Cloughaneely crowned deserving U-21 B champions with victory over Burt

Cloughaneely lifted the U-21 B title on Saturday evening in Convoy with a stirring second-half performance helping to see off Burt by seven points. 

The opening period had been a close affair with the Inishowen side going in, in front, at 1-5 to 1-4. 

But with Burt not registering a single score on the restart and Cloughaneely kicking with the elements in Act Two, Kevin Scanlon’s side upped the ante and powered to a deserving victory. 

Burt had also got off the mark first, just 15 seconds in, when Liam Óg McKinney made the yards and Andrew Walker added the finishing touches. 

Clouganeely opened their account on five minutes with Donnachadh Ó Baoighill winning out in front, top of the right, and swinging over a fine effort off the right peg. 

And the Falcarragh side grabbed the lead for the first time as Blake Mac Gairbheith made his presence felt after a determined drive along the right-hand side. 

Burt were back level on 11 minutes when centre half-forward Shayne Gallagher took advantage of generous space in front of him on the edge of the Cloughaneely defensive third. 

Mac Gairbheith was at it again moments later as his floated free cleared the crossbar to push Cloughaneely 3-2 clear. 

Cloughaneely seemed to then steal a real march when - on the quarter-hour mark - a speculative effort from out the field from Padraig Mac Giolla Comhaill somehow hopped between the legs of Burt ‘keeper Fiachra Gill. 

Down the other end, the Inishowen side also raised a green flag in fortuitous circumstances when Conor Gartland’s miscued ‘45 was swatted home by the alert Shaunie Bradley. 

A Burt brace, through midfield pair Conor Gartland and McKinney, then seen the lead change hands at 1-4 to 1-3. 

Ó Baoighill and Ciaran Porter traded points before the short whistle and that meant Burt held a one-point advantage at the changeover. 

The second-half was slow to bubble but on 37 minutes it took a great save from Matthew Ó Ryder to prevent Burt from going further in front when a direct ball from distance found Gartland but he was denied from close to point-blank range. 

Gill was also called into action for Burt as Carragher Ó Frighill also had a pop at goal from close range. 

It took until the 43rd minute for the second-half deadlock to be broken and it was Ó Baoighill, with his third, squaring the game up at 1-5 apiece. 

Mac Gairbheith followed that lead as he also jumped to three for the night and Cloughaneely were back in front approaching the last ten minutes. 

A superb Shaunie Bradley free from the wide left-hand side followed up by another from play,  had Cloughaneely 1-8 to 1-5 clear nearing the hour mark. 

And with Mac Gairbheith grabbing a late 1-1 in added time, Cloughaneely crossed the line in comfrotable enough stead at the end.  

Burt scorers: Shaunie Bradley 1-0; Andrew Walker 0-1; Shayne Gallagher 0-1,1f; Liam Óg McKinney 0-1; Conor Gartland 0-1; Ciaran Porter 0-1. 

Cloughaneely scorers: Padraig Mac Comhaill 1-0; Donnachadh Ó Baoighill 0-5,1f; Blake Mac Gairbheith 1-4.

Burt: Fiachra Gill; Kyron McColgan, Leo Kelly, Callum Purves; Caolan McKinney, Kevin Curran, Aidan McKinney; Conor Gartland, Liam Óg McKinney; Darrach Donaghey, Shayne Gallagher, Ciaran Porter; Andrew Walker, Oisin Kerr, Shaunie Bradley. 

Subs: Fionn O’Riordan for S Gallagher (ht); Aaron Clarke Doherty for C Gartland (48); Eoin McDaid and Shayne Gallagher for Donaghey and Kerr (both 56)

Cloughaneely: Matthew O’Ryder; Ciaran Ó Domhnaill, Remy Ó Moráin, Caoimhín Ó Baoill; Josh Ó Scanláin, Seamus Ó Dugáin, Caolán Mac Nultaigh; Tiarnáin Mac Gionntaigh, Lorcan Mac Aoidh; Padraig Ó Dubhchoin, Blake Mac Gairbheith, Tomás Ó Rathallaigh; Padraig Mac Giolla Comhaill, Carragher Ó Frighill, Donnachadh Ó Baoighill.

Subs:  Ethan Ó Frighill for C Ó Baoill (ht); Cathal Mac Íomhair for Ó Dubhchoin (50); Stiofain Ó Cuireain for Ó Scanláin (59); Donal Mac Aodh for Mac Nultaigh (60+3).

Referee: Pat Barrett (Milford).