Four Masters complete double with Minor Championship final win over Glenswilly

Three goals in a nine-minute spell swung the balance of power towards Four Masters to seal the County Division 1 Minor Championship title against Glenswilly.

Four Masters 3-10
Glenswilly 2-6

It’s the latest brick in the wall for the Donegal town outfit, whose excellent recent form at underage level means there’s shoots of optimism in the air about Tírchonaill Park. In defeating Glenswilly their minors completed not only a league and championship double, but also a clean sweep throughout the age brackets with this side. 

It’s a fifth official title, following on from the wins 1996, 2001, 2002 and 2007. Four Masters were also the Division 1 League winners in 2020, which was a competition that doubled as the championship during times of pandemic. 

For Glenswilly and Michel Murphy, the search for an underage A crown continues and for the second season in a row they have lost the minor final. Glenswilly had turned a 0-5 to 1-0 deficit into a 1-5 to 0-5 advantage approaching half-time, only for a goal from Ruairí MacLaughlin to turn the contest on its head on 27 minutes. The Four Masters wing-forward cut inside and his strike was stinging, ending up in the net which meant the scores were level at the break, 1-5 apiece.

Glenswilly got into the position with a free from Oisin McGrenra on eight minutes that dropped straight into the Masters net. They didn't score a point from play until the 20th minute but then hit five in seven minutes, with McGrenra, Daithi Gildea, Shane Tinney and Eoghan Scott all impressing in a top-class spell.

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At the start of the second half, Masters’ Conor Meehan - who was outstanding in the opening half - clipped over his fifth point to edge his team in front by the bare minimum. Then, Kevin Muldoon made his way in front the left and his shot was unerring, right across John Quinn for a superb second Four Masters’ goal. 

That meant Damien Dunnion’s side were 2-6 to 1-5 in front and before you knew it, they added a third goal which Conor MacCahill, from Meehan’s pass, fisted down and Quinn in the Glenswilly goal couldn’t keep it out.

From a place where the margins were thin, Four Masters had worked themselves into an eight-point lead at 3-7 to 1-5 by the 36th minute, having trailed by three 10 minutes beforehand. Glenswilly managed to eat into that a bit when Four Masters’ Fiachra O’Donnell hauled Oisin McGrenra to the ground then Donal Gallagher smacked the penalty central and with 15 minutes to play, the lead was down to 3-7 to 2-4.

Four Masters didn’t panic and in Kevin Muldoon and Meehan, who scored seven points in all, they had a significant cutting edge up front and when David Monaghan made a telling block at the feet of Donal Gallagher, Four Masters were almost there. They saw it out to eliminate any doubt as the club's momentum continues to gather.

Glenswilly scorers: Shane Tinney 1-1, 1-1f; Donal Gallagher 1-0, 1-0 pen; Daithi Gildea 0-3, 1f; Eoghan Scott 0-1; Oisin McGrenra 0-1, 1m.
Four Masters scorers: Conor Meehan 0-7, 4f; Kevin Muldoon 1-2; Conor MacCahill 1-1; Ruairí MacLaughlin 1-0.

Glenswilly: John Quinn; Aidan Friel, Oran Canning, Mikey Toner; Pauric Devine, Donal Gallagher, Mark Bonner; Darragh Enright, Jamie McAuley; Shane Tinney, Mandy Kelly, Eoghan Scott; Oisin McGrenra, Michael Dohrrty, Daithi Gildea. Subs: Patrick Ward for M Doherty (42), Shane Walsh for Tinney (60)
Four Masters: Daniel McGinty; Turlough Connor, Fiachra O’Donnell, Terence McGovern; Leo McGowan, David Monaghan, Caolan Sweeney; John Bell, Jake Graham; Ruairí MacLaughlin, Seanan Carr, Kevin Muldoon; Conor Meehan, Conor MacCahill, Callem McCrea. Subs: Daniel McIntyre for MacLaughlin (53)
Referee: Clint Marron (Urris)