St Eunan’s 1-12
St Michael’s 2-8
ST EUNAN’S came through by the minimum against St Michael’s in a pulsating RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta Donegal SFC semi-final in Ballybofey tonight.
A 38th minute goal from Darragh Mulgrew – son of the former Fermanagh manager Charlie – dragged the Letterkenny side back into a contest that looked to be slipping away for them. Points were traded thereafter, only for Conor Gibbons to clinch the one-point win two minutes from time.
St Michael’s from Dunfanaghy made a blistering start when Brian McLaughlin slapped a quick Colm McFadden free past Sean Daffan for a goal inside of five minutes, to make it 1-1 to 0-0.
St Eunan’s, who took a while to get going, then hit something of a purple patch with six successive points, with Sean McVeigh, Rory Carr, Kevin Rafferty, Mulgrew and a brace from Conall Dunne turning things around.
But as the half bore to a close, St Michael’s gained the upper hand again and went in 2-3 to 0-7 up at the break with Andrew Kelly knocking home a second goal when Maxi Curran’s St Eunan’s failed to clear.
Early second half points from McFadden and Kelly pushed the St Michael’s cushion out to four. But Mulgrew pulled St Eunan’s back into contention with a splendid goal, piercing an angled shot low past Mark Anthony McGinley, the former UCD goalkeeper, on 38 minutes following Rafferty’s pass to leave it 1-7 to 2-5.
Points from Dunne and McVeigh edged St Eunan’s a point ahead. The ebb and flow of the contest continued with McFadden and Christy Toye keeping St Michael’s in touch, while McVeigh and Rory Kavanagh pointed for St Eunan’s.
After Gibbons had edged St Eunan’s in front McFadden, with the last kick of the game, had the opportunity to force a replay. His free, from an utterly uncompromising angle on the 45-metre line in the shadow of the stand, fell short and Rafferty won possession as referee Seamus McGonigle blew for time.
Glenswilly, last year’s county champions and Ulster finalists, take on Naomh Conaill from Glenties in Letterkenny tomorrow in the second semi-final with the winners to face St Eunan’s for the Dr Maguire Cup on Sunday week in Ballybofey.