St Eunan's get the better of Gaoth Dobhair to seal place in Senior B final

St Eunan's Senior B side reached the county final and a date with Naomh Conaill next Sunday after a good battle with Gaoth Dobhair in the curtain raiser at Ballybofey on Saturday night.

Gaoth Dobhair 1-10
St Eunan's 1-12

There was little between the sides for most of the game but St Eunan's had the more potent forward line with Lee McMonagle and David Boyle to the fore while Gaoth Dobhair were led well by veteran Kevin Cassidy.

For 26 minutes of the first half Gaoth Dobhair held sway and led by 1-3 to 0-2. But then a big turning point with St Eunan's firing 1-4 before half-time with David Boyle especially to the fore. Boyle hit a free, a mark and a magnificent effort from play while Lee McMonagle added a mark and Cian McMonagle was on the end of a great move to fire to the Gaoth Dobhair net.

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Earlier it was Gaoth Dobhair who looked the better team. Fiachra Coyle had them on the board on 52 seconds and even though Lee McMonagle levelled, Gaoth Dobhair were in for a goal on six minutes with Sean Doherty on the end of a good move to fire low to the net.

Noel O'Donnell responded for St Eunan's but they had a great escape minutes later when Gaoth Dobhair were in for a second goal. But two fantastic stops denied them, first Blake Forkan making a diving save and Noel O'Donnell was on the line to deny Gaoth Dobhair the second opportunity.

Points from Stephen McFadden (free) and Noel Kelly had Gaoth Dobhair 1-3 to 0-2 ahead.

Then came the St Eunan's purple patch. Just before the half-time whistle Gavin Sweeney pointed a free to leave it St Eunan's 1-6, Gaoth Dobhair 1-4 at the break.

Stephen McFadden and Sean Doherty had Gaoth Dobhair back on terms inside five minutes of the second half and the sides were level on three occasions by the end of the third quarter.

However, St Eunan's then opened a gap of three with points from Patrick McColgan, David Boyle (free) and Lee McMonagle. Gaoth Dobhair lost full-back David McGee to a harsh black card but kept coming back and two minutes into added time, they had the deficit down to one thanks to Noel Kelly points, but Donnachadh Devenney, not long on the field,  hit the final point to send St Eunan's to the final.

Gaoth Dobhair scorers: Noel Kelly 0-5,3f; Sean Doherty 1-1; Stephen McFadden 0-2,1f; Gavin Sweeney (free), Fiachra Coyle 0-1 each.
St  Eunan's scorers: David Boyle 0-4,2f, 1m; Lee McMonagle 0-4, 1m; Cian McMonagle 1-0; Patrick McColgan 0-2; Noel O'Donnell, Donnachadh Devenney 0-1 each.

Gaoth Dobhair: Gavin Sweeney; Sean Noel McFadden, David McGee, Roan O Tuairc; Sean  Gallagher, Sean Doherty, Conor McFadden; Stephen McFadden, Peter McGee; Cathal de Burca, Noel Kelly, Fiachra Coyle; Stephen McFadden, Kevin Cassidy, Donal Mac Lochlainn. Subs:  Johnny O'Donnell for S Gallagher, Mark McFadden for S McFadden (both 44); Jamie Doherty for MacLochlainn (51); Cian Mac an tSaoi for C McFadden (53).
St Eunan's: Blake Forkan;  John Gibbons, Darragh Toal, Sean Freeburn; Ryan Hilferty, James Kelly, Ultan McGuinness; Cian McMonagle, Noel O'Donnell; Lorcan O'Donnell, Cormac Finn, Patrick McColgan; David Boyle, Lee McMonagle, Eddie Blake. Subs: Paddy McGowan for L O'Donnell (44); Matt Ahearne for Gibbons (47); Josh Hay for Boyle (51); Donnachadh Devenney for McColgan (59).
Referee: Siobhan Coyle (Gaeil Fhanada)