Letterkenny Gaels beat Naomh Brid in cracking U-13 Division 2 final

Letterkenny Gaels are U-13 Division 2 champions following their county final win over Naomh Brid in a cracking decider in Pairc MacDiarmada in Lifford.

Letterkenny Gaels 4-12 Naomh Brid 3-8

Letterkenny Gaels may have claimed the laurels at the final whistle but take a bow Naomh Brid for playing their part in a high-quality final.

Given the quality on view from both teams and the closeness of the exchanges on the pitch, even the most loyal of Gaels, followers will have to admit the eight-point winning margin may have been a little flattering to the victors.

Jack O’Donnell with two, Lewis Gallagher and Eamonn Sampson scored the goals for Letterkenny Gaels. Eoin Doherty, Jamie Monaghan and Ben McCafferty scored the Naomh Brid goals.

Doherty and McCafferty hit the back of the Letterkenny net in the opening five minutes as Naomh Brid got off to a lightning start. They led 2-1 to 0-0 after five minutes.

But wing forward Sampson steadied Letterkenny Gaels’ nerves with their opening score, a well-taken goal. That was six minutes into the game and with Lewis Gallagher, Heldon Carvaiho, Sean Lavin, Sampson, Dylan Cannon and Jack O’Donnell excelling, the Gaels had drawn level by the 26-minute mark thanks to the first of two goals put away by the lightning-fast O’Donnell.

And O’Donnell with his second three-pointer two minutes from the end of the half the Gaels had gone in front. They led 3-5 to 2-4 at half-time. Lewis Gallagher got the second half off to a flyer when he first timed the Gaels’ fourth goal within three minutes from the restart.

Ethan Wasson, Aidan Molloy, Jamie McMonaghan, Eoin Doherty, Matthew Gallagher and Joseph McGrath were excellent throughout for Naomh Brid.

And they rose to the challenge and thanks to a Jamie Monaghan pointed free and a Ben McCafferty goal the Gaels lead was back to three points seven minutes into the second half.

And there were still just three points between the sides with under 10 minutes remaining before the Letterkenny boys reeled off five unanswered points in a storming finish to claim the title.

Letterkenny Gaels scorers: Lewis Gallagher 1-5, 3f, Jack O’Donnell 2-1, Eamonn Sampson 1-0, Sean Lavin, Dylan Cannon 0-2 each, Sean McLaughlin and Robin Ward 0-1 each.
Naomh Brid scorers: Jamie Monaghan 1-5, 4f, Eoin Doherty and Ben McCafferty 1-0, each, Matthew Gallagher 0-2, Joseph McGrath 0-1.

Letterkenny Gaels: Lucas Elliot; Zion Akpo, Sean McLaughlin, Ronan Ward; Heldon Carvaihom Martin Pirch, Sean Gallagher; Dylan Cannon, Sean Lavin; Eamonn Sampson, Lewis Gallagher; Jack O’Donnell.
Subs: Martin Ward for M Pirch (27); Martin Pirch for H Carvalho (39);Denzel Niamczyckie for E Sampson(40); Heldon Carvaiho for Z Akpo (41); James Lavin for J O’Donnell (59) .
Naomh Brid: Jayden McGroary; Aidan Molloy, Tiernan Eves, Shaun McGonagle; Ethan Wasson, Conor Maguire, Liam Walls; Eoin Doherty, Jamie Monaghan; Ben McCafferty, Matthew Gallagher; Joseph McGrath, Jake Monaghan. Subs: Noah Heaney for B McCafferty (51); Ultan Hoey for J Monaghan (59).
Referee: Dermot McColgan (Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin).