Welcome sunshine and smiles for St Michael's as Under-13s win thrilling final

St Michael’s smile again. The sun, fittingly, came out for the closing stages as St Michael’s secured the Donegal Under-13 Division 2 Cup on Sunday.

St Michael’s 3-7
Naomh Conaill 2-7

A little more than three weeks since the Creeslough explosion tore the heart from its community, a still grieving St Michael’s took another little step forwards with a win in an entertaining final before a big crowd at the Donegal GAA Centre in Convoy.

Jim McGuinness, resident now in Creeslough, patrolled the line as a coach with Paul Sweeney’s St Michael’s.

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Once, his long, flowing locks graced the blue and white of Naomh Conaill. Here, a McGuinness in similar headdress was a big factor, Mark Anthony - son of Jim - scoring 2-1.

Naomh Conaill wasted no time in getting the afternoon going, Finn Campbell blasting in a goal after only 26 seconds.

St Michael’s were level by the eighth minute and they hit the front when McGuinness scorched up the left flank before thumping home in style.

Mark Anthony McGuinness on the attack.

The rangy Campbell fetched high, swivelled and finished his second goal just a minute later.

You could barely draw breath with the frenetic nature of it all. Just 15 minutes in, Shay Sweeney - excellent throughout - won a Naomh Conaill kick-out. Sweeney had work to do, but did it in style, a superb finish giving Finn Coughlan little chance.

Six minutes before half-time, McGuinness batted an excellent Sweeney delivery to the net.

The nimble Kaua Riquelme and the splendid free-taking of Donnacha Malone ensured Naomh Conaill were firmly in it, although St Michael’s led 3-3 to 2-4 at half-time.

Scorers were at a premium after the break, but Sweeney and McGuinness stretched the St Michael’s lead.

A tussle for possession in Convoy.

Sweeney landed a magnificent ’45, but Naomh Conaill, in spite of a fine display by St Michael’s full-back Cormac Gill, stayed in touch.

Malone opted to go for goal with a close-range free and St Michael’s repelled the effort, while McGuinness did likewise at the other end.

Malone and Campbell made it a two-point game and in a breathless finale a wonderful point by Sweeney sealed the deal.

An entire community - and some from above - willed it over.

St Michael’s scorers: Mark Anthony McGuinness 2-2, 1f; Shay Sweeney 1-4, 1f, 1 ’45; Michael Sheridan 0-1.

Naomh Conaill scorers: Finn Campbell 2-1; Donnacha Malone 0-5, 4f; Kaua Riquelme 0-1.

St Michael’s: Oisin Hughes, Aidan Alcorn, Cormac Gill, Adam Moore, Jamie Druce, Ryan Toye, Michael Sheridan, Aaron McGinley, Shay Sweeney, Oisin Curran, Luke Murray, Eamon McTeague, Mark Anthony McGuinness. Subs: Dean Sweeney-Bonner for McTeague (16), Jude McGeever for Sweeney-Bonner (half-time), Michael Sweeney for Druce (35), McTeague for Curran (36), Danny McColgan for McGeever (43).

Naomh Conaill: Finn Coughlan, Joseph Brown, Keilan Doherty, Eoghan Quinn, Oisin Bonner, Daithi McGill, Donnacha Malone, Seaghan Boyle, Sean McLoone, Ciaran Boyle, Corey Bonner, Kaua Riquelme, Finn Campbell. Subs: Tadhg McGlynn for McGill (35), Oisin McDermott for McLoone (43).

Referee: Val Murray (Aodh Ruadh).