Burt book U21C semi-final place with four-point win over Killybegs

Burt GAA 1-12

Killybegs 1-8

Burt advanced to the semi-final of the U21C football championship with a four-point win over Killybegs at Hibernian Park on Saturday afternoon.

The Fishermen had beaten Burt in the group stage four weeks ago, but the Inishowen side turned the tables on this occasion. The outcome remained in the balance until Oisin Kerr struck a 58th-minute goal to put Burt six points clear.

Killybegs did hit back with an injury-time goal from a free kick by their top scorer Eoin Mulligan, but the clock ran out and Burt sealed their place in the last four.

Killybegs played with the breeze and had the better of the first-half exchanges. The pacey Cillian McHugh set up Gavin Doherty for the opening point and then helped himself to a point from play after Andrew Walker had scored at the other end for the home side.

Shayne Gallagher drew Burt level with an excellent point into the wind, but Killybegs were defending in numbers, forcing turnovers and then swiftly counterattacking to chalk up further points from Eoin Mulligan and Doherty by the quarter-hour.

Keeper Elliott Byrne made a fine save from Kevin Boyle, and while Matthew Curran cut in to point for Burt, a big two-point free from Mulligan had Killybegs 0-6 to 0-3 clear by the 20th minute.

There followed a lengthy stoppage after an injury to Oisin Boyle, with both teams retreating to the dressing rooms to get out of the chilly wind.

Boyle was able to walk off the field after treatment, and Killybegs quickly moved four points clear when Gavin Doherty pointed after they had picked off a Burt kickout.

However, Shayne Gallagher converted a free with the last kick of the half to cut the deficit to three points: Burt 0-4, Killybegs 0-7.

Darragh Donaghey pointed for Burt within seconds of the restart after Anton Doherty had won the throw-in, and keeper Byrne made another save when a goal looked on.

Matthew Curran chipped in with his second point of the day soon after, and Gallagher tapped over a handy free after a three-up breach to draw Burt level at 0-7 apiece in the 40th minute.

With the wind on their backs, the home side were now controlling the game. Gavin Bradley and Caolan McKinney were strong in defence, while Gallagher and Ryan Farnan were linking well between defence and attack.

Anton Doherty converted a 45 to edge Burt ahead for the first time, and Andrew Walker put them two clear with a little over ten minutes remaining, but the tie was still in the balance.

Killybegs swiftly counterattacked after forcing a turnover deep inside their own half, and Mulligan got on the end of the move to leave it 0-9 to 0-8 in the 53rd minute.

The Fishermen had a chance to draw level from a free just inside the arc, but the attempt was missed.

Substitute Aaron Doherty pointed for Burt after Shayne Gallagher tapped over a free that had been moved front and centre following dissent from the line, restoring the home side's two-point lead.

Burt all but sealed their passage to the semi-final when Oisin Kerr hit a 58th-minute goal. Substitute Conor Sweeney was fouled outside the arc, but rather than put it down for a two-point free attempt, he chose to solo and go, sprinting past a defender before laying the ball off to Kerr.

Kerr still had work to do, and while keeper Byrne parried his shot, he couldn't keep it out of the net as Burt moved six points clear.

Gallagher tapped over another free following a breach, but Killybegs struck back with a goal in injury time.

They won a free 25 metres out and, with Burt packing their goal line and perhaps getting in one another's way, Mulligan drove the ball low and hard inside the post to bring the margin back to four.

There were another three minutes of injury time remaining, but Burt defended strongly and held Killybegs at bay to see out a four-point win.

In Saturday's other U21C quarter-final, Urris defeated St Naul's, while the remaining two semi-finalists will be decided on Sunday when St Michael's host Bundoran and Letterkenny Gaels travel to Killygordon to play Red Hugh's.

Burt scorers: Shaye Gallagher 0-6 (4f); Oisin Kerr 1-0; Matthew Curran 0-2; Andrew Walker 0-2; Darragh Donaghey 0-1; Anton Doherty 0-1 (45)

Killybegs scorers: Eoin Mulligan 1-4 (1-0 free; one 2pt free);Gavin Doherty 0-3; Cillian McHugh 0-1

Burt: Joshua Doherty; Shane Kerrigan, Leo Kelly, Kyron McColgan; Gavin Bradley, Caolan McKinney, Andrew Walker; Ryan Farnan, Anton Doherty; Oisin Kerr, Shayne Gallagher, Matthew Curran; Kevin Boyle, Jack Lynch, Darragh Donaghey. Subs: Lee Callaghan for J Lynch (46 mins); Aaron Doherty and Fionn O’Riordan for S Kerrigan and M Curran (both 50 mins); Conor Sweeney for D Donaghey (53 mins); Eoin McDaid for K Boyle (58 mins).

Killybegs: Elliott Byrne; Jay Gallagher, Justas Speckauskas, Matthew O’Donnell; Joseph McGrory, Adam O’Neill, Oisin Boyle; Ethan Byrne, Edward McHugh; Brian Callaghan, Gavin Doherty, Zak Smith; Cillian McHugh, Eoin Mulligan, Jack Moore. Subs: Ryan Shovlin for O Boyle (23 mins); Patrick Conneely for J Moore (half time); Michael Cunningham for P Conneely (40 mins); JP McGuinness for R Shovlin (46 mins).

Referee: Anthony Finn (Naomh Colmcille)