St Eunan's edge classic senior quarter-final with late winner against Naomh Conaill

St Eunan's are through to the Donegal senior championship semi-final after a very entertaining encounter with champions Naomh Conaill in MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey.

The Letterkenny side looked winners in the opening half and they led by four at the break but Naomh Conaill showed that they are made of great stuff by storming back in the second half to twice lead but Eoin McGeehin stepped up in added time to get his side over the line, but only just.

On a glorious evening for football St Eunan's looked sharp from the very first whistle. Shane O'Donnell, their playmaker, showed the way by firing over the opening point on five minutes.

James Kelly added a second on nine minutes which looked to be dropping short but a couple of Naomh Conaill defenders ensured it went just over. It took old stager Anthony Thompson to show the way for Naomh Conaill as he won a free for Ciaran Thompson to open their account a minute later.

But the St Eunan's dominance of possession was converted into scores with Conor O'Donnell jnr pointing a free before brothers Conor O'Donnell snr and Niall O'Donnell had St Eunan's 0-5 to 0-1 ahead on 16 minutes. The latter point came after a big turnover on AJ Gallagher and Shane O'Donnell found his brother with a long probing delivery.

Charles McGuinness converted a free won by Brendan McDyer but Niall O'Donnell responded for St Eunan's. Anthony Thompson again showed his forwards the way with Naomh Conaill's only point from play in the opening half, while in added time at the end of the opening half Conor O'Donnell jnr converted another free to leave St Eunan's deservedly ahead by 0-7 to 0-3 at the break.

St Eunan's had a great chance to put daylight between the sides at the start of the second half but Niall O'Donnell messed up a mark and Darragh Mulgrew fired high and wide when there was even a goal for the taking.

Then a mistake in the St Eunan's defence allowed Ciaran Thompson to cut the lead to three. Mistakes were being made at random and Naomh Conaill could have been back within one but two efforts dropped short as the noise levels began to rise.

Finnbarr Roarty, the best Naomh Conaill player in the opening half, found Charles McGuinness with a great diagonal ball and the full-forward cut the lead to two on 39 mintues.

A brilliant long range pass from Anthony Thompson found Keelin McGill all alone for a mark and he left just a point between the sides on 43 minutes. Naomh Conaill were really in the game and even when Shaun Patton found Eoin Dowling with a magnificent kick-out almost on the Naomh Conaill '45', Naomh Conaill turned it over and went up field for Dermot Molloy to win a free and Ciaran Thompson had the game all square.

Finnbarr Roarty again became the provider with another superb pass to John O'Malley to put Naomh Conaill ahead. They had scored five points without reply and St Eunan's were finding it hard to find a way. Conor Morrison was the man to step and he found Darragh Mulgrew to level matters at 0-8 each on 51 minutes.

Old hand Brendan McDyer won a free at the other end for Ciaran Thompson to nudge Naomh Conaill ahead for the second time with seven minutes of normal time left. Almost immediately Ciaran Moore stepped up to level again from an acute angle.

With four minutes of added time Naomh Conaill had the first possession but were turned over and St Eunan's with 30 seconds left found Eoin McGeehin to nudge them ahead. Oran Winston picked up a black card as Naomh Conaill were wide but they got another chance as the clock ticked into the 67th minute.

Niall O'Donnell was the second St Eunan's player black carded and Dermot Molloy had a late chance to force extra-time but his effort went wide.

St Eunan's scorers: Conor O'Donnell jnr 0-2,2f; Niall O'Donnell 0-2; Conor O'Donnell snr, James Kelly, Shane O'Donnell, Ciaran Moore, Darragh Mulgrew and Eoin McGeehin 0-1 each.
Naomh Conaill scorers: Ciaran Thompson 0-4,4f; Charles McGuinness 0-2,1f; Anthony Thompson, Keelin McGill (mark), John O'Malley 0-1 each.

St Eunan's: Shaun Patton; Aaron Deeney, Eamonn Doherty, Conor Morrison; Anthony Gallagher, Conor O'Donnell snr, Kieran Tobin; Eoin Dowling, James Kelly; Ciaran Moore, Shane O'Donnell, Kevin Kealy, Niall O'Donnell, Pauric Boyle.
Subs: Darragh Mulgrew for Kealy (30); Eoin McGeehin for P Boyle (37); Caolan Ward and Lee McMonagle for A Gallagher and Tobin (both 51); Oran Winston for C O'Donnell jnr (61)

Naomh Conaill: Stephen McGrath; Jason Campbell, AJ Gallagher, Logan Quinn; Kevin McGettigan, Anthony Thompson, Finnbarr Roarty; Ethan O'Donnell, Ciaran Thompson; Brendan McDyer, Odhrán Doherty, Keelin McGill; John O'Malley, Charles McGuinness, Leo McLoone.
Subs: Dermot Molloy for K McGettigan (43); Mark McDevitt for O'Malley (61)
Referee: Marc Brown (Four Masters)