Ciaran Moore, St Eunan's, and Conor O'Donnell, Dungloe, in Donegal SFC Final action. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Donegal SFC Final
St Eunan’s 1-13 Dungloe 1-10
By Chris McNulty at Páirc Seán MacCumhaill
Three injury time points steered St Eunan’s to their 16th Donegal SFC title - after they were pushed all the way by underdogs Dungloe.
Conor O’Donnell Jnr netted a crucial goal in the 36th minute as the Letterkenny men got hold of Dr Maguire to move out on their own at the top of the roll of honour.
Dungloe, though, refused to go quietly and, just as the clock moved into added time at the end, Ryan Connors showed nerves of steel to fire home a penalty. Referee Ryan Walsh outstretched his arms deeming there to have been an off-the-ball pull-down in the goalmouth.
Connors stepped up to convert, drawing Dungloe level at 1-10 apiece.
In the added time, O’Donnell Jnr, Ciaran Moore and Eoin McGeehin struck the game-winning scores as St Eunan’s ended Dungloe’s gallant giant killing attempt.
While Dungloe were left to rue a host of missed attempts, St Eunan’s were indebted to O’Donnell Jnr’s goal.
Six minutes into the second half, after Niall O’Donnell’s initial attempt came back off an upright, Pauric Boyle picked up the pieces. Boyle unselfishly offloaded to O’Donnell who finished to the bottom corner.
It was the first time St Eunan’s led having been behind five times in part one.
Almost instantly, Dungloe had a chance to draw level, but Conor Greene blasted wide on the edge of the square.
Ryan Connors and Danny Rodgers nailed efforts from placed balls to bring Dungloe back to within a point and the west Donegal side stayed in touch only to have their hearts broken at the end.
Dungloe, the rank underdogs beforehand, stuck first as Adam Neely curled over a sweet effort in the seventh minute after taking a pass from Karl Magee.
Four times in the opening half Dungloe led, but St Eunan’s hit back each time.
Conor O’Donnell Jnr opened the St Eunan’s account two minutes after Neely broke the deadlock.
It was the 17th minute before Dylan Sweeney arrowed over the game’s next score, but Boyle moved to swiftly reply for the black and amber.
Frees by Greene and Connors pushed Dungloe back in front, but with Young Player of the Year nominee Ciaran Moore and O’Donnell Jnr responding it was all square, 0-4 apiece, as they made for the dressing rooms.
Last winter, Barry Meehan returned for a second spell as the St Eunan’s manager, succeeding 2012 All-Ireland winner Rory Kavanagh and the Letterkenny side returned to the final for the second time in three years when squeezing past Gaoth Dobhair in a semi-final.
Dungloe went giddy over the last couple of weeks since a 0-9 to 0-8 semi-final win over St Michael’s confirmed their final place.
The record books show the final of 1964, when they lost to Sean MacCumhaills, as the last appearance of Dungloe in the SFC final, but a Rosses Rovers amalgamation, with a large Dungloe contingent, lost out to St Joseph’s in the 1970 final.
Dessie Gallagher’s men were intermediate champions only two years ago but at half-time here they were still daring to dream.
In the opening minute of the second half, goalkeeper Rodgers converted a 45-metre free and the red and white colours were hoisted again.
When O’Donnell Jnr struck gold, it might’ve broke the resistance of many, but Dungloe shook their heads clear and made a firm fist of it.
When Connors blasted in the penalty, it teed up a grandstand finale, but St Eunan’s came good.
Scorers for St Eunan’s: Conor O’Donnell Jnr 1-4 (2fs), Ciaran Moore 0-3, Niall O’Donnell (1f) 0-2, Pauric Boyle, Aaron Deeney, Kieran Tobin, Eoin McGeehin 0-1 each
Scorers for Dungloe: Ryan Connors 1-2 (1-0 pen, 2fs), Dylan Sweeney, Danny Rodgers (1f, 1 ’45), Conor Greene (1f) 0-2 each, Aaron Neely, Barry Curran 0-1 each
St Eunan’s: Shaun Patton; Aaron Deeney, Conor Morrison, Caolan Ward; Darragh Mulgrew, Conor O’Donnell Snr, Kieran Tobin; Eoin Dowling, James Kelly; Ciaran Moore, Shane O’Donnell, Kevin Kealy; Conor O’Donnell Jnr, Niall O’Donnell, Pauric Boyle.
Subs: Eoin McGeehin for Dowling (34), Lee McMonagle for Boyle (46), Oran Winston for Mulgrew (53), Anthony Gallagher for O’Donnell Jnr (60+4).
Dungloe: Danny Rodgers; Jason McBride, Aaron Ward, Mark Curran; Barry Curran, Conor O’Donnell, Karl Magee; Darren Curran, Ryan Connors; Dylan Sweeney, Daire Gallagher, Matthew Ward; Aaron Neely, Conor Greene, Oisin Bonner.
Subs: Shaun McGee for Bonner (42), Conor Diver for Greene (60), Noel McBride for M.Ward (60+5).
Referee: Ryan Walsh (Bundoran).
