Moville CC crowned Irish News Cup champions with win over Scoil Mhuire Buncrana

Moville Community College U-14.5’s side won the Irish News Cup when they had 10 points to spare over Scoil Mhuire Buncrana at the Carrick Field, home of Moville GAA, on Thursday. 

Three first-half goals, including one from Jake Laird on the stroke of halftime, laid the foundations for Moville CC’s win. 

Leading by eight points at the break, they played down the slope in the second half and defended their lead superbly, withstanding Scoil Mhuire’s early two-goal salvo, eventually running out comfortable winners.  

Scoil Mhuire opened the scoring as early as the third minute when Tiernan McGonagle was picked out in the parallelogram by Oisin O’Brien and rounded the keeper for a well-taken goal. O’Brien then hit a point for the quick-starting Convent side.  

Playing uphill, Moville CC’s response was quick with Ronan Doherty and Oisin O’Hare clipping over points before Senan Doyle hit an 11th-minute goal, and volleyed the ball to the net to put his side into the lead for the first time.  

Moville CC were dominant in the second quarter, which kicked off when corner forward Jack Allen swept the ball to the net after Ronan Doherty had seen his shot come back off the post. 

Scoil Mhuire were struggling to win their own kickouts with Mark Faulkner and Cillian Lynch regularly winning possession and keeping Moville on the front foot. 

O’Hare (2) and Cillian Lynch pointed to extend the Foylesiders’ lead out to six points, 2-5 to 1-2, by the 25th minute. 

At the other end, keeper Harry Farren made a good save from an Oisin O’Brien goal attempt after the latter had soloed through half the Moville defence.  

Andrew McLaughlin would fire over a long-range point shortly after, but a Jack Laird goal on the stroke of halftime put Moville 3-5 to 1-3 clear at the break and left Scoil Mhuire with a hill to climb both on the scoreboard and on the pitch in the second half.  

Three goals in the opening five minutes of the second half hinted at a possible Scoil Mhuire comeback, but Moville CC dropped back a couple of forwards to assist the defence and retained their tight grip on the contest. 

Scoil Mhuire’s first goal had a touch of good fortune to it. Oisin O’Brien’s free-kick dropped short and in over the head of keeper Harry Farren in the second minute. 

Moville replied instantly with Ronan Doherty firing over a point then they again won possession off the Convent kickout and Jack Allen lobbed the ball over keeper Lorcan McCarron and into the net. 

The Buncrana school hit back with the always-busy Caoimhin Crawford cracking home a goal that reduced the deficit to six points, 4-6 to 3-3, but that was as close as Scoil Mhuire would make it. 

Moville CC pulled players back into defence, opting to soak up the Scoil Mhuire attacks, force turnovers, and then swiftly move the ball into attack where dangermen Oisin O’Hare, Ronan Doherty, and Jake Laird had acres of space to operate in. 

O’Hare hit the next three points of the game, two from play and one from a free, as Moville CC opened up a nine-point lead. 

Scoil Mhuire, driven on by the strong running of Conor Cullen, Andrew McLaughlin, and Oisin O’Brien continued to ask questions of the Moville defence, and Kai Gallanagh had a goal attempt saved by Farren, but there were too many bodies back for them to create good chances. 

Oisin O’Brien did add a point before the end, but two O’Hare frees and another good save by Farren ensured a 10-point win and Moville Community College. 

Moville Community College scorers: Oisin O’Hare 0-8; Jack Allen 2-0; Jake Laird and Senan Doyle 1-0 each; Ronan Doherty 0-2; Cillian Lynch 0-1. 
Scoil Mhuire Buncrana: Oisin O’Brien 1-2; Tiernan McGonagle 1-1; Caoimhin Crawford 1-0; Andrew McLaughlin 0-1. 

Moville Community College: Harry Farren; Harry McHenry, Cian Doherty, Jamie Cavanagh; Sean McCool, Martin McColgan, Charlie Atherton; Mark Faulkner, Cillian Lynch; Bobby Lee, Oisin O’Hare, Senan Doyle; Jack Allen, Ronan Doherty, Jake Laird. Subs: Matthew Doherty, Aaron McLaughlin, Harry McDaid, Charlie O’Donnell, Adam Marston, Padraig Barton, Shay Hegarty, Jude Hannaway, Conan McLaughlin, Tyler Melly, Aaron Havlin, Aaron McElhinney, Michael Keogh. 

Scoil Mhuire Buncrana: Lorcan McCarron; Oisin Callaghan, Oisin Dougan, Connor Barron; Cadhan Mulhern, Conor Cullen, Peter Bradley; Oisin O’Brien, Andrew McLaughlin; Caoimhin Crawford, Ronan Ó Donghaile, Kai Gallinagh; James McConnell, Tiernan McGonagle, Danny Friel. Subs: James Donaghy, James Doherty, Ronan Ferguson, Oisin Henry, Eoin Kelly, Fintan Lavin, Seimi McCallion, Ryan O’Loughlin, Daniel McGonagle, Conal Lavery 

Referee: James Callaghan (Setanta)