South West College Enniskillen snatch a late win over ATU Letterkenny

South West College edged out ATU Letterkenny in a cracking All-Ireland Third Level Colleges Division Two League clash at Páirc Naomh Columba, Glenswilly, on Thursday night.

Three points separated the sides at the final whistle, with South West College emerging as the deserving winners against an ATU side missing a number of first-choice players.

Full-forward Dara Hayes and wing-forward Gavin Porter scored the South West College goals, with the big number 14 also netting two of their three-pointers.

Hayes, Adrian McGurren, Liam Óg Mossey, Oisín Gormley and Matthew Howe kicked the points for the winners.

Downings marksman Paddy McElwee, with a goal and five points, top-scored for ATU while Aaron Neilly, Kelvin McLaughlin, Shane Callaghan and Declan Duignan were among the point-scorers for the Letterkenny college.

South West College, with two wins from two games under their belt, got off to a dream start when Hayes tucked away their first goal inside four minutes. Showing greater hunger from the off and playing a direct style of football, they started well.

With Hayes proving a handful for the ATU rearguard, the full-forward and Liam Óg Mossey quickly tagged on points to give Enniskillen a 1-2 to 0-2 lead inside the opening eight minutes.

Shane Callaghan and Aaron Neilly, both busy in the early minutes, kicked ATU's opening points.

McElwee led the ATU challenge, however, a second South West College goal, finished to the net by Gavin Porter, and points from Oisín Gormley and Mossey meant Enniskillen College were a point ahead, 2-5 to 1-7, at the halfway mark.

Adrian McGurren and Gormley extended South West College's advantage with two quick-fire points in the opening minutes of the second period.

McLaughlin, with a two-pointer from play, and Neilly tied up the game at 1-10 to 2-7 after 40 minutes.

The sides were level once more before McElwee, from a close-in free, edged ATU ahead for the first time with five minutes of normal time remaining.

Second-half substitute Matty Howe levelled the game before Hayes clinched the win for South West College with his side's third green flag.

ATU scorers: Paddy McElwee 1-5, Kelvin McLaughlin 0-3 (1 two-pointer), Aaron Neilly 0-2, Shane Callaghan and Declan Duignan 0-1 each.

South West College scorers: Dara Hayes 2-1, Gavin Porter 1-0, Adrian McGurren 0-3, Liam Óg Mossey 0-2 (1 free), Oisín Gormley 0-2, Matthew Howe 0-1.

ATU: Damian McGowan; Eoghan Gallagher, Fionn McGinty, Cormac Brady; Aaron Neilly, Darragh Hennigan, Jack Long; Kelvin McLaughlin, Bailey McBride; Ronan Maher, Shane Callaghan, Declan Duignan; Luke McKenna, Paddy McElwee, Jack Gallagher.

Subs: Matthew McGeehan for Cormac Brady (37); Aidan Friel for Ronan Maher (39); Rory McGrenra for Jack Long (53).

South West College: Sean Doherty; Aaron Tracey, Ronan O'Sullivan, Jack Law; Aidan Colton, Sean McCann, Ronan Strain; Oisín Gormley, James McCallen; Ben Warnock, Liam Óg Mossey, Gavin Porter; Tiernan McLaughlin, Dara Hayes, Adrian McGurren.

Subs: Mal McGurren for Aaron Tracey (55); Matty Howe for James McCallen (56); James Boyle for Ben Warnock, Ruairí O'Sullivan for Gavin Porter (59).

Referee: James Connors (Donegal).