St Eunan's crowned Senior Hurling League champions following win over MacCumhaill's

St Eunan’s were crowned Donegal SHL League champions for the second time in two years after an impressive victory over Sean MacCumhaill’s in O’Donnell Park.

St Eunan’s 2-14 Sean MacCumhaill’s 0-11

They needed Setanta to beat Buncrana at The Scarvey and that looked precarious as Buncrana had a big lead at the break. But the Finn Valley men came back to eventually win by three points and help Eunan’s to the title, with the Letterkenny side having won the head-to-head.

And Paddy Flood’s men welcomed back powerful dual stars like Sean McVeigh, the free- scoring Kevin Kealy and Cormac Finn, and they made a real difference with Kealy hitting 1-5 and McVeigh anchoring the team from centre back.

But luckless, powerhouse midfielder Brendan Horgan was taken to hospital with a shoulder injury so they will be hoping he will be back for the championship. For an outgunned MacCumhaill’s, Lee Henderson landed six frees.

But this match was effectively decided in the 10 minutes before half when Kealy and Calvin Aidoo goaled to push their team to a 2-10 to 0-4. The home team could only land a total of 0-4 in the second half and MacCumhaill’s hit 0-7, but the result was never in doubt.

St Eunan’s raced into an early lead of 0-5 to 0-0 lead through Sean McVeigh, with Kevin Kealy and Russell Forde hitting two apiece.

Lee Henderson replied for Sean MacCumhaill’s from a free and Kealy hit another point and McVeigh also pointed with Lee Henderson making it St Eunan’s 0-7 Sean MacCumhaill’s 0-3. The rampant Kealy hit another point for the winners and Jamie De Vard responded for MacCumhaill’s at the end of the first quarter.

It was then Eunan’s effectively sealed this matter with a superbly crafted Kealy goal and a fine individual goal from Calvin Aidoo hit a fine solo goal and Paul O’Donnell and Russell Forde pointed.

MacCumhaill’s won the second half by 0-7 to 0-4 as Eunan’s missed some good chances.
Kealy got the first score of the half-another point and Henderson replied with McVeigh on target for Eunan’s. The inevitable Henderson kept the Twin Towns flag aloft to the end.

Cormac Finn had a point for Eunan’s and Henderson and De Ward landed two each with Anthony Patton finishing their scoring. St Eunan’s had the last say with another Finn point and all of their scores came from play.

St Eunan’s: Kevin Kealy 1-5; Calvin Aidoo 1-0; Sean McVeigh and Russell Forde 0-3; Cormac Finn 0-2; Paul O’Donnell 0-1.
Sean MacCumhaill’s scorers; Lee Henderson 0-7, 6f; Jamie De Ward 0-3; Anthony Patton 0-1.

St Eunan’s: Cian Hennessy; Chris Murray, Conor McVeigh, Lorcan Heavey; Conor Neely, Sean McVeigh, David Horgan; Brendan Horgan, Sean Halvey; Matt Ahern, Kevin Kealy, Cormac Finn; Russell Forde, Paul O’ Donnell Calvin Aidoo. Subs: JP Curran, Dara McBride, John McIntyre, Johnny Lambe, Eoin Scanlon, Mark Mulholland, James O’Donnell, Eoin Boyle and Eunan O’Donnell.
Sean MacCumhaill’s: Dylan Lafferty; Eoghan Wright, John Anthony Chambers, Kyle Tourish; Dean O’Donnell, Noah Griffin/Reid; Conor Murphy, Lee Henderson, Aaron Toner; Josh McGee, Jamie De Ward, Dean Hanningan; Anthony Patton, Gerard Cunningham, Patrick Bradley. Subs; Orin McDermott and Shane McMenamin.
Referee: Aidan McAleer (Naomh Padraig)