After trailing by a goal at halftime St.Eunans powered to victory with a strong second half performance, the introduction of Niall O Donnell certainly proving key to their success.
St Eunans…1-13 Aodh Rua…2-5
By Charlie Collins
Aodh Rua got the best possible start with a breakaway goal by Cian Dolan after St.Eunans had lost possession and Dolan was completely free in front of goal.
They followed that with a point from Diarmaid McInerney in third minute and we had to wait to the tenth minute for Eunans first score, a point from Peter McEniff .
Aodh Rua’s tactic of defending in numbers and breaking out at pace when they won possession was working but not producing scores but also denying St.Eunans any space to work with.
Not pretty but effective and just before half-time Cian Dolan added another point for Aodh Rua and Eoin Dowling slotted over a Eunans free and at halftime Aodh Rua led by 1-02 to 0-02 and St.Eunans needing to work out a way to break them down.
Cian Dolan opened the second-half with a point but the newly introduced Niall O Donnell replied for Eunans, 1-03 to 0-03.
Eunans looked to have upped the ante and Shane O Donnell immediately added their fourth point. Philip Patton converted a close-in free and the gap was three again, that early goal still the difference.
That quickly changed when Shane O Donnell and Conor O Donnell Jnr both scored from play to leave just a point between them for the first time.
That also quickly changed as Niall O Donnell scored a super point off his left foot and the teams were level.
Two minutes later Eunans were ahead for the first time with a Conor O Donnell Jnr point and Niall O Donnell’s third point put them two ahead, 0-09 to 1-04.
When O Donnell kicked his fourth and Peter McEniff his second to make it eight in a row for Eunans they were four ahead , 0-11 to 1-04.
Eoin Mc Geehin made that five with his first score and Eunans looking like moving forward to the semi-final.
Peter Devine added another point but Aodh Rua had a sting in the tail as Cian Dolan slotted in a second goal and in the next attack Mark McaGlynn pointed to leave two points in it and remarkably game on again.
However, Eunans had the last say when the broke out and Dara Mulgrew slotted home a goal to leave the final score 1-13 to 2-05.
Aodh Rua ; Peter Boyle , Kyle Murray, Conor Patton , Colm Kelly , Michael McKenna , Eamonn McGrath , Niall Murray, Shane McGrath , Cian Dolan (1-01), , ,Diarmaid McInerney (0-01) , Cian Rooney(0-01), Philip Patton (0-01), Eddie Lynch , David Dolan (1-00), Eoghain Kelly . Subs;Mark McGlynn (0-01), David Drummond , Nathan Boyle .
St. Eunans ; Shaun Patton, Conor Morrison , Caolan Ward , Peter Devine (0-01), Kieran Tobin, Eamonn Doherty, Peter McEniff (0-02 ) , Dara Mulgrew (1-0) Kevin Kealy , Eoin Dowling (0-01) , Shane O Donnell ( 0-02), Conor Moore ,Conor O Donnell Jnr, ( 0-02), Dylan Duggan, Eoin McGeehin(0-01). Sub ;Niall O Donnell ( 0-04) , Aaron Deeney , Brian McIntyre , Sean McVeigh.
