Forde goal gives St Eunan’s the edge on Burt

Russell Forde struck the game-winning goal as St Eunan’s defeated Burt in an exciting Donegal Senior Hurling League clash at Hibernian Park on Friday evening.

Burt 0-16

St. Eunan’s 1-15

Forde drifted in behind the home defence and when a high ball broke to him he finished well with a low shot past the outstanding Paul Burns.

St Eunan’s were ahead by the minimum, 0-8 to 0-7, at half-time as Matt Ahern’s late point tipped the scales.

Points from Christy McDermott and Caolan McDermott had given Burt the edge, but Peter Kelly’s frees head St Eunan’s in the hunt.

On the resumption Jack Gallagher, Kieran Brady and Kevin Curran put Burt ahead, with Kelly again closing the gap.

St Eunan's have it easy in a very tame league game in Fintra against Killybegs

Despite hitting 15 wides, the Letterkenny men were much too good for an understrength Killybegs

Eight minutes into the second half, Forde netted the key score.

Burt rallied with two Gallagher frees, but the Letterkenny men took control of the game in the final quarter scoring five unanswered points, with Ryan Hilferty very prominent in winning ball.

Kelly struck two long range points and Ahern hit a purple patch with three fine scores in ten minutes.

A late Burt rally began with two Gallagher frees, but two saves from Lee Scanlon kept the visitors in front.

When a last minute Caolan McDermott effort just cleared the crossbar the final whistle blew, leaving St. Eunan’s with a two point winning margin.

Burt scorers: Jack Gallagher 0-7f; Christy McDermott 0-3; Caolan McDermott 0-2; Ciaran Porter, Kieran Brady 0-1.

St Eunan’s scorers: Peter Kelly 0-7, 5f; Matt Ahern 0-5; Russell Forde 1-0; Paul O’Donnell 0-2; Brian McIntyre 0-1.

Burt: Paul Burns, James Donaghey, Tom Doherty, Gareth Quinn, Dara Grant, Caolan McDermott, Ciaran Curran, Kevin Curran, Stephen Gallagher, Kieran Brady, Jack Lavery, Ciaran Porter, Jack Gallagher, Christy McDermott, Kevin Glenn.  Subs: Callum Purves, Paraic Curran, Darius McColgan, Odhran Devlin, Michael Gill, Leo Doherty.

St. Eunan’s:  Daire McBride, Conor Neely, Mark Connaughton, Lorcan Harvey, Brian McIntyre, Steven Doherty, Ryan Hilferty, Sean Halvey, Peter Kelly, Russell Forde, Paul O’Donnell, Thomas Crossan, Gavin Forde, Matt Ahern, Chris Murray.  Subs: Lee Scanlon, Kevin Kealy, Mark Mulholland, John Lambe.

Referee: James Callaghan.