St Eunan's survive Kilcar comeback to take their place in Donegal senior final

St Eunan’s are through to defend their county title after a good tussle with Kilcar in the semi-final of the Michael Murphy Sports senior championship in MacCumhaill Park.

Kilcar 1-11
St Eunan’s 1-13

The Letterkenny side got a test but they came through in the end. It looked as if St Eunan’s would have an easy passage when they went six up approaching half-time but fair play to Kilcar, they hit a late first half goal and then got back level on a couple of occasions in the second half.

But the south-west side could never get their noses in front and the better bench of St Eunan’s proved the difference in the end.

Kilcar relied much too heavily on the excellent Patrick McBrearty while Andrew McClean put in a big effort at centre half-back.  But in most of the tussles St Eunan’s came out on top, which left them very worthy winners.

The O’Donnells were to the fore once again while Darragh Mulgrew put in a really big display at midfield. The kick-outs of Shaun Patton were awesome at times, and yet he still finds it hard to convert frees from the 45m line, pulling his only effort near the end.

Conditions at MacCumhaill Park were probably the best they were all day with the wind settled and no rain.

Patrick  McBrearty set the pattern finding the range on 44 seconds but St Eunan’s didn’t take long to get into their stride. Peter Devine went the length of the field to fist over the equaliser and the Letterkenny boys were ahead on seven minutes when a high delivery from Shane O’Donnell for a point dropped short. The Kilcar defence failed to deal with it and it fell invitingly for Padraig McGettigan to slot home from point blank range.

St Eunan’s added another point a minute later when a pin point kick-out from Shaun Patton found Darragh Mulgrew. The ball was transferred quickly and Conor O’Donnell found space coming through the middle to slot over.

Kilcar hit back through that man McBrearty, firing over a free and then finding the range from near the sideline under the stand.

Padraig McBrearty and Darragh Mulgrew restored the St Eunan’s four point lead while Andrew McClean cut through to fire over a fourth Kilcar point.

Niall O’Donnell and Patrick McBrearty traded frees by the 21st minute. But then St Eunan’s took a firm grip, adding three points from the impressive Conor O’Donnell, Ciaran Moore and a Niall O’Donnell special.

With the gap at six points, it looked as if St Eunan’s would take a comfortable lead to the dressing rooms at the break, but there was one final twist when Patrick McBrearty swung for a point, but it dropped short and similar to the first goal,  the St Eunan’s defence didn’t deal with it and big Jason Campbell was in to fist to the net.

Half-time: St Eunan’s 1-8, Kilcar 1-5.

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Kilcar had a goal chance four minutes into the second half when the ball was turned over in midfield. Eunan’s ‘keeper Shaun Patton was on the ‘45’ line and stranded but Patrick McBrearty just didn’t get the time to look up. But he still drove through to fire over the first score of the second half.

A minute later Ryan McHugh cut the lead to the minimum as Kilcar began to win some mini tussles. They were back on terms on 40 minutes when Conor Doherty won a free. Patrick McBrearty’s effort fell short but was recycled and it came back to McBrearty to find the range.

Kevin Kealy and Andrew McClean traded scores in a 60 minute period. Niall O’Donnell won a free of Brian O’Donnell which O’Donnell converted on 48 minutes. The lead was out to two a minute later when Niall O’Donnell created an opening and Caolan Ward lofted over with his left.

Ciaran Moore extended that lead with a lovely left footed finish after a neat and patient build-up by St Eunan’s.

Ciaran McGinley hit back for Kilcar but another superb kick-out by Shaun Patton to Niall O’Donnell created an open goal chance for St Eunan’s. Darragh Mulgrew drove through and found Eoin McGeehin, who somehow managed to put the ball over the bar with a minute and a half of normal time left.

Kilcar kept plugging away but could only manage one final point, a free from their main man McBrearty.

Kilcar scorers: Patrick McBrearty 0-7,3f; Jason Campbell 1-0; Andrew McClean 0-2; Ryan McHugh, Ciaran McGinley 0-1 each

St  Eunan’s scorers: Padraig McGettigan 1-1; Niall O’Donnell 0-3,2f; Conor O’Donnell snr, Ciaran Moore 0-2 each; Caolan Ward, Peter Devine, Kevin Kealy, Eoin McGeehin, Darragh Mulgrew 0-1 each.

Kilcar: Kevin Campbell; Pauric Carr, Brian O’Donnell, Ryan McShane; Ryan McHugh, Andrew McClean, Oran Doogan; Ciaran McGinley, Jason Campbell; Stephen McBrearty, Conor Doherty, Eoin McHugh; Daniel Lyons, Patrick McBrearty, Mark McHugh. Subs: Mark Sweeney for E McHugh (20); Darragh O’Donnell for Sweeney (60)

St Eunan’s: Shaun Patton; Conor Parke, Caolan Ward, Aaron Deeney; Peter Devine, Conor O’Donnell snr., Peter McEniff; Sean McGettigan, Kevin Kealy; Ciaran Moore, Shane O’Donnell, Darragh Mulgrew; Padraig McGettigan, Niall O’Donnell, Eoin McGeehin. Subs: Sean McVeigh for P McGettigan, Kieran Tobin for McEniff (both 39); Conor Morrison for Parke (60)

Referee: Jimmy  White (Killybegs)