Langan and McElhinney lead the charge as St Michael’s beat Four Masters

St Michael’s caused a huge upset in the Donegal Senior Football Championship with a big win over a hotly fancied Four Masters on Saturday evening in Tir Chonaill Park.

Five points separated the sides at the finish, thanks to huge performances in the middle of the field from Michael Langan and Martin McElhinney.

The all-star midfielder kicked eight points, all two-point scores, two in the first half and two more after the restart as St Michael’s twice came from behind.

It was the men from the North West's ability to kick two-point scores that was decisive as they posted six in all, with Daniel McLaughlin and Max Roarty also splitting the posts from outside the arc.

Four Masters registered just two, one from the boot of Oisin Doherty in the first half and one from Seanán Carr in the middle of the second half.

Conor McCahill and an Oisin Doherty two-point free edged the Masters three ahead again. But again St Michael's responded with McLaughlin and Max Roarty landing a brilliant two-pointer to make it 0-5 each after ten minutes.

Four Masters were now enjoying the lion’s share of the possession and dominating in the middle third in the air and for breaking balls.

And with Turlough and Tomás Carr in the role of playmakers, the locals led 0-11 to 0-6 by the 20-minute mark courtesy of strikes from Kevin Muildoon (3), Oisin Doherty (2) and Seanán Carr.

But two late two-pointers from Langan to a Conor McCahill point meant it was a two-point game at the halfway mark, 0-12 to 0-10, and Four Masters followers were scratching their heads wondering why their side was not further ahead.

McCahill blasted wide of the near post coming at the right wing, which must go down as a goal chance.

But the second half was only four minutes old when McCahill had the ball in the back of the net after Oisin Doherty intercepted a short kick-out to release McCahill with only Oisin Cannon to beat.

Four Masters all of a sudden were five up, 1-12 to 0–10 up and playing with the aid of the breeze.

The goal was a blow, but with Martin McElhinney joining Langan in the middle of the field, St Michael’s were a transformed side. McElhinney had spent most of the opening half at full forward.

And with his physical presence, Langan raised his game, and as well as dominating in the air, St Michael’s clawed their way back into the game with points from Max Roarty, Daniel McLaughlin and Carlos O’ Reilly to trim the Masters lead to a single point, 1-12 to 0-14 eleven minutes into the new half.

Seanán Carr with a two-pointer, the Masters' first point in close on ten minutes, restored his side's advantage, but the St Michael's tails were up.

And thanks to two Langan two-point scorers, one from well outside the forty metre mark, the men from the Bridge were ahead for the first time in the game with just over ten minutes of regulation time remaining.

And when Colin McFadden got a flick on a high ball from Langan into the Four Masters goalmouth, St Michael's were 1-18 to 1-14 up seven minutes from time.

And while Oisin Doherty reduced the lead to two points, Max Roarty sealed the win with a St Michael's goal one minute into added time.

Roarty capped a super performance with the goal, while Daniel McLaughlin and Carlos O’Reilly, along with Langan and McElhinney, were the standout players in what was an overall good team performance.

Four Masters scorers: Conor McCahill 1-3; Oisin Doherty 0-6,2f; Kevin Muldoon 0-3; Senan Carr 0-2,tp; Turlough Carr and Oisin Reid 0-1 each.

St Michaels: Michael Langan 0-8, 3tp,1tpf; Max Roarty 1-3,1tp; Daniel McLaughlin 0-5,1 tpf,1 tp; Colin McFadden 1-0; Carlos O’Reilly 0-2.

Four Masters: Lewis McCaughan; Eoghan O’Neill, Dylan Kennedy, Leo McHugh; David Monaghan, Callum McCrea, Thomas Carr; Conor Reid, Richard O’Rourke; Kevin Muldoon, Seanán Carr, Alex McCalmont; Conor McCahill, Turlough Carr, Oisin Doherty.

Subs: Thomas Lenehan for McCalmont (47).

St Michael’s: Oisin Cannon; Fionn Chernick, Kyle McGarvey, Stephen Doak; Oisin Langan, Max Roarty, Michael Cannon; Michael McGinley, Michael Langan; Colin McFadden, Daniel McLaughlin; Conan Brennan; Edward O’Reilly, Martin McElhinney, Carlos O’Reilly.

Subs: Ciaran Kelly for O Langan (41); Packie Spiers for C Brennan (45).

Referee: Val Murray (Aodh Ruadh )