Super sub McCahill fires Four Masters into minor championship final

Super sub Conor McCahill fired Four Masters into the Donegal Minor Championship final.

Four Masters 2-9
Termon 1-8
(After extra time)

McCahill hit a goal and a point in extra time as Four Masters, finally, prevailed against Termon in a tense semi-final on Saturday night in Ballybofey.

Termon - who had a penalty saved in the first half - needed a pair of late points to even the sums at 1-7 apiece at the end of normal time.

McCahill struck the decisive goal in the 77th minute, coolly firing past Michael McDonnell to the bottom corner.

McCahill had only just fired over a point to edge Four Masters ahead after Cian McMenamin pulled a free wide at the other end.

Dominant Glenswilly overcome Naomh Conaill to return to minor final

The Michael Murphy-managed Glenswilly proved too strong for Naomh Conaill in their MFC semi-final

Daniel McIntyre, another sub, might have put the icing on the cake, but Termon full-back Emmett McGettigan made a superb saving block.

There were only 15 seconds gone in the second half of normal time when Oran Gallagher weaved his way into position. HIs persistence paid off when he fired to the bottom corner of the Four Masters net.

Termon had trailed by a point at half-time, but the new-found lead was short-lived. A little more than two minutes later, Daniel Quinn rose highest to bat a Ciaran Cassidy free to the net.

Four Masters held sway, but only just, with a monster score from Kevin Muldoon aided their hopes.

With time running out, Termon drew level. First, John James Sweeney arrowed in an inspirational point and it was all aboard when Oran Gallagher clipped over in the 59th minute.

A Cian McMenamin free and an Oran Gallagher point from play had Termon 0-2 to 0-1 in front after Conor Meehan’s early free drew first blood for Four Masters.

When Patrick Fegan went to group after taking an Oisin McGroarty pass, Anthony McCallig awarded the Burn Road men a penalty, but Daniel McGinty, the Four Masters goalkeeper, was equal to Cian McMenamin’s effort.

Muldoon and Meehan inched Four Masters ahead by the 19th minute. Daniel Quinn picked up the pieces to fire over after the ball fell loose when Muldoon tried to cut a path through the Termon rearguard.

Fegan first-timed at the other end, but Daniel McGinty saved routinely.

Two superb free from John James Sweeney had Termon within a point at the break. Sweeney landed one from 40 metres and curled over another classy effort from the right hand side in added time.

It was Four Masters who held the slender 0-5 to 0-4 advantage at the break, but they needed extra time and the intervention of McCahill to get over the line and into the final, where they’ll play Glenswilly.

Four Masters scorers: Conor McCahill, Daniel Quinn 1-1 each; Conor Meehan 0-3, 3f; Kevin Muldoon 0-2; Caolan Sweeney, Senán Carr 0-1 each.

Termon scorers: Oran Gallagher 1-2; John James Sweeney 0-3, 2f; Cian McMenamin 0-2, 2f; Caolan Curran 0-1.

Four Masters: Daniel McGinty; Theo Colhoun, Fiachra O’Donnell, Terence McGovern; Leo McGowan, David Monaghan, Caolan Sweeney; John Bell, Jake Graham; Ruairi McLaughlin, Senán Carr, Kevin Muldoon; Conor Meehan, Daniel Quinn, Callum McCrea. Subs: Conor McCahill for Quinn (45), Daniel McIntyre for McLaughlin (50), Tiarnan McBride for Bell (79).

Termon: Michael McDonnell; Gareth Gallagher, Emmett McGettigan, Eoin Gallagher; Rian Nibbs, Cormac Brady, Jack O’Neill; Cian McMenamin, John James Sweeney; Oisin McGroarty, Patrick Fegan, Caolan Curran; Ciaran Cassidy, Gary McGettigan, Oran Gallagher.  Subs: Cormac Cassidy for McGroarty (39), Ryan McMenamin for Nibbs (48).

Referee: Anthony McCallig (Naomh Ultan).