St Eunan's clinch victory against Aodh Ruadh in Donegal Minor B hurling final

Two late goals saw St Eunan’s edge the Donegal Minor B hurling final at the Donegal GAA Centre.

The Letterkenny side had to withstand a spirited wind-assisted Aodh Ruadh second half comeback as the game was tied at 2-10 each by the 49th minute.

Two late goals from Cormac Harron and Parick McCormack after some hesitation in the Aodh Ruadh defence sealed the deal in an exciting finale.

Eunan’s had the strong breeze at the start and quickly moved into a 0-5 to 0-0 lead thanks to points from Conor Harron, the excellent Brendan Gaffey and Jack Kealy by the 14th minute.

Aodh Ruadh’s Corey Sheridan responded with two well struck points. But they were struggling to contain the rampant Gaffey and Kealy who made it 0-7 to 0-2 by the 15h minute.

Shay Winters pointed for Aodh Ruadh before Gaffey struck for Eunan’s first goal in the 22nd minute when he rifled the sliotar low to the net.

Gaffey and Sheridan swapped points before Eunan’s got their second goal when keeper Ben Daly batted the ball clear only for Eunan’s Lorcan Bradely to pounce on the break and goal and his side lled by 2-9 to 0-4 at the break.

At 11 points adrift, it looked a big task for Aodh Ruah but Johnny Lin, Sherian and Cian McDonald spurred a comeback.

Daithi Sheerin and Gaffey swapped- points and Sheridan and Lin were on target before Sheridan fielded well and struck a fine goal to leave Letterkenny leading by 2-10 to 1-7.

Cian McDonald and Joe Gibbons narrowed the gap. Sheridan then struck for his second goal as the momentum swung the Ballyshannon team’s way. And the same player levelled matters at 2-10 each from a 65 with 11 minutes to go. But Aodh Ruadh hit three wides in this period which were to prove costly.

In a breakaway the outstanding Jack Kealy took a speculative shot as the Aodh Ruadh defence hesitated and Harron nipped in for a priceless goal. This knocked Aodh Ruadh back and they got another jolt when Patrick McCormack profited from similar hesitation in their defence and found the net.

Aodh Ruadh replied with a Sheridan point, but time ran out and Eunan’s were worthy winners.

St Eunan’s scorers: Brendan Gaffey 1-5, 3f; Cormac Harron 1-1; Jack Kealy 0-3; Patrick McCormack and Lorcan Bradley 1-0; Conal Harron 0-2.
Aodh Ruadh scorers: Corey Sheridan 2-6,3f; Joe Gibbons 0-2; Johnny Lin, Shay Winters, Daithi Sheerin and Cian McDonald 0-1.

St Eunan’s: Shay Grieve, Jack Dooher, Kilian Barr, Harry McLoughlin; Ruaidhrí Bradley, Ryan Browne, Joseph Duffy; Patrick McCormack, Shane Ellison; Thomas Dooher, Brendan Gaffey, Cormac Harron; Lorcan Bradley, John Kealy, Conal Harron.
Aodh Ruadh: Ben Daly; Rory Cullen, Cilian Bradshaw, Antoin Duffy; Dara O’Mahoney, Gareth Brennan, Lennon Hanney; Johnny Lin, Cian McDonald; Shay Winters, Oisin Gallagher, Daithi Sheerin; Jamie McCadden, Corey Sheridan, Joe Gibbons.
Referee: Ciaran O’Neill (Setanta)