Strong second half sees Four Masters post U-21A win in Kilcar

Even though it took Four Masters until the 44th minute to take the lead in the U-21A Championship in Towney, there was always a kind of inevitability about this well contested affair in windy and icy conditions against Kilcar.

Kilcar 1-4
Four Masters 0-12

With a whipping wind blowing on off the bay, this was always going to be a game of two halves. The home side had the strong wind in the opening half and led by 1-4 to 0-2 at the break.

But you always felt this was not going to be enough - especially against a Four Masters side that have quality finishers like Diarmuid Slevin, Shay Travers, Killian Faulkner and highly impressive minor Senan Carr.

Kilcar had the breeze in the opening half and eased into a 0-2 to 0-0 lead thanks to two Conor O’Donnell frees after six minutes. Evan Gallagher responded for Four Masters before Kilca rwing-forward Ryan Jones missed a decent goal chance.

David Boyle leads the way for St Eunan's in comfortable U-21A win over Milford

David Boyle scored 3-4 for St Eunan's as they continued their unbeaten run in the U-21A Championship against Milford at a wintry O'Donnell Park

Four Masters were holding on to a lot of possession and they levelled matters through a fine effort from Shay Travers. But, Kilcar put daylight between the sides when Pauric Love finished a lightning move to the Donegal Town net.

Piaras O’Donnell and Conor O’Donnell added two further points to put the home side ahead by 1-4 to 0-2 at half-time.

Masters tacked on a second half total of 0-12 and were not flattered by their margin. Corner forwards Slevin and Travers provided the bulk of their scores with Richard O’Rourke, Senan Quinn and the excellent minor Carr also chipping in with fine scores.

At the other end Jones was unlucky with two goal bound efforts that went narrowly wide. But, there was never any doubting the winners who eventually cruised home.

Kilcar scorers: Pauric Love 1-0; Conor O’Donnell 0-3f; Piaras O’Donnell 0-1..
Four Masters scorers: Shay Travers 0-6, 3f; Diarmuid Slevin 0-5, 2f; Richard O’Rourke, Senan Quinn and Senan Carr 0-1 each.

Kilcar: Eoin Love; Cian Carr, Dylan O’Gara, Karl Lyons; Ciaran O’Donnell, Ryan McShane, Ben Rafferty; Eoin Cormack, Pauric Love; Liam Gavigan, Conor O’Donnell, Ryan Jones; Charles Byrne, Conor Jones, Piaras O’Donnell. Subs; Alan Doherty for Liam Gavigan (4)
Four Masters: Oisin Bryson; Brian Peter Gallagher, James McHugh, David Monaghan; Joe Leape, Richard O’Rourke, Darragh Geary; Evan Gallagher, Senan Quinn; Conor Reid, Alex McCalmont, Senan Carr; Diarmuid Slevin, Killian Faulkner, Shay Travers. Subs: Conor Meehan for Conor Reid (32), John Bell for James McHugh (34), Ross O’Keeney for Brian Peter Gallagher (36), Conor Gillespie for Evan Gallagher (43) Caolan Sweeney for Senan Carr (48).
Referee: Kevin McGinley (Naomh Columba)