St. Eunan's just miss out in thrilling Ulster Club Junior Hurling Championship clash

St Eunan’s 1-13

Gort Na Mona 1-14

Heartbreak!

There is no other way to describe how heroic St Eunan’s were pipped by a late point with ten seconds to go in the 64th minute against a Gort Na Mona side who played in last year’s Ulster Intermediate Championship.

This was their first ever appearance in an Ulster Championship and they certainly did their club proud.

In the end, it was elegant ex-Antrim star Dessie McClean who stole victory for his side who were outplayed by the Letterkenny lads for most of the second half.

It looked like this thrilling tie was heading for extra when brilliant St Eunan’s captain Conor O’Grady slung over his ninth point.

But it was just not to be as the older, bigger and craftier Gort Na Mona just edged this entertaining affair.

However, Eunan’s did have a few chances to snatch victory in those final frenetic moments, but a little bit of inexperience showed as they hit a few wides and were turned over in key moments.

Still, they can hold their heads high after a fine recovery from a nervous start to really put it up to their much more experienced opponents for long periods.

The winners deservedly led by 1-7 to 1-5 at the break after cantering into a 1-5 to 1-1 lead by the 19th minute.

But they failed to score for almost 30 minutes as Eunan’s settled into the game, led by team captain O’Grady who truly led by example.

Sean McVeigh, Stephen Doherty, Brian McIntyre, the Hartnett’s, Conor O’Donnell and Sean Halvey all played their hearts out - but it was just not to be for this very youthful but most promising teams.

Dessie McClean got the Turf Lodge, Belfast men off the mark with a well struck free after he was fouled after just 15 seconds.

This was quickly added two with a well struck effort from Gort Na Mona’s full-forward Darren Boyd in the second minute.

But, 60 seconds later, Lady Luck beamed broadly on St Eunan’s when a long lob from powerful midfielder Sean McVeigh seemed to get stuck in the goalmouth mud.

Gort N Mona keeper Padraig Fryers tried to clear but failed and Dungloe native James Hartnett was on hand to usher the ball over the ball over the line and put the home side in the lead for the first time in the opening half.

It did not last for long as McClean levelled matters from a sweetly struck free from 35 metres.

It got even better for the visitors when McClean’s shot flashed across the St Eunan’s square and fell to burly centre-forward Martin Ward who flicked up the sliothar and delightfully doubled it to the top of the Eunan’s net in the eighth minute to leave Gort Na Mona leading by 1-3 to 1-1.

And they went on to dominatefor the next 12 minutes through well-hit points from McClean and Padraig McCafferty to lead by 1-5 to 1-1 by the 20th minute, with Sean McVeigh finding the target for the home side.

But they failed to score for the rest of the half as Eunan’s grew in confidence and the points flowed from the accurate stick of marksman Conor O’Grady and Conor O’Donnell as the winners led by 1-7 to 1-5 at the break.

We then had a scoring famine as O’Grady narrowed the gap to 1-7 to 1-6 by the 33rd minute.

He then levelled matters from a free in the 44th minute as Gort Na Mona were looking very ordinary.

Kevin Kealy put Eunan’s into the lead in the 46h minute.

Peadar McCafferty then levelled matters for the Belfast men as we headed into an exciting final quarter.

It was tit for tat as the match drew to an exciting close

Eunan’s led by 1-10 to 1-8 seven minutes from time but Gort Na Mona levelled through sub Sean Kelly and Dessie McClean.

And it was McClean who eventually broke brave Letterkenny hearts.

ST EUNAN’S: Cian Hennessy; Brian McIntyre, Adie Gaffey, Jack Matthews, Sean Halvey, Stephen Doherty, Conor O’Donnell (0-1); Sean McVeigh (0-1) Cormac Finn; Matt Ahern, Ryan Hilferty, Thomas Hartnett (0-1); James Hartnett (1-0) Conor O’Grady (0-9, 7f) Kevin Kealy (0-1). SUBS: Odhran McGonigle for Matt Ahern (47)

GORT NA MONA: Padraig Fryers; Sean Doyle, Neil Henry, Christopher Devlin; Gavin McKenna, Padraig McHugh, Mark Rea; Declan Hughes, Padraig McCafferty (0-3); Thomas McCafferty, Martin Ward (1-0), Conor McCann; Brendan Quinn, Darren Boyd (0-2) Dessie McClean (0-8, 7f). SUBS: Sean Kelly (0-1) for Martin Ward; Chris McErlaine for Sean Doyle; 47, Niall Healy for Brendan Quinn 54.

REFEREE; Aiden Ferguson (Fermanagh)