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22 Oct 2025

Late points send Letterkenny Gaels into Junior A final once more after win over Na Rossa

The Letterkenny side were pushed all the way by Na Rossa, who led by two points at the break after being wind-assisted in the opening half.

Late points send Letterkenny Gaels into Junior A final once more after win over Na Rossa

Conor McBrearty of Letterkenny Gaels has a shot at goals in the Junior semi-final Picture: Thomas Gallagher

It took two superbly struck points from Brian Diver and Ronan Frain to clinch this feisty affair in added time to give Letterkenny Gaels a narrow but ultimately deserved win over a game Na Rossa side that led for 45 minutes.

Letterkenny Gaels 0-12
Na Rossa 0-10

But while Letterkenny Gaels were worthy winners, they did get a fair rub of the green and none more so than when referee Kenneth Byrne controversially ruled a Conor McBrearty shot as a point after his umpire signalled a wide in the 45th minute.

It looked a clear wide to this observer, but it levelled the match at 0-9 each after wind-assisted Na Rossa deservedly led by 0-9 to 0-7 in a richly entertaining first half.

Byrne's decision sparked furry on the Na Rossa bench and resulted in strong verbal comments being directed towards the referee and Referee Administrator Pat Walsh, who was supervising on the sideline.

Some of the comments were excessive but it did seem that Na Rossa found it harder to get frees than the Gaels in the second half.

Having said that, their discipline slipped in the opening half as the Gaels converted a number of frees to stay in touch.

But refereeing decisions were not the reason for their defeat.

The main reason was that they could not get up the field enough in the second half against the tricky wind and could only score one point from sub Jamie McCready in the 61st minute to tie matters at 0-10 each.

Another key factor was Letterkenny Gaels’ ability to use their height advantage to win possession in the second half and it took a fantastic save from Na Rossa ‘keeper Martin Molloy to save a certain goal in the 37th from Gaels’ star Brian Diver.

Na Rossa had the better start and eased into a 0-4 to 0-0 lead by the sixth minute thanks to some fine efforts from Aiden McHugh, John Paul McCready and the cultured left foot of one Cillian Bonner.

It took the Gaels eight minutes to register their first score from Ronan Frain.

They had a good goal chance two minutes later when Diarmuid Cahill's dangerous cross was fisted just wide by the towering Conor McBrearty.

McHugh increased Na Rossa's lead to 0-5 to 0-1 with Cormac Cannon adding two swift replies to leave just two points between the sides after 20 minutes.

Bonner then hoisted over a mighty point as Frain hit back in a high scoring, free flowing affair.

Bonner added another before Frain and Diarmuid Cahill made it 0-7 to 0-6 by the 25th minute.

McHugh tacked on two more points for Na Rossa and Frain replied to leave Na Rossa leading by 0-9 to 0-7 at the break.

The pace dropped as tempers frayed in a ragged second half with a number of minor stoppages and a few scrimmages.

In a three minute period referee Byrne brandished yellow cards to Christian Bonner, Oisin Caulfiled and John McDyre of Na Rossa and Ronan Frain and the impressive Kevin Langan for the Gaels.

Scores were hard to come by before the Gaels hit two on the spin to level matters.

Brian Diver's effort seemed to just drift inside the post after a great effort from the sideline.

But Conor McBrearty's leveller was much more controversial.

Both sides made a number of switches in an effort to break the deadlock.

Diver raised a big cheer from the Gaels’ fans when he gave them the lead from a free for the first time in the 53rd minute.

Na Rossa fought back and sub McGeady set up a frenetic finish.

But it was the Gaels who prevailed with two great points in added time to reach the final for the second year in succession, where they will be hoping to banish the blues of last year's final defeat to Downings.

For Na Rossa, this was their third successive defeat in county semi-finals.

Letterkenny Gaels scorers: Conor Frain 0-4,3f; Brian Diver 0-3,1f Cormac Cannon 0-2,1f; Sean McDonagh, Diarmuid Cahill, Conor McBrearty 0-1 each.

Na Rossa scorers: Aiden McHugh 0-5,2f; Cillian Bonner 0-4,1f; Jamie McCready 0-1.

Letterkenny Gaels: Shane Graham; Sean Crossan, Niall Diver, Conor Browne; Sean McDonagh, Ray Quinn, Diarmuid Cahill; Anthony Diver, Paddy Doherty; Brian Diver, Darren Hunter, Cormac Cannon; Ronan Frain, Conor McBrearty, Kevin Langan. Subs: Conor Walker for Cormac Cannon (40), Liam McAlary for Sean Crossan (53).

Na Rossa: Martin Molloy; Brian O'Donnell, Denis O'Donnell, Daniel M Melly; Oisin Caulfield, Johnny Bonner, Mark Bonner; Eugene Molloy, John McDyre; Aiden McHugh, Christian Bonner, Matthew Smith; Cillian Bonner, Adam McHugh, JP McCready. Subs: Kealan Devenney for JP McCready (26,inj), Jamie McCready for Adam McHugh (43), Odhran Molloy for Kealan Devenney (51), JP Breslin for Brian O'Donnell (57).

Referee: Kenneth Byrne (Naomh Columba)

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