David Quinn stars as Four Masters lift JHC title at expense of holders St Eunan’s

Four Masters are the new Donegal JHC champions after they seen off reigning title holders St Eunan’s in O’Donnell Park. 

In the end, the Catherdral men were just three points off the winners’ coattails. But truth be told, this was a convincing win for the Donegal Town outfit. 

Peter McFarlane’s charges led 1-14 to 0-9 with just two minutes of normal time left on the clock. 

And while Eunan O’Donnell’s side did grab a late 1-2, Four Masters were too far out the gate at that stage with 'Player of the Match' David Quinn finishing with a stunning tally of 1-11. 

Master and, in particular Quinn, were in fine scoring form inside the opening quarter as they led 1-3 to 0-1. 

Quinn lamped an impressive pair of early frees before also nailing a 12th-minute penalty to the back of the St Eunan’s net. 

Gavin Forde had just got the Black and Amber moving, from a free, but with Quinn landing another free from out the park, five points split the sides a quarter of an hour in. 

Forde and the relentless Quinn, twice, were again the men hitting the target as the gap stretched to six for the Donegal Town hurlers. 

The game’s first score from play didn’t arrive until the 28th minute and it was no surprise that Quinn was again the man swinging over the crossbar. 

Two minutes into the red and Leo Dunphy finally broke Quinn’s monopoly on Four Masters’ scoring as he launched the Tír Conaill Park men into a nine-point interval lead.  

St Eunan’s were quick out the blocks on the restart as Forde landed a brace, one from play and once from a placed sliotar, as the Letterkenny side chased down a seven-point deficit. 

Quinn’s ability to find the target from any range or angle was again evident on 38 minutes when he registered from the extreme right of the ‘65. 

Forde responded up the other side but Quinn was the man once again stepping up with another long-range free - this time from the centre of his own ‘65. 

On 41 minutes Master stopper Shane Patton did so well to nick the sliotar just as Calvan Aidoo was about to pull the trigger on goal. 

Nearing the fourth and final quarter Russell Forde, sprung at the break, dragged Eunan’s to 0-6. 

And with brother Gavin Forde adding his sixth soon after, the scoreboard now read 1-10 to 0-7 in Masters’ favour. 

Still, Masters again found a seven-point lead as Jason Duignan sailed over. Moving into the final ten minutes and chief score-getters at both ends, Forde and Quinn (free), added to their tallies while Eugene Organ also grabbed a point for Eunan’s to leave it 1-12 to 0-9. 

Down the stretch, Quinn and Eoin McAmhlai would bring the scoring curtain down for the winners. 

And while Eoin Scanlon’s speculative effort late on did somehow find the net, that headway only served to gloss the scoreboard ever so slightly. 

Gavin Forde would close out matters for St Eunan’s with two injury time frees but there was no doubt Four Masters were deserving winners on the day. 

Four Masters scorers David Quinn 1-11, 10f 1P; Leo Dunphy 0-1; Eoin McAmhlai 0-1, Jason Duignan 0-1.   

St Eunan’s scorers: Gavin Forde 0-9,6f; Eoin Scanlon 1-0; Eugene Organ 0-1; Russell Forde 0-1;  

Four Masters: Shane Patton; Liam Quinn, Shaun Campbell, Shaun Conway; Oliver Nolan, Shane McNulty, Stiofan Mac Piarais; Leo Dunphy, Eoin McAmhlai; Paul Patton, Oisin Burke, Jason Duignan; Lee Hanna, Colm Hunter, David Quinn. 

Subs: Sean Mulhern for Hanna (50), David Rogers for S Campbell (55), Frank Duffy for Mac Piarais (60+2) 

St Eunan’s: Cian Hennesy; Killian Barr, JP Curran, Matthew Noonan; Mark Mulholland, Aide Gaffey, Joe Duddy; Oisin Randles, Lee Scanlon; Rory Doherty, Gavin Forde, Calvan Aidoo; David Kilcullen, Eugene Organ, Eoin Scanlon. 

Subs: Russell Forde for Kilcullen (ht), Noel O’Donnell for Noonan (56)

Referee: Noel Mullaney (Gaeil Fhánada)