St Eunan’s into MacLarnon final after disposing of Holy Trinity, Cookstown

St Eunan’s College, Letterkenny will fly the Donegal flag at this year’s Ulster Second  Level Schools MacLarnon Cup final following this afternoon’s semi-final win over Holy Trinity Cookstown in O’Donnell Park. 

Despite being played in a near downpour conditions Jack Duddy, Matthew McGinley and Jack Robinson scored the goals as the boys from Sentry Hill made light of the prevailing rain.

All three goals were scored in the first half with the first two from Duddy and McGinley during a glorious spell in the first quarter with Robinson’s three pointer tucked away in the middle of the second quarter.

The goals, all of high quality and after good build up play, helped the Peter Devine managed side to an eight point half-time lead. 

St Eunan’s led 3-5 to 0-6 at the change over after dominating the opening 30 minutes and after Matthew Enright, Liam McGinley and Shea Boyle kicked three early points to settle the Letterkenny boys into the contest. 

Karol Wawrynkievicz kicked Holy Trinity’s only point of the opening quarter two minutes into the game. 

The first of the St Eunan’s goals arrived on nine minutes and it was a peach of a score. After a slow build up the impressive Boyle with a dinky pass released Duddy who made no mistake from close range. 

And the second St Eunan’s green flag was cheekily tucked away by Matthew McGinley lobbing the Holy Trinity ‘keeper who was off his line.

That was on 15 minutes and propelled a rampant St Eunans, playing into the Swilly End of O’Donnell Park, into a 2-3 to 0-1 lead. 

McGinley and Jack Robinson traded points with Wawrynkievicz and Ciaran McKeown, Holy Trinity’s two central attackers, before Robinson fired home goal number three for a ten point St Eunan’s advantage. 

Holy Trinity, who came more into the game through the industry of midfielder Jamie Concannon, Wawyrnkievicz and Ciaran McKeown and thanks to late points from Darragh Muldoon and Concannon reduced the St Eunan’s lead to eight points. 

The impressive Concannon scored the opening point after half-time to trim the St Eunan’s advantage to seven.

St Eunan’s responded with points from Duddy, Evan Harvey, Enright and Boyle to open up a 3-9 to 0-7 lead. 

With Concannon and Wawrynkievicz and Ciaran McKeown continuing to carry the fight to St Eunans, the first pair landed points before Darcy Mullen scored the Holy Trinity goal on the three quarter mark.

It was now a five point game and Ryan Forbes shortly after reduced the St Eunan’s advantage. The Sentry Hill boys asserted their authority again in the closing stages to book their final place for the first time in eight seasons. 

They will now play St Aquinas Grammar School, Belfast  who defeated Dean Maguirc College, Carrickmore, in the second semi-final on Thursday evening.

READ NEXT: St Columba's, Glenties knocked out of Markey Cup by St Ciaran's Ballygawley

St Eunan’s College scorers: Jack Duddy, Jack Robinson, Matthew McGinley  1-1  each, Matthew Enright 0-3,1f, Evan Hickey 0-2, Shea Boyle, Shay Sweeney, Liam McGinley, Callum McGilloway, Aaron McGinley  0-1 each.

Holy Trinity, Cookstown scorers: Karol Wawrynkievicz 0-4,1tpt,Ciaran McKeown  0-4,1f, Darcy Mallon 1-0, Ryan Forbes, Jamie Concannon  0-2  each. 

St Eunan’s College: Cormac Crossan; Noah Cashburn, Liam McGiney, Mark Galvin;  Cathal Cathal Doherty, Evan Daly,Cormac Cassidy; Callum McGilloway, Pauric Devine; Jack Duddy, Matthew McGinley, Jack Robinson; Shea Boyle, Matthew Enright, Evan Hickey.

Subs: Jonah Cannon for J Robinson (52);Aaron McGinley for J Robinson (58); Shay Sweeney for M  Enright (58); Paul Mullen for J Duddy, Michael Gallagher for C McGilloway (60).

Holy Trinity, Cookstown: Daniel McGrellis,Daire McKeown,Cahir  McKeown, Ryan Forbes;  Darragh Muldoon, Shea Rafferty, Ruairi O’ Neill; Yasin Baba, Jamie Concannon; Jack Muldoon, Karol Wawrynkiewicz, Darcy Mallon; J P Norris, Ciaran McKeown, Ciaran Murphy. 

Subs: Fionn Daly  for C Murphy (39); David Conclaves De Silva for S Rafferty  (42).

Referee: Ciaran Canning (Derry)