Ardara U-21s into semi-finals with hard-earned MacCumhaills win

Ardara have progressed to the last four of the U-21 A championship after a narrow win over a very game MacCumhaills in Pearse Memorial Park.

Adrain Brennan’s hosts held a three-point lead heading into the last ten, and with the Twin Towns outfit throwing the kitchen sink at it down the stretch, Ardara just about held on to take the win.

In a well-contested, loose opening period, the visitors went into the break with their noses just about in front, thanks largely to Conor McGinty’s 23rd-minute penalty.

MacCumhaills were also quickest out of the blocks initially, with Shay McNulty opening the scoring.

However, Ardara would clip the next four points in a row to open up a three-point advantage by the seventh minute.

The excellent Shane Sweeney got the locals going while the likes of Eoin ‘Bomber’ Gallagher, Ross Diver and Sweeney, with his second, left it 4-1.

MacCumhalls fired back through Oisin Mullen and a Conor McGinty free as the deficit was trimmed back to one.

Sweeney, whose movement up top in the opening period was real textbook, then kicked Ardara’s fifth while Matthew McGeehan made sure MacCumhalls remained on the leaders' coattails exiting the opening quarter.

Cian McConnell was then called upon when he denied Tomas McNulty at close range but another Shay McNulty strike made sure the game was at least tied up, five apiece, on 18 minutes.

Kian McCabe then brought down a rampaging McGeehan inside the area as McGinty blasted right down the middle, from the spot, as his side jumped three clear in an instant.

And with a head of steam built up, the same player increased that newfound advantage to four.

However, main man up top Sweeney closed out the half with a brace to make sure Ardara remained right in the hunt at 1-6 to 0-8.

Sweeney and a trademark McNelis two-point free at the outset of the second period seen the lead change hands once more in a contest where the mercury was slowly beginning to bubble.

MacCumhaills matched that feat through McGeehan and a well-struck two-point free, off the ground, by goalkeeper Ronan Callaghan as their side again nudged ahead, 1-9 to 0-11.

Shaun McMenamin then hit a post at one end while Josh Malley fired low through a siege of bodies where Callaghan did very well to tip around the post and behind for a ‘45.

KJ Molloy landed that subsequent kick while follow-ups from Malley and Sweeney, who brilliantly let rip from outside the arc, suddenly opened up a three-point gap with ten to go.

Shay McNulty and Fionn McGinty made sure the battle went right to the wire as tempters flared late on. But it was Ardara that just about held on.

Damian Deveney’s side still finish second in the section though and advance to the quarter-finals where they’ll have home advantage against Termon.

Ardara scorers: Shane Sweeney 0-8, 2f, 1tp; Eoin McNelis 0-2,1tpf; KJ Molloy 0-1, 1’45; Ross Diver, Michael Mulreany, Eoin Gallagher, Josh Malley 0-1 each.

MacCumhaills scorers: Conor McGinty 1-2, 1PEN, 1f; Shay McNulty 0-3; Matthew McGeehan 0-2; Ronan Callaghan 0-2, 1tpf; Oisn Mullen and Fionn McGinty 0-1 each.

Ardara: Cian McConnell; Adam McGill, Kian McCabe, Charlie Barrett; Jack Elliott, Darragh Hennigan, Callum Cassidy; Josh Malley, Eoghan Gallagher; Cian Sweeney, Eoghan McNelis, Michael Mulreany; Ross Diver, KJ Molloy, Shane Sweeney.

Subs: Anthony Bennett for Diver (45), Patrick Gallagher for C Sweeney (48).

MacCumhaills: Ronan Callaghan; Josh Reid, Fionn McGinty, Raynne Rowan; Dan Donnelly, Niall McBrearty, Darragh Boyle; Shaun McMenamin, Adam Byrne; Oisin Mullen, Conor McGinty, Jacob Malone; Tomas McNulty, Matthew McGeehan, Shay McNulty.

Subs: Conor Murphy for Malone (52).

Referee: Anthony McCallig (Naomh Ultan)