Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair bow out of Markey Cup against St Pat’s, Keady

Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair paid the price for leaking six goals as they bowed out of the Danske Bank Markey Cup in Celtic Park on Friday afternoon.

The west Donegal side will feel that this was a game that got away from them. Offensively they were strong, even against the breeze in the opening half when they scored seven points. However Keady were able to stretch them at the back, get in behind the cover and then find the net.

Pobalscoil showed tremendous resilience to come back time and again from those hammer blows and remain in the game. Indeed with a few minutes to go they were still in with a chance to snatch a result. But dual-star Jack Loughran, who was Player of the Match when Keady won the recent Danske Bank Casement Cup final with a late burst against Rathmore Grammar, finished an excellent team move with their sixth green flag and that sent them through to meet St Columb’s who had snatched victory over St Mark's Warrenpoint in the other semi-final on Wednesday with a goal in added time.

Liam Rafferty, Loughran and Seán óg McNaughton, all of whom starred in Casement Cup success, did well for the winners, as did Padraig Comiskey while Jordi Ó Gribín, Cathal Rua Ó Gallchóir and Oisín Ó Duibhir did their best to keep Pobalscoil in the game.

Rafferty struck gold for Keady in the opening five minutes with a goal. But Ó Duibhir and Pádraig Mac Giola Bhríde with two points each pulled Gaoth Dóbhair back into the game. Midway through the half Pádraig Comiskey hit the net for Keady’s second goal.

Again the Gaeltacht boys reacted well and they were on level terms at 2-1 to 0-7 a couple of minutes from the break only for Seán óg McNaughtnon to edge Keady ahead by a point at the whistle.

Nevertheless the Pobalscoil management would have been happy enough with the score-line against the breeze. They got the second half off to a good start with a goal from a move involving Tadhg Ó Baoill and Máirín Mac Giolla Chomhaill.

However it seemed that every step forward they took, Keady were able to knock them back.

Olas Kurowski goaled to make it 3-2 to 1-7 and even though Ó Duibhir came back with two points, one a free, and Cathal Mac Aoidh a third point to edge Pobalscoil ahead once more, Jack Loughran hit back with a goal for Keady.

There were points from Rafferty, McNaughton and Anthony Brady before a fifth goal from Dara McKee.

But those scores still didn't finish off the Donegal school. They fought back with a second goal from Cathal Mac Aoidh and three points to close the gap to two points. However Loughran’s late goal, the pick of the eight scored, finally killed them off.

St Patrick’s scorers: J Loughran 2-0, L Rafferty 1-1, P Comiskey, O Kurowski and D McKee 1-0 each, S óg McNaughton 0-2, L Corr and A Brady 0-1 each

Pobalscoil scorers: M Mac Giolla Chomhaill and C Mac Aoidh 1-1 each, O Ó Duibhir 0-4, P Mac Giolla Bhríde 0-3, J Ó Gribín 0-2, JP Ó Gallchóir 0-1

Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair: M Mac Giolla Bhríde, A Ó Dochartaigh, C Mac Aoidh, Tiarnán Mistéil, O Caomhánach, C Ó Gallchóir, L Breathnach, J Ó Gribín, P Mac Giolla Bhríde, M Mac Giolla Chomhaill, M Mac Aoidh, T Ó Baoill, C Mac Pháidín, B Mac Pháidín, O Ó Duibhir.

Sub: JP Ó Gallchóir for M Mac Aoidh