until Éamonn Ó Loingsigh just about punted the ball over the bar. 

However, Cill Chartha would push on as they registered three unanswered points with Eoin McHugh and Ciaran McGinley landing their names on the scoreboard. 

Naomh Anna’s Warren Seoighe kept his side in it when he shot off his right from 45 metres to get his side’s second point on the 16th minute. But Cill Chartha was finding it all too easy with Stephen McBrearty and Conor Doherty breaking the Galway side’s defensive line with ease to widen the gap, the latter of whom could've shot for goal but opted instead for the point. 

Entering into the final five minutes of the half, Naomh Anna seemed to up their intensity in the game a slight bit with Ó Loingsigh nailing over his second point, but Cill Chartha refused to go away as Matthew McClean nailed his second point of the afternoon to put five between the sides.  

Naomh Anna’s Óisin Mac Donnacha got his first point of the afternoon from a free, but McBrearty hit form as the half ended, with the inside forward slotting over brilliant back-to-back points before Mac Donnacha again nailed the final score of the half as the teams marched to the dressing rooms for the half-time break with the Donegal side leading 0-10 to 0-5 points. 

Cill Chartha suffered a slight scare when the match resumed with Naomh Anna’s Kasey Ó Ceallaigh plowing through the Donegal defense for goal, but the ball was stopped on the line and pulled back for a free which Mac Donnacha kicked over. 

However, the Cill Chartha men responded promptly with Eoin McHugh and McGinley kicking over their second points of the afternoon to keep six between the teams. 

Excitement began to enter into the game when Seoighe broke through to find himself clean through on goal. As he let fire, he was pushed inside the box by McGinley with the ball being saved on the line, the result ended with the Galway man being awarded a penalty which he cooly slammed home, sending the Cill Chartha goalkeeper the wrong way. 

But McGinley and McBrearty were the two standout stars who led from the front as they hit the next two scores over the bar to make it 0-14 to 1-6 as the teams entered the final quarter. 

Mac Donnacha would hit over a point for his side from a free, but Cill Chartha would respond with three points in three minutes with McClean firing two over while the ever-present McBrearty hit his fifth to leave it 1-7 to 0-17 points. 

Conor O’Donnell broke through the Naomh Anna defense to feed Mark Sweeney who was on for goal, but the substitute opted for a fisted point as Cill Chartha edged further ahead, and by the time Pauric McShane nailed over a fantastic point from a tight angle on the 58th minute, it was certain it was going to be a day for the blue and yellow as they led by eight. 

Eoin McHugh would hit the final point of the afternoon for Cill Chartha as the men from Towney ran out deserving winners on a 0-20 to 1-8 scoreline. 

Scorers – Cill Chartha: S Mac Bréartaigh 0-5; M Mac Giolla Aon 0-4, 2fs; E Mac Aoidh and C Mac Fhionnghaile 0-3; P Mac Seáin, C Ó Dochartaigh, C Ó Dubhgáin, M Mac Suibhne and M Mac Aoidh 0-1 each. Naomh Anna: Ó Mac Donnacha 0-5, 5fs; W Seoighe 1-1, 1 penalty; É Ó Loingsigh 0-2, 2fs. 

Cill Chartha: C Ó Cóilín; B Ó Domhnaill, P Mac Giolla Cheara, R Mac Seáin; C Ó Dubhgáin, M Mac Aoidh, Ó Ó Dubhgáin; E Mac Aoidh, C Mac Fhionnghaile; M Mac Giolla Aon, C Ó Dochartaigh, E Caomhánach; R Ó Domhnaill, S Mac Bréartaigh, G Ó Ludhog. Subs: P Mac Seáin for E Caomhánach (39 mins); C Ó Domhnaill for C Ó Dubhgáin (41 mins); M Mac Suibhne for R Ó Domhnaill (44 mins); E Mac Coirmaic for G Ó Ludhog (58 mins) 

Naomh Anna: C Ó Flatharta; C Mac Donnacha, S Ó Ceallaigh, E Mac Donnacha; C Ó Catháin, C Bairéad, T Ó Curraoin; M Bairéad, K Ó Ceallaigh; M Mac Donnacha, W Seoighe, É Ó Loingsigh; D Seoighe, Ó Mac Donnacha, F Mac Donnacha. Subs: P Ó Ceallaigh for T Ó Curraoin (51 mins); P Ó Ceallaigh and S Seoighe for E Mac Donnacha and M Bairéad (both 60 mins)