Michael Murphy Sports & Leisure Donegal SFC semi-final: Gaoth Dobhair 0-7 St Eunan’s 0-8
TITLE favourites St Eunan’s are making a habit of eking out narrow wins. They led by 0-8 to 0-6 when Gaoth Dobhair’s Daire O’Baoill cut the margin to the minimum to set up a frenetic finish.
Eunan’s were playing a dangerous game of keep-ball and Gaoth Dobhair fashioned a last-gasp chance to level, but on this occasion, O’Baoill’s shot from the 45 drifted agonisingly wide.
A few minutes earlier, St Eunan’s keeper Shaun Patton had brilliantly narrowed the angle on Gaoth Dobhair sub Cathal Gillespie as he bore down on goal.
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The winners led by 0-5 to 0-3 at the break with three pointed frees from Conor O’Donnell jnr key scores for the Letterkenny lads.
Eamon Collum opened the scoring for Gaoth Dobhair and Niall O’Donnell and James Kelly made it 0-4 to 0-2, with the busy Micheal Roarty pointing for Gaoth Dobhair.
St Eunan’s were reduced to 14 men when Conor Morrison was lined for pulling back O’Baoill, but Gaoth Dobhair failed to capitalise on the extra man.
Eoin McGeehin increased their lead with a fine point in the 37th minute but Eoin De Búrca swiftly replied for Gaoth Dobhair.
It was real cat and mouse stuff with loads of turgid lateral passing.
An Eoin Dowling point for Eunan’s was swiftly responded to by a brace of points from Gaoth Dobhair from De Búrca and Stephen Donna McFadden. Suddenly it was 0-7 to 0-6 as the finishing line beckoned.
Gaoth Dobhair had the scent of victory in their nostrils but were knocked back by a long-range pointed free from Eoin Dowling, which just crept inside the post and was awarded after after some consultation.
Gaoth Dobhair were going all out as time ticked away, but O’Baoill’s last-gasp 45 went just the wrong side of the post.
