Burt land third consecutive U-21 county title with a thrilling win over St Eunan's

Brilliant Burt made it a magical three U-21 county titles in-a-row after a magnificent battle with St Eunan’s before a big crowd in Convoy on Friday night. 

And while the pitch was slippery, both teams made light of the conditions to serve up a thrilling battle studded with fine scores, heavy legal hits, and lightning pace. 

On balance, Burt deserved their win as they twice recovered from two St Eunan’s goals that might have daunted lesser teams. 

As usual, Liam McKinney led the scoring stakes, hitting 0-10 and was given Man of the Match for the second year in-a-row but he was well supported by his senior county colleague Conor Gartland, Callum Purves, and Aiden McKinney. 

For Eunan’s, Peter Kelly landed 0-4 from frees and Matthew Winters hit a wonder goal, but they just came up short against the worthy champions despite strong displays from David Horgan and Donal Farrelly. 

John Kealy and McKinney swapped early points and McKinney put Burt into a 0-2 to 0-1 lead in the early minutes. 

Eunan’s then profited from a lapse in concentration from Burt keeper Fionnion Gill who batted John Kealy out to Brendan Gaffey who had a simple tap in, and Kelly added a free to put the Letterkenny side into a 1-3 to 0-2 lead after 10 minutes. 

McKinney added two points along with younger brother Aiden McKinney, and Fiachra Gill to level matters by the 17th minute. 

Another McKinney free put Burt in front for the first time in the 18th minute. 

The game was played at a ferocious pace and Kelly leveled matters only for McKinney to put Burt back into a 0-8 to 1-4 lead as the hits came thick and fast. 

McKinney made it 0-9 to 1-4 as half-time beckoned but late points from Winters and Kelly tied matters at the break. 

And the frenetic pace continued on the resumption as Kyron McColgan put Burt back in front. 

But Eunan’s then hit a goal for the ages as the pacey Winters speared through the Burt defence and hammered low and hard to the net to put them into a 2-6 to 0-10 lead. 

The inevitable McKinney replied with a point and Burt missed a golden goal chance but Peter Campbell’s shot just shaved the post. 

McKinney leveled matters and put Burt ahead again by 0-13 to 2-6, but Eunan’s sub Eoghan Walshe made it all square again heading into the final quarter. 

It was then points Aiden McKinney, Oisin Kerr, and Liam McKinney made it 2-7 to 0-16. 

Three minutes of extra time was signaled as Kelly narrowed the gap from a free and he repeated the dose in 90 seconds, and had a chance to draw the match but his long-range effort drifted wide. 

But the drama was not yet over as referee Trevor Maloney played almost 66 minutes with Fiachra Gill and Conor Gartland getting the clinching scores to win the game. 

Burt scorers: Liam McKinney 0-10, 8f; Kyron McColgan, Fiachra Gill, and Aiden McKinney 0-2 each; Conor Gartland and Oisin Kerr 0-1 each.  
St Eunan’s scorers: Peter Kelly 0-5, 3fs; Brendan Gaffey and Matthew Winters 1-1; Eoghan Walshe and John Kealy 0-1 each. 

Burt: Fionnion Gill; Andrew Walker, Kevin Curran, Shane Curran; Kyron McColgan, Callum Purves, James Donaghy; Aidan McKinney, Conor Gartland; Liam McKinney, Fiachra Gill, Oisin Kerr; Ciaran Porter, Peter Campbell, Leo Doherty. Subs: Ciaran Kelly for Leo Doherty (ht), Colm Toner for James Donaghy (59) 

St Eunan’s: Joe Patton; Killian Barr, J P Curran, Ruaidhrí Bradley; Johnny Lambe, Donal Farrelly, Conor Neely; David Horgan, Peter Kelly; John Kealy, James O’Donnell, Brendan Gaffey; Matthew Winters, Matthew Callaghan, Shane Elison. Subs: Cormac Hanlon for JP Curran (ht), Evan McFadden and Eoghan Walshe for Johnny Lambe and James O’Donnell (39), Joseph Duddy for Killian Barr (55) 

Referee: Trevor Maloney (Buncrana)