Burt qualify for U21C championship quarter-finals with win in Milford

Milford GAA 0-5

Burt GAA 1-13

Burt secured a place in the quarter-finals of the U21C football championship with an 11-point win away to Milford on Saturday afternoon.

Leading by 0-5 to 0-3 at half-time, Burt's shooting improved considerably in the second half, with a couple of two-pointers from midfielder Anton Doherty and a goal from full-forward Jack Lynch sending them on their way into the last eight.

Wing-back Conor Houston opened the scoring for Milford early on, but Burt assumed control and hit four points without reply by the end of the opening quarter.

Their first came from Shayne Gallagher, who sniped one over the bar after Ryan Farnan had seen a goal attempt strike the butt of the post.

Gallagher hit three points in the first half, with Andrew Walker and Jack Lynch also chipping in with a point apiece.

Burt led by 0-4 to 0-1 by the 16th minute and really should have been further ahead, but frees from Shea Cannon and Finn Coll, either side of Gallagher's third point, ensured there were just two points between the teams at the break, with Burt leading by 0-5 to 0-3.

Cannon converted a free early in the second half to reduce the margin to a single point, before Anton Doherty responded with a two-point free for Burt ten minutes into the half.

That seemed to settle Mel O'Donnell's team, with Darragh Donaghey following up with a point from play before floating a long pass to the edge of the square, where full-forward Lynch used all his height and strength to field above Sean Black and finish low past Killian Hagan in the Milford goals.

When Andrew Walker followed up with a point, Burt's lead was out to eight points at 1-9 to 0-4.

Milford, for whom the busy Shay Gibbons impressed in attack, tried to mount a comeback, but Finn Coll and Daithí McGinley both had goal attempts saved by Josh Doherty.

Burt’s defence, led by captain Caolan McKinney and full back Leo Kelly worked hard and mostly kept the Milford men at bay.

Peter McCleary hit Milford's final point five minutes from the end, with Burt midfielder Anton Doherty rounding off the scoring with points from play on either side of a two-point free.

With three wins from three, St Naul's topped the table at the conclusion of the group stage in the U21C championship. Burt, St Michael's, Letterkenny Gaels and Red Hugh's all finished on four points, with Killybegs completing the top five with a win and a draw. Five more teams – Bundoran, Naomh Muire, Urris, Milford and Fanad – are all tied on two points apiece

The top eight teams will contest the quarter-finals.

Milford scorers: Shea Cannon 0-2 (2f); Finn Coll 0-1; Peter McCleary 0-1; Conor Houston 0-1.

Burt scorers: Anton Doherty 0-6 (two 2pt frees); Jack Lynch 1-1; Shane Gallagher 0-3; Andrew Walker 0-2; Darragh Donaghey 0-1.

Milford: Killian Hagan; Declan Moran, Sean Black, Ryan Sheehy; Aidan Kilpatrick, Peter McCleary, Conor Houston; Finn Coll, Oisin McHugh; Ryan Orr, Shea Cannon, Joseph Barrett; Martin Buchanan, Shay Gibbons, Aidan McGettigan. Sub: Daith McGinley.

Burt: Josh Doherty; Devyn McColgan, Leo Kelly, Kyron McColgan; Aaron Doherty, Caolan McKinney, Andrew Walker; Gavin Bradley, Anton Doherty; Darragh Donaghey, Ryan Farnan, Oisin Kerr; Kevin Boyle, Jack Lynch, Shayne Gallagher. Subs: Matthew Curran, Shane Kerrigan, Lee Callaghan, Charlie Bradley, Darragh McAuley, Ciaran McDaid, Eoin McDaid.

Referee: Seamus McGonagle.