Donegal U-16s book their place in Buncrana Cup final  with big win over Cavan

Donegal clinched their place in the Buncrana Cup final with a seven point win over Cavan in St Mary’s Park, Convoy, this afternoon.

Donegal …….. 4-11

Cavan ………...4-4

They will now face Derry in the final next Saturday in Buncrana. Aodh Ruadh’s Cian Rooney was the star of the show for the winners. The Ballyshannon man ended the game with a personal tally of 3-2 at the end of an eight goal thriller.

The impressive Caolan McClintock.  who ended the game with a tally of 1-3, scored the other Donegal goal.  

The opening exchanges were close with the sides level at 0-2 each at the end of the first quarter hour. Coalan McClintock kicked the opening score inside a minute to get the locals off to a good start.

But with little between the teams, Conor Casey levelled the game two minutes later with a fisted point that went down as a good goal chance.

Cavan were reduced to 14 on ten minutes when they lost Emmanuel Shedu to  a straight red card following a clash with Drew McKinney.

Yet despite this Cavan were the next to score when Evan Brady polished off a good move - the length of the field - for the lead point after 13 minutes.

But with Caolan McClintock and Cian Rooney stepping up Donegal enjoyed a brilliant 14 minutes as McClintock and Rooney knocked over points before McClintock hit Donegal’s opening goal with ten minutes left in the half.

And when Rooney soon after struck for the second goal and the impressive Drew McKinney followed with a long range point the Donegal lead was out to nine points,  2-5 to 0-2, with two minutes left in the half.

Just when it seemed Donegal were going to romp to an easy victory, Cavan struck 1-1 in two minutes to reduce the margin to two.

But Rooney fired to the net for his second and Donegal’s third to lead 3-5 to 2-3 at half-time.

Donegal took control again on the resumption and landed a goal and three points to Cavan’s one to extend their lead out to eight, 4-8 to 3-3 by the end of the third quarter.

And Rooney and second half substitute David Boyle pointed for Donegal while Caolach Monaghan hit a late consolation goal for the Breffni men.

DONEGAL: Shea McBride; Cian Mulligan, Tiernan McBride, Oisin McDaid; Cian McEntee, Kyle Murray, Eoghan McLaughlin; Drew McKinneY (0-1), Stephen McFadden; Oran Patterson, Christopher Mulligan, Blake McGarvey (0-2); Caolan McClintock (1-3,1f), Cian Rooney (3-2), Oisin Crawford. Subs: Robbie McDonnell for O Patterson h/t; Senan Quinn for C Mulligan, Cian McMonagle for S McFadden both 44; David Boyle (0-3,1f) for C McClintock 47; Conor O’Neill for D McKinney 57; Dylan Murphy for K Murray 58 inj.  

CAVAN: Thomas Byrd; Caolan Smith, Sean McGearty, James McBreen (0-1); Killian Boyke, Cormac McKeogh, Daithi Shiels; Ryan Brady, Dean Carroll (1-0); Emmanuel Shedu, Colin McCauley, Oran McIntrye, Evan Brady (1-1), Mark McDermott, Conor Casey(1-1).  Subs: Michael Shields, Darragh Nulty, James McGovern, Ben Monghan, Alex Prior; Oran Rehill, Caolach Monaghan (1-0), Craig Mullen (0-1)

REFEREE: Stephen Campbell (Tyrone)